The disadvantages of hiring moving brokers

Once you embark on the challenge of relocation, you are going to realize that you need help, and lots of it. And when searching for the necessary help, opting for a professional moving company becomes a logical choice. However, customers also often come across the notion of a moving brokerage business. For someone who’s dealing with relocation for the first time, you might not know the exact difference between the two. Although it is better to get someone else to handle your move than to go at it alone, one has to admit that there are quite a few disadvantages of hiring moving brokers for your upcoming relocation. Peasley Moving & Storage is more than happy to give you an exact account of some of the bad things to expect before, during, and even after working with moving brokers.

First things first – what is a moving broker?

The first thing you need to know is that a moving broker does not perform the same job as your moving company. You are most likely already aware that moving companies are professionals who can provide you with relocation services, as well as Idaho storage solutions. Moving brokers, on the other hand, don’t provide you with any moving services. Moreover, they are not in possession of any moving equipment or moving trucks. Their only job is to act as a middleman between you and available moving companies.

An alarm clock on a pink and blue surface.
The main advantage of working with moving brokers is in the fact that you get to save your time, as well as effort.

Chances are that you are not going to have enough time to look through all the available moving and freight shipping Boise companies. That’s when you will think about relying on a moving broker – a professional that’s going to help you find your ideal moving company. Of course, there is a certain advantage of working with moving brokers, as you get to save a lot of your time. However, like everything else in life, the things that come with a lot of advantages also come with just as many disadvantages. While that’s not something that we usually do, today, we are going to focus on the negative aspects of working with moving brokers.

What to look for if you decide to hire a moving broker?

Once you decide that it’s time to relocate, you will soon realize that there are so many scams and frauds in the moving market. Complaints about moving frauds are on the rise, which makes it difficult to distinguish a genuine moving broker from a potential scam.  Therefore, when hiring moving brokers it is crucial to know that your chosen moving broker is legitimate. You must be sure that you can trust your moving broker. So, the best option you have is to look up if your moving broker complies with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association regulations. All moving brokers and interstate moving companies are required to have this. Thus, complying and being registered with FMCS is proof that your broker is legitimate and that can trust them.

Scam sign
You must pay close attention not to get scammed when hiring a moving broker.

Also, do not forget to ask for a list of movers that your broker is working with, an agreement with the movers, and all the necessary documentation. Remember that the moving companies your broker is working with also need to be FMCSA registered ones.

The procedure is the same if you are looking for local movers Boise has to offer on your own. You need to look for FMCSA registration, contact every moving company, read moving reviews, ask for free moving quotes and compare them. If you hire a moving broker, you must feel be sure your moving broker is reliable and trustworthy as well as the movers they work with. 

The top disadvantages of hiring moving brokers

In most cases, pure luck will decide how successful you are when hiring movers or moving brokers. However, if you happen to run out of luck, there are a few problems that you might encounter. And those have the power to ruin your upcoming relocation.

You may not get an agreement with the moving company

One of the biggest cons of hiring a moving broker is the fact that you might not reach an agreement with the moving company that will perform the relocation. That is a huge disadvantage! Since the moving broker is the one that will handle everything instead of you, the moving company may not agree with the terms your broker is offering.

Thus, you can find yourself in an utterly awful situation of not having a moving company on your moving day. This is just unacceptable. You need to have a reliable moving company on your moving day, and with a moving broker, there is a chance you end up alone and with no help. If you still want a moving broker, you must be absolutely sure they are trustworthy before hiring their services. Most of them are not, so be careful. You might be better on your own.

Moving brokers aren’t liable for lost or damaged items

The biggest problem with hiring moving brokers is the fact that they don’t have a lot of responsibility. You’ve probably already heard everything there is to know about different moving scams and ways fraudulent movers use to get your money. Hiring movers with the help of moving brokers usually presents a safer option than searching for movers by yourself. However, even if you do hire a licensed and insured moving company, some problems could still appear. If they do appear, it might be difficult for you to hold anyone accountable.

A couple packing chairs.
Protect the items that hold the most value by searching for reliable movers.

