How to Avoid Moving Scams: Red Flags to Watch Out for in the UK

 As moving is becoming more common and trendy in the UK, it has given rise to various scammers who look to steal people’s hard-earned money. Moving is an industry that very few people have knowledge about, which leads the masses to fall into traps. Fraudulent movers in UK have seemingly increased in the past few years, especially after the pandemic. People are even avoiding hiring movers because of the fear of encountering fake movers.

But, not hiring movers is not a solution as doing the move without the moving company is tremendously challenging; instead, everyone at their individual level should be aware of the red flags that the scammer might show. Here, you will get to know about the red flags that you see in the moving company, and then you should take a step back and get away from them.

Extremely Low Prices

A great way that scammers use to attract innocent customers is by offering extremely low prices. Deep down in our hearts, everyone gets excited when we see stellar prices, but before you click on anything, ask yourself if the deal is too good to be true or just a great discounted price. When hiring movers, never go for the extremely low quotes providing company as there are high chances that the moving company might be fraudulent.

No written Contracts or Estimates

If the moving company refuses to provide proper written contracts or estimates, there is a high chance that the moving company might be a scammer. Whenever you hire movers in the UK, remember to ask for written contracts or estimates. If the moving company refuses or gives any excuses, then it is proof that they are not legitimate.

Request for Large Advance Amount

Most illegitimate moving companies look to get large advance amounts and then disappear, so if a moving company is persisting a lot to get higher advance amounts, then there are quite a lot of chances that the moving company might be a fraud. Every moving company requires some advance amount to begin the proceedings and start the preparation for the move, but the amount is not quite large, so no verified moving company in the UK will ask for substantial advance amounts.

No registration with Associations

A major red flag to discovering a fraudulent moving company is to check their registrations with different associations. Any verified and genuine moving company in the UK should be registered with the British Association of Removers (BAR). If you are looking for an international move from the UK, look for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Registration. Any moving company in the UK not having registration with the moving associations should be a huge red flag for you.

Tip: If you don’t want to spend hours in search of reliable packers and movers in UK, then you can go for Agarwal Packers and Movers, as they are also validated with the International Association of Movers.

Reviews and Ratings

Before hiring any moving company in the UK, make sure you spend some time reading their reviews and ratings, as it provides you with a great idea of how the moving company performs in reality rather than what they claim. Try to read more and more reviews, as it will make it easier for you to judge the company and its credibility. 

Be alert and aware of fraudulent moving companies, as they can hurt you financially and emotionally by damaging your precious belongings. These red flags will give you a great idea in hiring the moving company.