A mover can make or break the ease of a move. When a moving company is knowledgeable, honest, and experienced, moving is generally a much better experience for the owner or renter compared to the experience offered by a moving company that is neither of those things. In 2009 alone, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) ​​reported 8,400 complaints against moving companies for reasons including lost items, damaged items, and price gouging after estimates were issued.

To ensure that the person who hires a mover gets the best possible experience for their money, the following rules should apply when searching for a mover:

–Contact the BBB at BBB.org to see if the mover being considered for the job has any complaints against you. The BBB issues letter grades to companies, with “A” being the highest grade a company can receive and “F” being the lowest.

–In addition to the various regulations that local movers must comply with, interstate movers must also comply with federal regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issues licenses for interstate movers that the customer must ask to see.

–The American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) issues a seal of approval for moving companies that operate within a set of basic and honest business principles. The ProMover seal is the letter “M” above the word “ProMover” and can be found on the website and in advertising material of approved moving companies. AMSA’s goal is to protect people from unlicensed and unregulated movers who are referred to as “rogue operators” within the moving industry.

–Leave enough time before a move to start receiving quotes from different companies. Experts recommend that people looking for a moving company get at least three moving estimates in person. In-person moving estimates are firm and legally binding estimates, while phone and web estimates are not. A legitimate moving company will not issue a firm quote over the web or over the phone. If an estimate is increased, many unethical movers will hold their client’s household items hostage until the increased rate is paid.

–Movers need to know your rights regarding your property and your move. For those moving across state lines, the person moving should research their rights as a business customer and as a moving company customer for the state they are starting in and the state they are ending in. An educated customer is much more difficult to take advantage of.

Following this simple tip can have a huge, positive impact on moving any distance. Whether a person is moving across town or across state lines, steps must be taken to protect against dishonest and unethical business practices. While many professional companies are more expensive than unregulated moving companies, the term “you get what you pay for” couldn’t be more true when talking about moving companies. One person’s property is too important to entrust to an inexperienced, unlicensed, and unregulated company. People should avoid a potentially unpleasant situation and go with a company they have done their research and know they can trust.