HOUSTON — The Better Business Bureau is reporting that it's receiving a record number of mover complaints this year.
It's a warning to anyone who might need to move sometime soon.
One woman wanted to know what happened to the movers who stood her up multiple times even though she paid a deposit.
Audrey Coaston-Shelton is finally unpacking in her new apartment, which is something she worried wasn't going to happen.
She paid a moving company a $100 deposit, but then the movers never showed up.
"The moving company said, 'none of our trucks are back, and I can't give you a timeline,' and 'call us back later,'" Coaston-Shelton said.
The moving company rescheduled but didn't show up on the second date or on the third date.
"They didn't show up on three different dates," she said.
She finally canceled and paid some of her neighbors to move her belongings.
May through August is the peak season for moving and it's also the peak season for scammers, according to the BBB.
The BBB said it received more than 1,000 complaints last year, which was up 200% from the year before.
BBB's Jocile Ehrlich said no-show movers are one of the top complaints. The other is movers holding your property hostage for more money.
"Be careful of lowballers... those people who come in and give you a very low quote that sounds great. They pick up your belongings and move them, but when it's time to pick them up, they say 'wait a minute, we have all these additional fees that we didn't tell you about.'"
Here are a few ways to protect yourself:
- Get quotes from three moving companies
- Get a signed, binding estimate or an estimate that says the maximum you will have to pay
- Read reviews of the company on the BBB's website