When moving from one home to another, one of the questions that you might be worried about is when to pay movers – before or after the move. This is a legit question, especially when you\u2019re using the services of a professional moving company for the very first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It goes without saying that you have to pay your movers for their job – that is, for all the services that they have provided to you in accordance with your mutual agreement (the moving contract).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the principal job of loading your items from the pick-up location, transporting them to the destination town or city, and unloading your things at the new place, you will also be charged for any type of extra service that you request from the pros – professional packing, disassembly of furniture, temporary storage, unpacking upon delivery, reassembly of furniture, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a general rule, you are supposed to pay movers after<\/em><\/strong> your household items have been safely and timely delivered according to the terms and conditions set out in the moving contract. However, if the moving company requests a deposit when you\u2019re booking the move or wants you to pay them cash after the move, then things can get a bit trickier for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, when do you pay movers – before the move or after the move?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read on to learn the correct answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The short answer is NO, you do NOT pay movers before the move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, you may still need to pay a deposit if such is requested by the mover, and you can choose to tip your hired workers if you\u2019re satisfied with their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the height of the moving season (May – September), it\u2019s not uncommon for moving companies to request a deposit in advance as a guarantee that a customer won\u2019t just decide to cancel the move at the last moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is somewhat understandable and justifiable – a deposit means commitment from both parties. In reality, a moving deposit is the insurance policy of a moving company that they will get some sort of compensation for the lost opportunity if a customer cancels the move too suddenly and too late for the mover to do anything about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some movers will ask for a deposit, others won\u2019t – after all, every moving company has their own rules, policies, and conditions. The amount of a deposit will depend on a few factors such as the size of your move, the move distance, the city you live in, and the exact move-out date – weekends are more expensive than weekdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But above all, a moving company deposit needs to be reasonable – anywhere between $100 and $500 <\/strong>should be acceptable as a legitimate deposit asked by a reputable moving company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more<\/strong>: Moving company deposits: What to know and what to expect<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n While it\u2019s OK to pay a reasonable amount of money as a deposit to a company you\u2019ve already researched and made sure it\u2019s legitimate and reputable, you should never pay a moving deposit that\u2019s too big to a moving company you know nothing about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a mover requests a deposit that\u2019s more than $500, then that\u2019s a red flag that something is not quite right. Think about it – the movers have not yet done anything, why should you pay them so much money?<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a rule of thumb, you should not pay a moving company deposit that\u2019s more than $500 – it\u2019s suspicious and you may never see your money again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, be very wary of a moving company that demands the deposit in cash. Trustworthy moving companies will let you pay the deposit any way you wish, so you should always choose a payment method that can be traced (credit card).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under no circumstances should you agree to pay the entire amount upfront. Never!<\/p>\n\n\n\n An honest and reputable moving company will never ask for 100% of the moving cost in advance for no services rendered. Therefore, if you do get asked to pay up the entire amount in advance, then you\u2019re definitely dealing with a dishonest mover (rogue mover) and you should run away from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See also<\/strong>: How to avoid moving scams<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another instance of paying movers before the move is when the hired workers have done a great job since the moment they have arrived in your home and you wish to reward their efforts by tipping them after they\u2019ve packed up your things and loaded them up into their vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, consider tipping your movers when they<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember that you don\u2019t have to tip your movers. However, if you\u2019re really happy with their work, there isn\u2019t a single reason why you shouldn\u2019t express your gratitude for a job well done by tipping each mover individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow the link below to learn how much to tip movers if you do choose to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDo you pay movers before the move?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reasonable deposit: should be OK<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Very large deposit: NO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Entire sum upfront: NEVER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tipping movers after loading: it\u2019s up to YOU<\/h3>\n\n\n\n