moving long distance in Canada

Moving Long Distance In Canada: Beware The Move Broker

The dangers of hiring a move broker

Moving long distance in Canada can be overwhelming, especially when you consider all the tasks that go along with your move preparation. One of the tasks that needs to be completed when moving long distance in Canada is finding a mover. While moving yourself may seem like a great way to save money, there are a number of hidden costs to moving yourself that can quickly double and even triple your estimated costs. As you look for your mover, it is important to ensure that you’re dealing with a mover, and not a move broker.

Imagine that your spouse was offered a job in a new city. It’s an awesome opportunity, but the company has let you know that it’s your responsibility to get there. This will be your first time moving long distance in Canada. You excitedly go online to look at movers. You find a website that offers you an enticingly low cost. After some discussion, and deliberation with your spouse, you decide to go with that “moving company” and the low price that they have quoted you. On moving day, you wake up early excited, as your new adventure is about to begin. The movers arrive, and after a few hours of loading, and a number of nervous moments, they appear to have everything in hand. A week later, the day before your delivery to your new home, you receive a call from the company. They misjudged the size of your load and the work that needed to be done, and are now asking for almost twice what you were originally quoted. They inform you that you had agreed to a COD (Cash on Delivery) which means that if you don’t pay up, they won’t deliver. Surprised by this, you quickly call your “mover”. To your dismay, you find out that the company you were dealing with was actually not a moving company at all, but a moving broker. They reluctantly let you know that there isn’t much they can do and you are now left to deal with a your sub-contracted mover.

What a moving broker is?

A moving broker is essentially a “middleman” who stands between the consumer and the moving company. They do not own any trucks, have any employees that move people, or any other move pertinent equipment, they are essentially a sales team. They may not even be located in your city. They book moves which they then farm out, or sub contract out to local moving companies. Because of their low prices, and pricing structures,  their local vendors are often low cost providers in your city. When moving long distance in Canada, while moving brokers can provide you with lower costs, they don’t have much control over what your moving company does. This can handcuff you, and cause you to pay significantly more than what your were initially quoted.

When moving long distance in Canada, some of the issues that move brokers can cause include:

Using unlicensed moving companies

When moving long distance in Canada, using unlicensed movers can be an issue, as unlicensed companies don’t necessarily adhere to best practices, or industry standards. They don’t necessarily adhere to CAM standards or the CAM code of ethics for moving companies. This may cause you significant issues especially if there is any damage during the move. You typically have a more difficult time dealing with unlicensed movers, so beware!

Estimated costs may vary from final bill

While you may have been quoted one price from your move broker, they have no way to enforce that upon their local vendor. The costs associated with moving long distance in Canada can not only rise after your furniture has been loaded, but it can add un-needed additional costs such as time, effort, and stress as you wait for your goods, and costs to have things repaired if there is damage.

Vetting process is negated

Researching your mover is important especially if you’re moving long distance in Canada. Move brokers negate any opportunity to vet your mover, as you don’t know who it will be. As mentioned earlier, move brokers often farm the work out to local low cost providers, that you would have steered clear of, if you did the vetting yourself. This will leave you will a lower level of confidence and a negative moving experience.

Lack of responsibility

Because move brokers are middlemen, and don’t have control over the mover themselves, if damage happens, or things go missing, they are powerless to do anything more than direct you towards the moving company. As mentioned earlier, because of the fact that the local vendors often don’t adhere to industry standards, you may have little success in having missing items replaced, or damage repaired.

So where does that leave us?

If you’re moving long distance in Canada, there are a couple of things that you can do to ensure that you are using a moving company instead of a moving broker. These include:

Check out the CAM website

when moving long distance in Canada, one of your first steps should be to hire a mover that is a member of the Canadian Association of Movers. Members of CAM are required to adhere to specific industry practices, and a code of ethics.

Check the BBB

The Better Business Bureau is another excellent tool to use when vetting your moving company. The BBB allows you to see a companies rating, and also allows you to see feedback on the company, both positive and negative. If you’re moving long distance, make sure that you check out the company on the BBB.

Affiliated with a national van line

If you’re moving long distance, make sure that your mover is associated with a national van line. For instance, Quick Transfer is associated with United Van Lines who is the largest van line in both Canada and North America. If your mover doesn’t have any van line affiliation, stay away.

Google their address

This is one of the steps that most people fail to do. Make sure to check their physical address. If their address is to a house, or an office building, chances are that they are a moving broker, not a moving company. Checking the google street-view, or the satellite view can be a great way to check out the company. If there aren’t any trucks, or if the location doesn’t have room for trucks, stay away.

While a low price can be enticing, be wary of the challenges that can accompany it. While move brokers may have a nice website, and an enticing price, they may not have no control over what your mover does or does not do. Make sure that you do your research to ensure that you aren’t blindsided by a large bill, or by a mover that you wouldn’t regularly do business with. While their website may have photos of moving trucks and happy customers on it, doesn’t mean that they are movers.

If you’re in the market for moving long distance in Canada, make sure to give Quick Transfer a call. With over 50 years of experience as one of Manitoba’s most trusted movers, and affiliated with United Van Lines, trust the company that many Manitoban’s have for their moving needs. Make sure to give Quick Transfer a call for your upcoming move!