PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MOVING SCAMS & INDUSTRY PITFALLS
We at Camelback Moving have compiled this list of scams and basic pointers based on our experiences in the moving industry. There are many other reliable moving companies, some we know well, but there are elements of the moving industry that certainly have a sleazy reputation. Nobody wants a huge unexpected bill or to feel they were taken advantage of. We believe that an educated customer is a good customer, so please read this list and always check with consumer review sites before shopping your move.
USE YELP & OTHER CONSUMER REVIEW SITES TO VET YOUR MOVER
This is probably the greatest single resource consumers have when selecting a moving company. Yelp, Angie’s List, Home Advisor, Google Reviews and the BBB offer a glimpse into the quality of service a moving company provides and how
they conduct themselves. If you find a company offering a substantially lower rate it’s best to look up their reputation to see if they’re actually your best value.
USE AZMA (ARIZONA MOVING ASSOCIATION) TO VET YOUR MOVER
The primary objective of AZMA is to advocate, educate and collaborate for successful moving operations in Arizona. Moving companies that are members are insured and have agreed to a set of ethical standards and fair practices
to enhance the integrity of the moving and storage industry throughout the state. If your potential mover is a member, more than likely you’ll find they have outstanding reviews on consumer review sites.
LICENSING (USDOT #S)
Local movers (within Arizona) no longer need to have any licensing (a USDOT number) to operate a moving company or commercial vehicles with a GVW under 26,000 pounds. If that sounds concerning to you, it should be.
With the number of upstart moving companies on sites like Craigslist, it’s hard to tell the good players from the bad ones. And while there are both good and bad players on these sites, you need to ask yourself who’s coming into
your home and is going to have my goods on their truck. Are they insured if there’s an accident on your property? Or how trackable are they if they simply disappear and never arrive at destination with your goods?
There are benefits and assurances that address these concerns when hiring a mover with a US DOT license. The Department of Transportation ensures movers carry proper insurance levels, give their drivers enough rest and
that their vehicles are maintained properly keeping the roads and consumers safe. The FMCSA website also provides a physical address, names of principals and the company’s past safety rating for greater accountability.
As a consumer, making sure your movers have a valid DOT # assures you they are not only completely traceable, but they must also comply with all of the billing and safety regulations of the Federal Motor Carriers Safety
Administration.
CHANGING NAMES
Because consumer review sites have made information on undesirable movers accessible, companies are now quickly changing their name to escape the reputations they’ve created for themselves.
There is currently an Arizona Moving company doing this, but they are easy to identify and avoid. Simply look them up on consumer review sites as most movers have many reviews. Ask for their DOT# and see if it matches the company on
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.
HOSTAGE LOADS / HIDDEN FEES
Hostage loads for local moves (within Arizona) are illegal, but still occur on a daily basis.
What is a hostage load?
A moving company quotes you a flat or hourly rate that seems to be competitive. When the crew arrives, the customer signs the paperwork without noticing the conditions in the small print on the back of the forms. As the crew begins
the move they will load your most expensive items first. Everything is typically very friendly until they are ¾ unloaded and begin to tell you about the extra fees you’ve incurred.
These charges are generally for stairs, shrink wrap, long carries, fuel, blankets, or large items. They’re called “up sells” and the foreman sometimes makes a cut of anything he can add on to your bill.
They will point out that you signed and agreed to these conditions at the beginning of the move. If you refuse to pay, they may attempt to simply close the truck and drive away with the items they loaded first. If they do, you’re
now left to argue with thir customer service department and may incur additional storage fees while your items are held at their warehouse. Not getting quick results or having much flexibility, most customers just end up paying.
This is illegal, so it’s important to know your rights. For local moves within Arizona, movers must unload your goods off their truck, even if there is a billing dispute. If you’re experiencing a hostage load, contact the
police immediately and cite Arziona house bill 2145.
Unfortunately, this does not apply for interstate moves or shipments that have warehouse/storage billing.
At Camelback Moving we do not have any hidden fees, and we publish both forms you will sign on moving day on our website. Let us gain your trust by viewing our Order for Service and Bill of Lading before scheduling with us.
FAKE PICTURES
From crews and office staff to trucks and equipment, there are so many generic moving photos being used you might think Abercrombie & Fitch joined the moving industry. Other companies post no personnel photos at all, but cartoon
figures and superimposed logos on clean trucks. While some stock photography can be okay, if you had friendly and professional employees driving clean trucks and equipment, why wouldn’t you publish a few photos?
