What happens if you don’t pay movers?

Moving can be quite an investment. It wakes two sides to have a successful move, you and the movers. Movers have a huge responsibility when it comes to moving your stuff safely, but there are also responsibilities that you hold towards the moving company. Master Moving Guide helps you understand what happens if you don’t pay movers and how it could affect your planned move.

Get an estimate first

Most of the time in cases where a person did not pay their movers, the reason was the price. This is why it’s very important to communicate with your moving company and discuss all fees possible. Once you have an estimate of the price, it can’t be much different from that when the move is finalized, so always ask for an estimate. There are a few different types of estimates, the one most people usually go for is the binding estimate.

If you’re wondering what is a binding estimate, it could be described as the most serious assessment of your costs. This will allow you to have a vision of your budget and know how much will go to moving services. If you don’t like the estimate and it seems like too much for you, you can easily decline the offer and keep looking instead of accepting it and not being able to pay later on, since that comes with some repercussions.

What else to have in mind?

Other than the binding estimate, you should have a moving cost checklist. This checklist will help you organize your move before the movers arrive. It will make the whole process more organized and you will know exactly how much stuff you have to move so you can discuss a relevant price.

You can also make a list of all of your move related expenses. This will include the binding estimate and all other fees that you might have to pay as well as the cost of things that are not related to the moving company but just to your planning of the move (for example, if you are driving to the mover’s office and want to know how much you have to pay for gas, or the cost of your ride if you’re not driving and other small things like that). If you like to keep track and record of all spending, this list will make you feel safe.

What if you want to cancel the move or moving company?

It happens for many different reasons that people decide to cancel the move or the moving company. This can happen without any repercussions but it can also have effects, it depends on how far you go in agreeing and scheduling the move. A very important document for your move is the bill of lading, this is a document that shows the agreement between two parties (you and the movers) and it outlines all the costs as well as terms and conditions of this move. If you have already agreed on services and signed the document, canceling will be a bit more complicated, and most likely not without a fee. Canceling before you’ve signed any papers or started the move is easier and more common if both parties agree to cancel services.

Some might be surprised, but if you are canceling after an agreement was established (and signed) you will most likely face some fees. It depends on the moving company how much they will charge for the cancelation, but most of them will. This is because moving companies put enormous amounts of work into each move. They do this by creating the logistics, moving everything safely, and providing the best service possible. Once all of this is planned out and you decide to cancel, there will be financial consequences. Most of the moving agreements include the best moving insurance that a company can offer since they want to give the best service. With all this in mind, it is understandable that canceling without notice comes with somewhat of a penalty.

What happens if you don’t pay movers?

Let’s say you’ve got a few moving quotes and you took the time to compare them and chose the right one. Now you sign the agreement and start your move. So, what happens if you don’t pay movers after all this happens? Again, it all depends on the moving company. Here are a couple of things that could happen if you don’t pay your movers.

• Your move could be stopped and stuff moved into storage – If you don’t pay the movers, your stuff could be stored until you make the payment. You may be paying the storage fee and the stuff being shipped out later. This is because the move was interrupted due to the payment not being made.
• You will pay the cancelation fee – If the move has not gone too far but the agreement was made, you will most likely pay the cancelation fee. The cost of this can depend on the company and how much stuff they would be moving. However, some companies will not charge you if you cancel at least 10 days before the initial moving date. So, you are thinking about canceling? Have it done on time to avoid any fines.

How to avoid all the trouble?

It’s never comfortable to cancel when someone is putting in work to help you move. We recommend you take a lot of time to plan your move, count your budget and make a solid timeline. What will save you a lot of trouble too is finding reliable movers. Once you’ve done all of this and found a company, read the agreement they offer in detail. If you feel like everything makes sense, go ahead and seal the deal. Don’t make any moves before you’re certain. This can cost you time and money and mess up the timeline of your move. Be smart and good luck!