Let’s say some of your items get lost. In what could be labeled as a normal situation, you would be able to hold your movers accountable. However, when working with a moving company that you found with the help of your moving brokers, they might shift the responsibility to a third party. The moving brokers could say it isn’t their fault, and you could end up with permanently lost or damaged items. Therefore, if you are looking for some special and uncommon assistance options, such as medical equipment shipping services, then you will want to go through the trouble of looking for a company by yourself. The time you will spend on the search for your movers will pay off.

They are not responsible for the actions of your movers

Happy family moving in.
Moving day safety should be your top priority.

This one is in a lot of ways similar to the last entry on the list. Moving brokers don’t have a lot of impact on the actions of your movers. Could you hold them responsible for your movers being late? No. Could you blame them for movers who act with disrespect? Also no. Thus, if you are looking for residential movers in Idaho who are going to act responsibly and with the utmost respect towards your items, then we suggest you take matters into your own hands. Find a moving team with a lot of positive reviews, and worry not about a thing.

Dealing with a moving broker can end up costing you more money

It is a common opinion that having a moving broker as your moving ally means that you will get the best possible deal and that you can save more money. Well, this is partially true. Yes, they might be able to connect you with the most reliable and affordable freight companies Idaho has. However, even though the moving company you are connected with is affordable, you will still need to pay for the service of your moving broker. Thus, you will end up paying more money than you have to. Plus, the moving broker has no responsibilities whatsoever. If something unexpected happens during relocation, your moving broker won’t take any responsibility. So, why do you need the broker in the first place?

Moving brokers and the carriers they use can be unsafe

In recent years, moving has become an unpredictable and rather unsafe event. With so many fraudulent moving companies around, one really has to pay special attention when seeking moving assistance. If you are in need of special services, like the aforementioned medical equipment shipping services, or you need a special type of storage, such as industrial storage, then you might turn to different moving brokers in order to be as safe as possible.

Two people planning a relocation
The moving broker will not plan your move, take care of packing and unpacking your belongings or bear any responsibilities regarding the relocation.

However, even moving brokers can be an unsafe option. It goes without saying that, more often than not, moving brokers will be a safer option. Just be aware of the fact that the opposite could happen. For that reason, we always suggest you go above and beyond in order to check the credibility of a company before dealing with it. You deserve to make the best decision for yourself.

A moving broker will not handle your relocation

If you are considering hiring a moving broker, you must be aware that they will not plan your move. They will not help during the relocation process. You will have no help from them during planning or packing, they will not advise you regarding self storage Boise has to offer. Nor will they take care of unpacking once you arrive at your new place. All these tasks are the responsibilities of a moving company. So, the question is, why should you hire a moving broker and pay them a significant amount of money if they have no responsibilities at all? 

Having a moving broker can lead to misunderstandings

A woman having a headache thinking about disadvantages of hiring moving brokers
Thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of hiring moving brokers can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

One of the huge disadvantages of hiring moving brokers is the fact that you will not be the one who will deal with the people who will perform the relocation of your home or office. This can lead to misunderstandings. Consequently, many problems may arise in case you have some specific moving requirements. Also, you might be limited to a number of days when you have to confirm the move. Having a moving broker as a third party during the relocation process can make a lot of problems, non of which will they be responsible for. So, why do you need them when they can bring more problems to an already complicated process such as relocation?

Is the risk of hiring a moving broker worth it?

As you can see, hiring moving brokers as a third party during the relocation process has many disadvantages. The question is are you willing and ready to take that risk? You need to think twice. Letting someone else handle an important thing such as finding a moving company can be risky. Be careful, because you do not want to be under stress during the moving day. You need to be sure that you are in the capable hands of the reliable mover because you deserve it.

Familiarize yourself with the cons of hiring moving brokers

Before you make any decisions, you should first read about all the advantages and disadvantages of hiring moving brokers. It’s only after you have the necessary pieces of information that you can make the best and most informed decision. We have taken it upon ourselves to familiarize you with the negative aspects of working with moving brokers. reason being we wanted to bring your attention to a few possible problems. The final decision, however, is completely up to you.

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Everyone from the packers to the movers were awesome! They were all very professional and showed up when they were supposed to. would definitely use them again.

Michele H.

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