LAS VEGAS -- With the housing crisis in Nevada, a lot of people are on the move, and there are people trying to take advantage of that. Complaints are on the rise and the Better Business Bureau is warning about rogue movers.
The BBB says they investigated 200 moving company complaints this past year, double from the year before.
"We had a complaint just in the past week where the consumer lost their whole truck. It didn't show up, and the moving company didn't find it and the mover, because it was a rogue mover and they had just hired somebody, the guy quit halfway and just left the truck. They found it in Texas," said BBB CEO Robert Crockett.
Common signs of rogue movers include lack of a written estimate, demanding an up-front cash deposit and showing up in rental vans instead of marked vehicles.
The BBB launched a campaign against fraudulent moving companies. They are spotting many rogue moving companies coming from Los Angeles, stealing business from licensed local movers.
"A rogue mover will pop up with a name very similar to ours, give a horrible estimate that short sells what the wage should be. When the customer comes time for delivery, they jack up the price a few thousand dollars and hold your items hostage," said Mike The Mover with IC Moving.
All 38 Nevada moving companies are licensed by the Nevada Transportation Authority (intrastate license only). In addition, the Federal Transportation Department (interstate license)has online guidelines of what to expect from legitimate moving companies. That includes the pamphlet showing your customer rights companies are required to give you by law such as Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move and Ready To Move. Also, consumers may want to carry additional insurance. In many cases movers are only liable for 60 cents per pound. So read your contracts or talk to your mover before the moving truck gets loaded. When it comes purchasing moving insurance, there are three levels of insurance types: Limited liability, lump sum value and full value protection. But before you buy insurance, here are a few tips. Never buy moving insurance from a moving company... they are movers, not insurance agents. Check your homeowner's insurance. Some policies cover property in transit. Consider purchasing short-term insurance that covers the move if your property is very valuable. Remember, items in boxes not packed by the mover are not covered, unless the outside of the carton provides clear evidence that the entire box was damaged during the move. The mover is responsible for any electronic item(s) that do not function after the move only if there is clear evidence that the item was dropped or mishandled during the move. The customer has nine months after the move to file an initial claim against the mover. The mover is legally obligated to acknowledge any claim within 30 days and to resolve it or offer a settlement within 120 days. But the customer is legally responsible to pay for the move, even when claiming extensive damages. You have to go through the claims process to receive compensation for any damages. For further questions about moving, insurance or filing a claim email us at customerservice@icmovers.com
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