Picture this: you’re sitting on the floor, since everything else is packed, looking at your phone every couple of seconds, wondering where your movers are.
It’s 30 minutes past the time they should be arriving, and you’re ready to go, but the local movers from Ashburn, VA that you hired are nowhere to be seen. How about this: you’re finishing up with your moving preparations and the day before, your movers from Falls Church, VA call. They tell you that because of technical maintenance, bad weather or some other reason they can’t move you, even though you can’t stay any longer in your old home.
Unpleasant news, right? Whether this has already happened to you, or could potentially happen, it’s a very stressful bit of news to get. Now, we’re not saying that the moving companies in Northern VA are in any way bad, it’s just a hypothetical example. However, if this possibility worries you – we’ve got you covered. Here’s exactly what to do in such cases, to salvage your move and lessen any stress on your part.
1. Damage control
Yes, it’s not great, but what quick-fixes are there? Could the move be delayed, and if so, to what date? Work with your movers. Suppose the movers can’t do the job outright. In that case, you’re due to get your deposit back or if it gets delayed, receive a discount. Other than that – figure out how much time you have until the next people are moving in. Mainly, try to get as much vital information as soon as you can. Don’t get bogged down in details – prioritize having a roof over your head and somewhere to place all of your boxes. Speaking of which…
2 Planning is essential
Have a plan in place before your move, preferably, or make one during, if you have to. Necessarily, it should detail what to do in case of an emergency. It can be anything from calling up your old friend with a van to googling “best moving companies near me” and mass calling them. Anything that quickly solves your problem will do. Don’t book another move on the same date though – that is part of what gets people messes like this. Additionally, look into moving containers as a failsafe – even if your movers don’t show, you won’t be stuck on the curb with a mountain of boxes behind you.
3 Take preventative measures
Certain factors make it more likely that you’ll end up in such situations. Of course, you’re not to blame in case this ever ends up happening, but it’s best to take steps to avoid it altogether, right? Your best bet would be picking your movers not by the local moving company prices, but by the years of experience and trustworthiness. The bigger the company, the more skin in the game they have, if they ever fail to deliver on their service. Additionally, try avoiding the months of summer – that’s when most moves happen, making it more likely you’ll run into overbooking/prioritization problems. If you’re committed to solving any problems ahead of time, look at their cancellation policies and ask the company for a statement about it outright.
Most of all, don’t worry yourself to an early grave. Last-minute cancellations are rare, and typically you’ll get enough of a warning window, to pick a different moving company. If not, there are still plenty of movers, like us, that know the plight of last-minute moving all too well and are ready to help you out. Your priorities should be informing yourself of your rights and planning, so in case of an emergency, you can go through your backup plans and come out on top. We hope it doesn’t come to that, and that you have a safe move!
