Moving Brokers – What You Need to Know And Why

We have written extensively about how to choose the right removal firm for your home move, it is a vitally important aspect of moving home that needs very careful consideration.

These days, more and more people are moving long-distance and this can make choosing a good removal firm even more important, and equally, more problematic.

In the last couple of years, we have seen the rise of what is known as moving brokers, a phenomenon that is common in the States but is rearing its head here now.

Moving brokers are notorious for scamming customers and providing poor customer service in the States. And whilst we do not see the same number of issues here as yet, you need to be aware of what a moving broker is, and what the consequences can be when using their services.

In this guide to moving brokers, we show you what to look out for so that you know who you are hiring and how to avoid some nasty surprises on moving day.

Must read: How to Pick a Good Removal Company: The Ultimate Step-by-step Guide. This is an invaluable guide on how to choose a good removal company which takes you through each step of the process to find the best removal firm for your home move.

What is a Moving Broker?

Moving brokers are basically professional sales teams who normally do not own their own removal vans or teams.

Or they own a local removal company but sell your move to another removal company for areas that they do not cover themselves.

International and long-distance home moves tend to be favoured by brokers as they command the highest prices and are the most difficult for local removal firms to deal with.

In summary, Brokers are middlemen who book your move but may not actually carry out the move themselves.

Must Read: How to Make Home Moving Reviews Work for You. Essential tips on how to spot genuine removal company reviews and how to use those reviews to make your own home move as easy as possible.

The Pros of Using a Moving Broker

Booking your home move through a broker can be super convenient and can often seem like exceptional value for money.

There are some significant benefits to booking your home move through a broker, but as we will see, the risks often outweigh the benefits.

#1 National and International Coverage

Brokers will book any move to anywhere. They have no geographic restrictions so it is easy for you to get your move booked with just one phone call.

#2 Less Likely to Cancel a Move

Because brokers work with numerous removal firms if there is a problem on moving day such as a broken down van, then they usually have the ability to get another removal firm to you.

#4 Cheap Removal Costs

Brokers will give you the lowest quote because they want your business. How accurate that quote is, and what you eventually end up paying, are often two very different things.

You may also like to read: Questions to Ask Your Removal Company. A list of 24 questions that it is essential to ask of any removal firm that you are thinking of hiring.

The Cons of Using a Moving Broker

Booking your home move through a broker can seem convenient and easy, but there are significant risks when booking a move through a broker. Here’s what those advantages of booking through a broker can translate to.

#1 Low Pricing

The broker works on commission, so it is in their interest to get you to book your move through them. This often means that they will underestimate the size of the removal truck or the number of movers you need to keep the quote as low as possible.

They then find a removal company that will actually carry out the move for the cheapest price possible.

But come moving day you will likely find that the van is not big enough, or that you are moving far more than the broker quoted you for and you end up paying far more just to get your stuff moved.

They are unlikely to have any moving equipment or use furniture blankets, for example, they cost money, and the removal firm has got to cut costs wherever possible to make a profit from your move.

The removal company that turns up will often not move anything until you pay extra or will leave things behind and you have to then get them moved at an additional cost.

#2 You Don’t Know Who is Moving You

You also have no idea who will actually be moving your things, Brokers often use removal firms who cannot get their own work due to having a bad reputation, and in most cases will use a man and van service.

And because the removal firm will want to move you as cheaply as possible they will often hire day labourers rather than employing trained staff.

#3 No Accountability

Should anything go wrong during your move your broker will most likely take no responsibility and you will be left to deal with the removal firm that actually moved you, who in most cases will refer you back to the broker. You end up in no-man’s land with damaged furniture and no way to recover the costs of the damage.

#4 No Loyalty

Brokers will sell your home move for the cheapest possible price, so should the actual removal company get a more lucrative job on your moving day, it is your move that is likely to be cancelled.

#5 International Home Moves

Very few removal companies will take your things door to door themselves when moving internationally. Often they will collect your possessions, have them shipped to the destination country and then a third party will deliver them.

Having been perhaps in storage and then reloaded onto the delivery lorry, it is then that damage usually occurs and it is often impossible to get either party to take responsibility, they each blame the other.

