Help Finding a Reputable Mover
The Bucks County Office of Consumer Protection offers advice on finding a good moving company.
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Q. We are moving in August and are looking for a reliable moving company. We have been asking around to see if anybody knows a good moving company and no one has anything good to say. What can we do to find a reliable moving company? D.Y., Bristol
A. Most moving companies are reliable, but the dishonest ones tend to stand out with their fraudulent business practices. The best advice is to investigate the moving companies that you are interested in.
Get written estimates from at least three moving companies. The estimate should be based on an actual inspection of your household goods. Be cautious if the mover doesn’t offer or agree to an on-site inspection before giving you an estimate. Make sure the mover has insurance and is licensed by the proper authority. You can double-check a mover’s license on www.protectyourmove.gov.
Make sure each moving company has an address on its estimate. The company should provide you with a copy of “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”. This is a booklet the movers are required by federal regulations to supply to their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves.
Some red flags to look out for are if the moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move, if they claim all goods are covered by their insurance, or when you call them, their phone is answered with a generic “Movers” or “Moving Company”, rather than the company’s name.
For more information on moving companies contact the Public Utility Commission at the Philadelphia District office at 215-965-3721.
Eric Anders
7:22 pm on Saturday, June 30, 2012
Local and intrastate household goods movers operating in the Keystone State are required to be licensed by the Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) and must maintain adequate levels of insurance coverage.
To ensure compliance, all movers operating within Pennsylvania are required by law to display their PUC number in all of their advertisements.
Beginning October 1, 2009 residents can now review the most current Household Goods Carrier list at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website http://www.puc.state.pa.us/ . While there, don’t forget to ‘read and heed’ the Information for Shippers form before making any commitments.
A direct link to the approved carrier list is can be found at http://www.puc.state.pa.us/transport/motor/pdf/HHG_Operators.pdf
MM
12:14 am on Monday, July 2, 2012
I am a real estate agent and I have used this mover numerous times. My clients absolutely love him he's reasonable reliable and a very nice person. Dan Heilig (215) 962-9123.
Mike Russo
12:39 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Dont use HAMMERS (located here in Bucks County). They do the 'bait & switch' routine. They LOWBALL the offer (not necessarily the lowest), then try to extort you by dropping the gouging bill on you BEFORE they say offload your Couch......