Removal Firms: Spotting The Good From The Bad

One way to pick the right removal company for moving house (outside of comparing removal quotes) is to read reviews. People commonly let the words of others convince them as to whether something is good or bad. With the cost of house removals pricey, yet necessary, you’ll want to find a firm that’ll give you your money’s worth; a firm that can be trusted and that will get the job done.

While reviews should always play a part in how you decide on which removal companies to trust, they shouldn’t be the only factor. Other than good reviews, how can you ensure that the firms on your shortlist can be trusted with your worldly possessions?

Start with the type of reviews you are reading, if a company is to be trusted, then it will prominently display the reviews and testimonials it receives on its own site. However, it’s very easy for someone with imagination and knowledge to make up a testimonial. For that reason, it can be a good idea to watch out for firms that feature themselves on independent review websites. A healthy rating on websites such as Yelp or Trustpilot allows you to put more faith in what you are reading. This is due to such websites including features to verify that the person was a genuine customer of the business.

Do be careful to note how many reviews a removal company has on such sites. A company could have a 4 or 5 star rating, yet only have a couple of reviews. Make sure to seek moving home quotes from companies that have tens and hundreds of great reviews.

It can also be a good idea to ask about the company’s policies and procedures for if things go wrong. As removal companies are ran by human beings, they will invariably get things wrong from time to time. You could even cause problems by providing them with the incorrect information, either way, it’s important to ask if the company has a complaints procedure and (crucially) if they have insurance. It’s important to ask such questions directly after you have received their quote for the cost of house removals – especially if the quote is very low compared to others. If it’s suspiciously low, don’t automatically think you’ve got a good deal. For example, the costs may not offer cover for fragile items damaged during the move.

Lastly, check whether or not your shortlisted firms are part of any industry associations or if an industry body has accredited them. Just as you have got Gas Safe for plumbers and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for surveyors, the removals industry has the British Association of Removers (BAR) and the FIDI FAIM accreditation. The former relates to UK domestic movers and the latter to international removal firms. There is certainly more to picking the right removal company than just reviews and the home removals cost you have been quoted.

Always ask questions of your removal quote. Unless you’re going through a comparison website that continually reviews the firms on its books, you should always look beyond the quote for the cost of house removals; doing so could save you from making a costly mistake that you’ll regret.