Often delivery dates are subject to a van travelling to the final point of delivery which can add significant delays to your delivery.

It is for this reason you need to be very sure that the removal company you hire is the one who will make the full journey.

So, as you can see, for all the convenience that booking through a broker can give you initially, the stress and additional costs that come along on moving day and beyond far outweigh the positives of convenience.

So now you know the very real risks of using a moving broker, how do you spot a broker?

Must read: International Home Moves: The Ultimate Home Moving Challenge. International home moves can be particularly stressful and complicated. In this guide, we show you how to choose the best international removal company to help you relocate overseas.

How to Spot a Moving Broker

Knowing the pitfalls of booking your move through a broker is one thing, identifying whether the company you are thinking of hiring is actually a broker or not is a little harder.

Here are some things to look out for when booking a removal company that may indicate that your move will be brokered out:

#1 Read Reviews

You should quite easily be able to identify if it is a broker from their reviews. Pay particular attention to previous customers’ experiences when things went wrong or how the company responds to complaints.

Also, look at how many reviews are being posted per day. Very few removal firms have dozens of vans, so if there are large numbers of reviews posted every day this would suggest they are brokers and work with many many companies.

Be wary of reviews posted on their own website or Google reviews which are not verified. These reviews are often the result of marketing teams, not people who have actually used their services.

#2 Check Out Their Website

Very carefully read the actual wording on their website. ‘We work with’, ‘our partners’, and ‘we manage your home move’, suggest that they broker out your move to other removal firms.

Also, look at whether they have a ‘become a partner’ or ‘work with us’ page. Some brokers require their partners to have little more than a van, a driving licence, and insurance, with no mention of experience or membership of a removal trade body for example.

Go to the contact page and see what their address is, then physically visit it or do a Streetview search to ensure that it is an actual depot and not just an office.

Often they will state x number of years in the removal business to make themselves look like a well-established business. This often refers to the number of years the employees have in the business rather than how long the company has been in business.

Check out the date the company was created on the Check a Business website and look at the dates of any reviews you come across. Invariably the reviews will all be fairly recent and often have a high rating.

#3 Areas of Operation

Very few removal firms cover everywhere, it is just too expensive. If you are moving from Manchester to Plymouth for example then calling a London removal company would not seem to make sense, even though some may list Manchester as a place they service.

Some removal firms do have local franchises, for example, so research them as you would any local removal firm.

#4 No In-Home Survey or Video Survey

Most removal firms will want to know exactly what you are moving so that they can ensure they have a big enough lorry and so that they will be able to formulate a moving day plan. If the company quotes you without such a survey then you can expect the price of your move to increase come moving day.

Must read: Home Removals Insurance – Do I Need it? A common problem that people moving home encounter is that they are not properly insured for their home move which can lead to significant financial loss. Be sure to find out exactly what cover you need and what different types of home moving insurance are available.

Should I Book a Home Move Through a Broker?

There is always a risk of having a bad moving experience, whether you are moving yourself, hiring a local removal firm, or booking through a broker.

There are some excellent moving brokers who only work with reputable removal companies, and they will save you time and money when booking your removals.

Equally, there are brokers who will work with anyone just to get a sale.

If you are aware that you are working with a broker ask for the name of the company that will actually be doing the move. If they will not tell you or do not know, then walk away, it is just not worth the risk.

Only by doing your due diligence will you ensure that the removal firm you hire is going to make your home move as smooth and easy as you want it to be.

As a rule of thumb, we would recommend that you use good local removal companies for local moves, reputable removal firms for long-distance moves either from your current home town or new home town, a European removal company who use their own vans to move your things door to door for moves to Europe, and an international removal firm who are accredited to BAR overseas or FIDI for worldwide home moves.

You may also like to read: Home Removal Industry Associations and Trade Bodies. There are a number of organisations that removal firms can sign up to that ensure a certain level of competence and professionalism. In this guide we explain what advantages this has for you as a consumer.

There is no absolutely fool-proof way of ensuring that your home move will be faultless, but by following our recommendations on how to pick the best removal company you will have done all you can to ensure the best moving day experience possible.

Finally, be sure to visit our award-winning home moving blog for invaluable advice to make your home move safer, cheaper, and stress-free.