Advice for Finding a Removalist Company in Australia

Many people shop around for the best removalist rates when moving house, but there’s more to consider than just the price before your next big move. Insurance, care taken and reputation of the company play a big part in selecting a good mover and should always be taken into account. Before you choose the cheapest removalist from the phone book or through a quick Google search, don’t forget to consider these very important factors.

Avoiding Rouge Moving Companies

Unfortunately many people moving house fall victim to unscrupulous removalists. Some typical problems and tactics associated with these including quoting one price that sounds too good to be true and then charging a much higher price when they arrive. This is after they have loaded all the belongings on their truck and claim the process took longer than what was quoted for, while essentially holding your items hostage until you pay the difference. Some rogue movers also have no insurance or not adequately covered for damage caused to the property or belongings, making this another common gripe about removal companies.

Signs that can indicate a dodgy removalists

• Absence of business address on their website or no website at all
• Moving trucks that appear to be hired from a hire company, or trucks with a lack of company branding can sometimes indicate a fly by night operator.
• No formal contract including or details that explain how pricing brackets are determined.
• No licensing or insurance information is provided.

Tips to find good removalists

1. Ask for recommendations – This can also be handy to find out which movers people DON’T recommend. Many people have moved recently and can provide some insight into their experience with a company. Asking your real estate agency can be another good source of information.
2. Get several quotes and compare them against each other. Make sure you are comparing apples with apples and the same level of service.
3. Read online reviews on sites like Yelp, Productreview.com.au and Truelocal to see what others are saying about your moving company of choice.
4. Look for companies that are associated with national movers associations like the AFRA (Australian Furniture Removers Association) or other credentials. Sometimes these claims of association are misrepresented on individual websites so search for removalists in your area using the AFRA website itself.

We hope this has helps avoid some of the potential pitfalls of hiring less than ideal removalists. You can also ask us for our advice on companies we can personally vouch for at More Space!

If you need a storage unit for extra items or to store furniture and belonging in between your next property, call More Space today on (07) 5598 3355