With over a million home moves occurring annually across Australia, it’s surprising to know that majority of them go without any stress. However, over the past few years, the number of complaints against moving scams has more than doubled. The most popular time of the year to move homes is during the summer months. Scammers often take advantage of the high season, trying to catch out a desperate home owner eager to move. While moving scams aren’t as rampant as internet fraud, whenever they occur, they are devastating and come with a massive financial blow. The best protection against moving scam as a customer is staying informed and updated about recent development at all times. Moving is one of the more difficult things to do and having a moving company do it for you doesn’t mean you have to leave all the details in their hands. It is therefore, highly recommended to find out some of the ways you can be scammed by an unreliable moving company.
Here are 5 removals scams to watch out for:
- Low-ball estimate, much higher final price
One of the common moving scams is the bait and switch tactic. In order to grab your attention, these disreputable moving companies offer a low estimate for moving your office or home. And when it’s time to move, you’re told that the load is a lot more than originally estimated and for this reason, the price will be higher. Try negotiating a fixed rate with your furniture removals business.
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- Missing Items
While moving at times, valuables such as antiques and jewelry might get lost and sometimes these items can get damaged. To reduce further stress before you engage a removals company check to see if the company is ABN/ACN registered and fully insured. If they are not registered, consider it a red flag!
- Hidden charges
Most times, disreputable moving companies do honor the original amount quoted for moving your office or household, but they will look for other ways to increase the final price. To avoid such fraudulent act, it is best to understand the estimates before moving.
- Over-the-phone quotes
Most rogue companies will not send an estimator to your home or office in advance to check the size of the goods, rather they will prefer giving quotes over the phone. If you decide on using the services of a rogue company, no one will show up from the company until moving day. To avoid being scammed, it is recommended you get at least three written in-home estimates from the moving company’s representative.
- Large deposit
Some quality moving companies will request a deposit in advance to secure the booking. This will make them reserve that particular date for you. Whenever a company request for large deposit in or payment in full up front, you should be aware this could be a scam and try as much as possible to avoid them.
If you are unsure of a quote received from another removalist in Canberra, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call to discuss your options.
Thank you from the team at Quality Removals in Canberra.
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