15 Red Flags to Watch for When Hiring a Moving Company

Watch for these red flags before you book a mover in Washington.

No license. Every household goods mover working inside Washington needs a permit from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). You can look up any mover on the UTC website in a few minutes. Interstate movers also need a USDOT number from the FMCSA.

A big payment up front. A mover who wants a large cash deposit, or the full price before the move, may not show up. Reputable movers collect most or all of the payment after the work is done.

A quote that is far below everyone else. A very low phone quote, given without asking about your stuff, often turns into a much bigger bill on moving day. The worst movers load your things and then refuse to unload until you pay a higher price. If one price is far under the rest, ask why.

Nothing in writing. Walk away if a mover will not give you a written estimate, explain how they charge, or hand you a contract before the move starts. Vague answers about fees for stairs, long carries, heavy items, or fuel are a warning sign.

Fuzzy coverage. Ask what happens if something breaks and how claims work. A good mover explains this clearly. A bad one changes the subject.

No real address or track record. Be careful with movers that have no physical address, no professional website, few or no reviews, unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau, a pattern of reviews about damage or billing fights, or a recent name change. An unmarked rental truck, or a crew with no uniforms or ID, is another bad sign on moving day.

On The Go Moving & Storage has been moving families and businesses in Seattle and the Eastside since 2009. We are licensed (WA HG-064180, USDOT 2120054) and insured, and we run our own branded trucks out of our Redmond facility with uniformed, background-checked crews. We charge by the hour with no flat stair fee and no fuel surcharge, and we are happy to answer every question before you book.