PER PIECE QUOTES
There is nothing inherently wrong with per piece flat rate estimates. Usually they’re based on a list of items taken over a brief phone interview. Just beware, it is often unexplained that any additional pieces added to the quote on
moving day are billed at an exorbitant rate. These moves can quickly go over budget, because items stored in garages, spare bedrooms, storage sheds, and attics are often out of sight and out of mind. Typically, these companies also
have an extra fee for long carries, since they need to protect themselves from being taken advantage of if the move takes too long.
CONTAINERS (PODS/PAK RAT)
Containers can be a less expensive approach for consumers with storage and moving needs, but there are some scenarios that make them hard to price. For instance; if a customer has an averagely furnished 1500 square foot home and
must store everything, a single 16’ container will usually not be large enough. It can be very difficult for sales reps to determine the amount or size of containers you’ll actually need, especially if they have not actually loaded
these containers themselves.
Make sure you’re dealing with someone who has firsthand knowledge of loading and gives you pricing that includes furniture pads (An absolute essential in the moving industry). At Camelback Moving we’re happy to assist you in
recommending a realistic and cost effective approach to using containers for your move. We work very closely with the local Pak Rat franchise and have found them to uphold the same values and standards that we do.
DIY MOVING (U-HAUL, BUDGET, PENSKE)
If you’re comparing doing a move yourself to hiring professionals, here is must have information to review your options and calculate your cost. First, it is very common for truck leasing companies to quote pricing that doesn’t
include insurance on the truck or protection for your furniture. These fees, as well as the numerous taxes and surcharges, will drive the cost of most daily rentals over $100.00 per day. You may also incur additional fees for
cleaning and refueling that are often not mentioned and not discovered until you review your credit card statements.
Second, diesel fuel is currently more expensive than gasoline and the average 24 foot box truck gets about 6.5-8 miles per gallon. Trucks typically need to be returned at the identical level of fuel as when they were picked up.
Third, loading and unloading a truck is time consuming, back breaking, and often very hot in Arizona. Depending on your access to the residence, a 24 foot truck can take up to 4-5 hours to load and 2-3 hours to unload. If it’s hot
or humid, the inside of the truck tends to get miserably uncomfortable. If you have high end furniture, make sure you have loaders that can operate under these conditions as they will spend a great deal of time in the truck,
securing the furnishings to prevent damage.
Finally, you need to keep in mind that the sales associates from the truck leasing companies are not professional movers. If you are moving long distance, always contact a moving company to see if the size home you’re leaving will
fit into the size truck they’ve suggested. We frequently inform misguided customers that averagely furnished homes over 2000 square feet have trouble being loaded into 24 and 26 foot trucks.
U-Haul, is the only company that offers additional trailers that can be towed by these trucks in case a shipment doesn’t fit, but they do tend to be quite expensive. We have found there are no residentially leased trucks large
enough to transport an averagely furnished home, over 2200 square feet or more. It still may be more cost effective for you to move yourself, but these issues do tend to add to the overall cost and stress of moving day.
ABF
ABF offers a cheaper alternative to traditional long distance moving services with the “U-Pack/We Drive” approach. This can be beneficial for some, but again there are scenarios that can cost far more than initially anticipated. The
big issue is what if the shipment doesn’t fit. Most customers not having much flexibility are then forced to look at getting some portion of a second container to get the remainder of their furnishings.
If you’re sure that the shipment will fit, then you have the issue of furniture pads. ABF doesn’t supply or rent them. With any move, furniture pads are absolutely essential to prevent your items from getting damaged. You’ll need to
either purchase or rent these pads from a moving company or leasing company like Budget or Penske. For a full 28’ container we would recommend 6-8 dozen pads depending on the quality of your items.
INSURANCE
The common assumption is that full coverage is included when a moving company lists itself as a licensed and insured carrier. The reality is, this is only a statement indicating the company has the sufficient auto, general
liability, and cargo coverage that the DOT requires. Most companies offer a 60¢ per lb. limits of liability waiver for their standard rates packages. This is not full coverage or replacement insurance; however it is the most
standard coverage in the moving industry because no additional fees, descriptive inventory or value needs to be assigned to the shipment. Movers use these contracts to offset the huge amount of liability a company has when handling
household items.
Please view our Insurance Option Page to learn more on this and the full coverage insurance we offer
through a third party carrier. Avoid the pitfalls of the transportation industry.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information, we highly recommend you review the Arizona Attorney General page on Consumer Moving Fraud.
We’re happy to answer any additional questions or help you plan your move. Call Camelback Moving today at 602-564-6683.