What to Do When Movers Don’t Show Up?

What to Do When Movers Don’t Show Up?

You’ve packed your house up and waited anxiously for the movers to arrive and begin helping you move your belongings to your new home…but they didn’t show up. Before you panic, it is essential to make sure there wasn’t a scheduled window of arrival.

If there is a pickup window for your moving services, it could be a date or time of arrival window, meaning the movers could be expected at any time within that window. If you are at the pickup, with no movers insight, take a deep breath and follow these tips on how to fix this issue.

Keep a Cool Temper and a Rational Mind

Your residential moving company could be late for many reasons, from bad traffic and mechanical problems to employees being late or a previous move taking longer than expected.

Any of these reasons could be the case for them being late for your pickup, so be sure to stay calm and try to communicate with the moving company to:

Confirm the pickup time
Find out what is causing the delay
Confirm if and when they will be able to arrive and perform your pickup

Even the most professional companies can run into unforeseen issues, so it is essential to take a deep breath and work with the moving company to rationally solve the problem.

When to Find a Replacement Moving Company

If you try to resolve the situation rationally but feel that the movers have no intention of showing up, don’t care about your move, or seem to not want your business, you should begin looking for a new moving company. There are reputable moving companies in Pittsburgh, so don’t be discouraged if your original moving company doesn’t show up. Here are a few tips for what to look for in a reputable mover:

Properly licensed and certified. Check with the moving company to make sure they have the necessary licenses and certifications.
Good online reputation. As a general rule, avoid a moving company with mostly negative reviews.
Properly insured. Reputable movers will always be adequately insured, so be sure to ask your movers about their insurance options for your move.
Professional and Trustworthy Appearance. Reputable movers will have well put together a website where you can find additional information about their services, their appropriate licensing information, insurance information, and their contact details.
Get All Contact Information Before You Move. You’ll want to make sure to have and confirm the phone numbers and contacts of individuals transporting your belongings.

Red flags to avoid:

They demand cash-only payments or a large deposit before the move, outside of the average 10% or 20% of the final sum.
Make you sign blank or incomplete documents before or on the day of your move.
They don’t have a concrete landline to contact them.

Did Movers Steal My Stuff?

Once again, don’t panic! Your movers may be delayed for the same reasons they might be late showing up to the job. Some of these reasons could be traffic, closed roads, or being sure to drive slow and easy with your belongings.

If your movers are late delivering your items, the first thing you should do is call your contact on file. If you cannot get ahold of your contact on file, then call the company. There’s also a chance that an item could be mispacked or lost. First, follow the steps to finding a lost item. If you cannot get ahold of anyone and locate your belongings, it’s time to take action.

Steps if Your Items are Held Hostage or Not Recovered

If you were unable to get ahold of your moving company it’s time to take action. Make sure you do the following:

Record all attempts of contact, moving contract, documents, etc. (including phone calls and emails) You want to make sure you keep a record to share with the company, law enforcement, and any other agencies to show you’ve tried getting ahold of them.
Notify Local Law Enforcement. Call the police and let them know your movers have gone missing. Give them as much information as possible including contacts, license plates, contracts, etc.
File a Complaint with the FMCSA. This can help track down illegitimate moving companies and prevent movers from scamming anyone else.

Always Hire Reputable Movers

When it comes to moving, don’t add extra stress to the process by taking a chance on a potentially dishonest moving company, trust Gardner Moving today for quality, dependable moving services. Don’t get stood up by your moving company, call us today to learn more about our reliable movers in Pittsburgh and how we can make your moving day a breeze! Also, view our frequently asked questions page for more moving tips!