Pam Bell's daughter Danielle is helping her move into a new apartment. But it's been a rough move because the mover she hired never showed up.
"I called two days before that move and they said, 'We have you down on the schedule, we'll be there Saturday, June 2,'" she said.
But Saturday came and went and no one showed up. Bell then got some very bad news from her daughter.
"My daughter Danielle called me and said, 'Mama guess what? They have permanently closed. It's on their phone message,'" she said.
Many things can go wrong
Movers who don't show are just one complaint. Many more people, like Sonya Cook, are hit by hundreds of dollars in surprise fees on moving day.
She learned on the day of her move a couple of years ago that it would cost her a lot more than the original estimate.
"Someone called me and says, 'We're from the moving company, and we don't have space on your truck,'" she said.
She had already paid a $600 deposit on her $1,800 move, and she says the company then demanded even more.
"They then said, 'We can get you another truck but it's going to cost you more money,'" she said.
How to protect yourself
So how can you prevent a moving nightmare like this?
First, check out the company thoroughly, by searching the Better Business Bureau website. Then Google them for complaints filed by other customers.
Even with decent reviews, however, there are some ways to protect yourself further and make sure they don't get paid until you get moved.
Several sites and apps now list approved movers, help you select one, then hold your money until the job is done.
Mover doesn't show? No problem, you'll get your money back.
Top rated moving apps include:
Finally, don't agree to a phone estimate: Ask them for a signed written estimate, so there are no surprises on moving day.
That way you don't waste your money.
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