Moving Company Reviews: All You Need to Know

This guide to moving company reviews will give you tips on the things to look out for, so that you consider only reviews that are useful to you so that you choose the right mover to make your move as stress-free as possible.

Where to Start

Every state has an overwhelming number of movers to choose from, so you need to eliminate the unlicensed or lower rated movers (ideally you should be looking for 4-5* rated movers).

The easiest way to filter out the less suitable movers is to get some quotes using an online quote estimator.

The movers who respond will have been pre-vetted to ensure that they are legally licensed to operate and have an overall good reputation.

You now have a short-list of companies that will perform your move on the date you requested, service the route you are moving, have the manpower and vehicles available, and have an approximate cost.

So now it is time to start researching those companies.

Firstly, confirm that they are licensed and insured:

• Interstate movers must have a DOT license which you can review at the FMCSA website.
• Local movers must usually be licensed by the local licensing authority.

Having confirmed that, now we turn to reading reviews.

But what do those reviews really tell you, and how will those reviews help you when it comes to choosing the right mover?

Understanding Moving Company Reviews

Reviews can be a useful source of information to help you avoid moving day mistakes and choosing the wrong mover.

But fake reviews are a sad fact of life so you should know how to read reviews, the questions to ask yourself, and the red flags to watch out for.

• How many reviews does the moving company have? A single five star and one two star reviews are not very useful. Look for movers with at least ten reviews and with a range of 3-5*star ratings. It would be rare for a mover to get things 100% right, every time. But if they got it wrong, how did they resolve the things that went wrong? Equally, a hundred five star reviews may mean the mover has a very busy marketing department!
• How old are the reviews? Reviews from 10 years ago are useful to show the company has a long trading history, which may suggest a reputable moving company, but reviews from last month are far more relevant to your move. Staff and business practices change over time, so when looking at reviews, the newer, the better.
• Where were those reviews posted? It is better to use independent, reputable review sites such as MoveAdvisor or BBB where movers do not pay to be listed and they have checks in place to filter out fake reviews, so are therefore more trustworthy than reviews found on social media for example.
• Are the reviewers regular movers or first-timers? The opinion of somebody moving home for the third or fourth time, is far more valuable than a first time mover. However, if the review states that they have used this company numerous times, that’s a red flag, and you need to consider if this is a fake review.
• Do the reviews mention things that are important to you? If they are piano moving specialists, for example, then a number of reviewers praising that part of the service is useful to you if you want to move your baby grand. This may be the moving company for you, rather than a five star company who has never moved a baby grand.
• Size matters. A studio home move is no comparison to your triple garage, four bedroom home move. Look for reviews with a similar size move to your own. It will give you peace of mind that the mover has the correct sized vehicles, and enough manpower and organizational skills to complete your home move safely and efficiently.
• Is the mover franchised? Those good reviews may be for the entire company or one particularly good state. Equally, the bad reviews may be concentrated in one area. Look for reviews specifically from reviewers in your area.
• Are you moving fragile, high-value items Moving boxes of clothing across town is one thing, packing and safely moving your collection of antiques is another. Look for reviews that mention how well they pack and handle precious items.

Remember that a four star rated moving company may suit your needs better than a five star rated company. So don’t rely on the overall rating to make your choice.

Reviews can be invaluable, but they are not risk free and should never be taken at face value.

Verified reviews like those at MoveAdvisor or BBB make choosing a mover so much easier, but take everything into consideration and choose wisely.

Good luck with your move!