HELP! Movers Are Late. Now What?

The much-dreaded moving day is finally here.

You’re pacing up and down nervously, glancing worriedly at your watch again and again only to realize the bitter truth that although it must have felt like an eternity, no more than a single minute has passed since the last time you checked the time.

And all of a sudden, you get that familiar sinking sensation that lets you know that something has gone wrong. Your movers should have been here a long time ago but there’s still no sign of the moving truck coming down the street.

And although you may feel like screaming at the top of your lungs, Help! My movers are late!, the best thing you can do under the circumstances is to resist the urge to press the panic button and weigh your options carefully while keeping your head cool.

Yes, there is always an alternative solution to each difficult situation, no matter how complicated it may be. Failure to see the right answer right there and then doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way out of the tight spot you currently find yourself in.

So, what to do if your movers are late?

And what if your movers don’t show up at all?

What options do you have?

Read on to find out what to do when your movers are late. Really late!

Believe it or not, there are a bunch of things you can actually do when your moving company is late for the appointed day and time.

However, your recommended course of action will depend on whether your movers have failed to show up for pickup or whether your movers are late for delivery.

Your movers are late for pickup

Here’s what you should do if your movers happen to be late for pickup:

Step 1. Remain calm

Panic is a always bad adviser.

The very first thing you should do is to take a deep breath, count to TWENTY, and try to keep your cool even if that seems like an impossible task at that overwhelmingly anxious moment.

Remember that sudden spikes of stress and anxiety may prove detrimental to your health, so be careful not to expose yourself to unjustified health risks.

Step 2. Look for a logical explanation

Your movers missing in action but there’s no need to panic simply because there may be a logical explanation as to why your movers are not where they were supposed to be by now (your home) and doing what they were supposed to be doing (moving your household).

Besides the first and most widely used excuse of getting stuck in road traffic or having a flat tire on the road, there can be other valid reasons why your movers haven’t shown yet, such as

• technical issues with the moving truck,
• the moving vehicle being pulled over for inspection,
• movers having gone to the wrong address,
• a rare mix-up of the moving schedule,
• a severe understaffed problem due to health issues, and so on.

And there’s only one way for you to learn what really happened.

Step 3. Call your movers

Yes, regardless of the reasons behind your movers’ lateness, the final outcome remains unchanged – you are left stranded.

So, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call your moving company’s office. If you don’t have the phone number at hand, check your moving contract (aka Bill of lading), visit the moving company’s website, or just Google your movers to find their contact information.

Give them a call and do your best to get some specific answers without letting them take you for a ride – demand to know what is going on and when exactly you can expect the moving team to arrive.

Regardless of their late arrival, receiving confirmation from the office that the moving crew will make it to your home is good news.

Step 4. Be ready for bad news

The bad news would be to find it impossible to reach your moving company on the phone.

If that turns out to be the case, try to first find an alternative phone number online (a cell phone number rather than an office number) where you can hopefully find the elusive answer to your relocation mystery.

In case all your communication attempts fail, then you are left with only one choice – to find a replacement moving company to get you out of this difficult situation and find it more quickly than a bolt of lightning.

Obviously, something has gone terribly wrong and your movers are not coming after all. Do not despair, for there is an adequate solution to this conundrum as well – fill out our quick moving quote to get in touch with last-minute moving companies.

Emergency home movers are specialists in moving households in states of emergency (hence the name), especially when other less trustworthy moving companies have just left their customers high and dry.

How to Find Same Day Movers Near You: Today, Not Tomorrow

What to do while waiting for last-minute movers?

The period you’ll spend waiting for your household goods to be picked and transported by the replacement movers won’t have a very calming effect on your nerves, but at least you can use that time to make sure that:

• Large furniture is partly disassembled. If you haven’t already done so, do your best to remove the detachable elements of your large furniture pieces – bed, wardrobe, dresser, desks, etc. If you don’t feel confident that you can do it on your own or if you fear that the disassembling process could turn out to be too unsafe for you and your furniture alike, then just leave the job to the pros.
• The entire household is packed. Provided that you’re not waiting for professional packers to arrive, each and every item in your home should be diligently packed by now and ready to be loaded onto the moving truck.
• Boxes are properly labeled. What’s more, each packed box should be properly labeled with its content, destination room, and additional handling instructions, such as THIS WAY UP, FRAGILE, and so on. Take a black marker pen and check the moving containers one by one for any missing inscriptions. You may not think that this labeling process is important for the success of the entire moving operation, but you’ll be glad you have gone the extra mile later on when you’re about to start unpacking the piles of newly delivered boxes. Remember that labeling your packed boxes is a great time saver in disguise.
• The essentials boxes are ready. If you were wondering whether to actually prepare a survival box or not, now you surely know the right answer simply because you’re going to have to switch to survival mode as it is. You’re waiting for your movers to arrive (if they do so at all!) and all your possessions are already packed away in cardboard boxes. A box or two with absolute essentials within easy reach? What a great idea!
• Your valuables are kept safe. Check once more whether all your items of high monetary or sentimental value are kept in a safe place, away from the boxes that will sooner or later be loaded into the moving vehicle. You and you alone are responsible for protecting your valuables and don’t even think about entrusting them to your moving team.

For other great last-minute moving tips, check out our detailed Guide to Emergency Moving

Your movers are late for delivery

Pacing up and down in nervous anticipation and waiting for your movers to arrive at your new home raises an entirely new set of worrisome questions than the situation described above.

If your moving company is late for delivery, there are practically two possible scenarios:

Scenario 1. Your movers are honest

You shouldn’t worry too much.

Just contact their head office (you should have the phone number clearly written on your moving contract or if it’s missing there, visit the company’s website to acquire it) and ask them what is going on.

There will be a valid reason for the delay, in which case you just have to confirm the new estimated time of arrival (ETA).

Yes, waiting can be tough but at least you’ll know that things will be alright in the end.

Scenario 2. Your movers are dishonest

You should probably start worrying a bit.

If you’ve done your homework right, then the chances of you hiring the services of a so-called rogue mover are practically zero. And yet, bad luck just tends to float in the air and you may have been the “lucky one” to get its bitter taste.

Sadly, dishonest movers do exist and if you were unfortunate enough to have accepted a suspiciously low moving estimate or to have paid an uncustomary large deposit, then you may be in a peck of trouble.

In most cases, rogue movers will hold their customers’ household items hostage until a ransom is paid for their release.

Of course, all of this is illegal, and if you can’t get in touch with your moving company or if you do hear from them with some bad news, then don’t hesitate to first call the police and then file a complaint against your movers by visiting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website or reach the FMCSA at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888- 368-7238) Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

How to protect yourself against moving fraud

Hopefully, you’ll be reading this article before you have selected a reliable and trustworthy mover for your relocation.

But even if you have already had your unfortunate incident, it’s good to know what you can do to make sure you are never again pressed against the wall, wondering what to do when your movers are late.

Here are the safety steps you must take to avoid a moving scam altogether. First and most importantly, you should research your movers well before deciding to hire their services.

The moving company you end up choosing for your move should:

• Be well-balanced. Trustworthy movers offer reasonably priced quality moving services, and their written moving estimates and their tariffs should be clear and unambiguous. If you happen to get a very low offer (compared to the other moving quotes you have received) is almost always a telltale sign that something is not right, so resist the urge to opt for the lowest bidder.
• Be properly licensed. Legitimate movers and brokers are always registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Make sure you check the movers’ licensing information here, or call FMCSA at (202) 366-9805 for licensing and (866) 637-0635 for insurance information.
• Have a good online reputation. Read moving reviews, customer testimonials, and ratings before making up your mind. As a general rule, you should avoid moving companies that have mostly negative feedback. You can access one of the largest databases of user-generated moving reviews on the web: MyMovingReviews.com
• Be insured. Reputable movers are always properly insured. Be sure to ask the moving companies what insurance options they offer regarding your upcoming move.
• Look and sound trustworthy. Reputable movers should have a decent website where you can easily find additional information about their services, their appropriate licensing and insurance information as well as their contact details. Make sure the movers have a valid landline – dealing with a mover strictly by cell phone is a bad idea and should be avoided if possible.
• Not look suspicious in any way. There are a number of red flags to show you that something is not right with a certain mover and to help you keep your distance. Say “No!” to a moving company that answers its phone with “Movers” instead of its actual company name, demands a cash-only payment (legitimate companies should offer a variety of payment options) or a large deposit before the move (the usual one is 10% to 20% of the final sum), refuses to offer you full value protection for your valuable goods, refuses to supply you with a copy of the booklet Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move when moving to another state or makes you sign blank or incomplete documents before or on moving day.

For more information, check out our comprehensive guide below:

Moving Fraud Prevention Guide: Protect Your Move