If you have an upcoming residential relocation planned, you may be on the hunt for the perfect moving and storage company—one that offers accommodating customer service, affordable prices and exceptional care and transport of your belongings. Unfortunately, there are a lot of companies out there that promise to offer this kind of support, but won't actually deliver any of these benefits.

The American Trucking Associations Moving and Storage Conference is a prominent organization dedicated to connecting consumers across the country with ethical moving and storage companies offering legitimate services. As a ProMover with the ATA MSC, Metropolitan Van & Storage has been screened, background checked and approved, alerting our customers to our reliability. Below are some of our top tips for avoiding scams and unlicensed rogue movers.

1. Suspiciously Low Quotes

If you're calling around to different movers for estimates in the same area, be wary of any quotes that come in at only a fraction of the other ones. While a low quote may sound like a great deal, there's a high chance it's too good to be true. 

2. Large, Upfront Deposits

A legitimate moving company should never ask for a large downpayment right off the bat—if a mover requests this type of large sum before any services have even begun, it's best to find another local team to work with instead. Similarly, make sure to avoid companies insisting on being paid in cash.

3. No Written Estimate

Written estimates act as a sort of contract between a mover and customer, detailing each line item involved in the final price. Most licensed and legitimate moving companies will give you a written estimate without being prompted, so if you are told that they don't offer this, steer clear of their moving help.

4. No Physical Address

In order to receive a license, insurance and other necessary documents to be a legitimate business, a moving company needs to have a physical address. If a mover tells you that they don't have one, this could be a major red flag. Similarly, if they utilize unmarked trucks with no company name on the side, find another local mover to work with.

5. No In-Person Inspection

Most moving companies will come to your home ahead of a residential relocation in order to assess the amount of belongings you have, decide if any specialized equipment is needed, and figure out how large of a team to bring on moving day. If a mover does not attempt to get an in-person inspection, homeowners should be wary—this indicates that they aren't concerned with providing quality service.

As a both a ProMover and long-standing agent of Atlas Van Lines, our customers know they can trust Metropolitan to deliver not only ethical, but top-quality service. We can offer professional assistance during a variety of relocations, such as:

  • Local Moving
  • Intrastate Moving
  • Interstate Moving
  • Cross-Country Moving
  • International Moving
  • Military Moving
  • Student Moving

Get in touch with our team today for more information on any of our moving and storage services, and we'll give you a free estimate.