Are you moving at the end of the month? It can be an overwhelming experience with so many things to think about. Have you carefully considered which moving company to hire? If it’s something you haven’t thought much about, here are some tips to help you make an informed decision and make your moving experience as stress-free as possible (is that actually possible?).
Before choosing a moving company:
Do some research first.
- Ask your family and friends for the names of companies they recommend.
- Consider calling an organization such as the Better Business Bureau for a list of suggested movers.
- You may want to find out if the mover is a member of an association of movers or a certified reputable mover program.
- Do some research online to see what other consumers recommend.
- Get an estimate in writing.
Ask questions.
- Is the company insured?
- Do they have their own equipment?
- Do they abide by any standards of good practice such as the Good Practice Guidelines for Canadian Movers?
Get more details.
- Who is responsible for packing?
- Can any type of box be used?
- Are there any licenses or customs documents required (such as at border crossings) and who will prepare them?
- If a deposit is required, will the money be put in trust, as is required in some provinces and territories? Is it refundable? Clarify the methods of payment at the outset.
This is just an overview of some of the valuable information provided by Industry Canada. Read their moving checklist. We wish you all the best on your moving day!
ADDITIONAL READING:
Things to know about moving insurance
Consumer checklist for choosing a moving company (Government of Canada resource)
How to protect your rights when hiring a mover & video (Consumer Protection Ontario resource)
I liked your tip to check with the BBB to make sure that the moving company that you’re using is in good standing. You went on to say that you should get estimates in writing. I think it’s a good idea to choose a moving company that also has a storage unit near the destination you’re moving to.
Claims against the moving company must be made within 30 days on a local move and within 60 days on a long-distance move. This is generally the amount of time that you need to look at everything and note any differences. Finally, you may wish to contact your insurance broker to see if you have coverage within your existing policy. It may not save you only time, but money as well.
Foster’s Moving was recommended to us by our realtor, Jenn Rappanna. They are the worst movers ever. Their movers damaged our furniture before they even left our driveway. They had the audicity to ask for a box because fell out of the drawer of my desk.
Found out they had taped the drawer back on.
Very pathetic!!! They didn’t use the moving blankets and have damaged 80% of our furniture.
Hi Carla, thank you for contacting Consumer Protection BC. As you may have seen in our post, we do not regulate moving companies in BC. Having said that, if you are seeking some compensation, you can take them to Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) which is an online-based platform for small claims up to $5000. If you are interested, you can explore and find more information about the process on their website here – https://civilresolutionbc.ca/
I hired one of the 4.5 star Moving company for my move to a townhouse. The company send me two little high school boys for my move. The driver came with the truck and parked the truck and run away. They damaged my furniture and other household stuff. They also damaged my newly purchased townhouses’ walls, doors and stairways. Very non professional and bad experience.
Hi Muhammad, thank you for contacting us. We do not oversee moving companies but are you looking for compensation for the damages? If so, you may want to work directly with the moving company owner first. The step after that may be to contact the Better Business Bureau (if they are a member) or Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT). I hope you will be able to sort this out quickly.
Movers damaged a piece of furniture during move and have offered to fix it. Do we have to accept that or can we request full compensation. This company is insured
Hi Sarah, thanks for your question. We can’t offer legal advice on what you may or may not be entitled to. I would suggest reviewing the fine print of whatever you may have signed when you hired the moving company to see their policy for damaged items and refer to that when trying to work with the business to reach a solution (working with the business is almost always the fastest and most effective way to resolve issues). If you can’t resolve the issue with them directly, then your only option would be to go through the courts to claim damages – the Civil Resolution Tribunal can help with disputes under 5k and then Small Claims can resolve disputes between 5k ad 35k. I suspect this wasn’t the answer you were looking for but I hope it helps.