If you don’t pay national movers, they may add late fees, report the debt to credit bureaus, send it to collections, take legal action, seize your property, and deny future services.
This can damage your credit score and result in additional legal and court costs.
You know what you would never do? Not pay off a group of mobsters that are out to get you. You know what else you should never do? Cheat your movers out of their hard earned money. Pay them right after they complete the service and make sure to tip as needed.
Now let’s talk business. I’m all about worst case scenarios so I’ll give you the details below.
Worst Case Scenario
Sometimes life happens and you run out of money. This should never happen in the case of cheating your movers, but if it does and you are like me, here is some info on what is the worst thing that could happen.
1. The job just won’t be completed for starters. Why would they want to continue loading and unloading your goods if you aren’t planning to pay them for their hard labor.
The moving company may refuse to complete the move, unload your belongings, or deliver them to your new location until payment is received.
They are in all rights to do this, and you should expect delays in service as well as frowning and angry movers.
2. They could take legal action against you. Again they are in their full rights to do so if you signed a contract and defaulted on your part. This could include filing a full blown lawsuit, obtaining a negative judgment against you in court, and pursuing collection efforts with lots of extra fees through the legal system.
3. If you really want to go extreme, they may hold your possessions hostage if you default on payment. This will be a stressful, angry and expensive situation, as you will probably incur additional fees for storage, failed delivery attempts, or legal fees to resolve the dispute. They will do everything they can to nickel and dime you at this point.
4. You can really get screwed if this default on the payment owed makes word back to your credit company and affects your credit score. If the moving company reports the debt to credit bureaus or if negative legal action results in a judgment against you you will be pretty screwed.
5. It should go without saying that there will be late payment fees and interest charges if the payment is not made according to the agreed-upon terms.
All in all, don’t be an idiot and be fair, pay what you owe.
If You’ve Really Screwed Up What Happens
If a moving company reported you to a credit bureau for unpaid fees or unpaid charges related to a move, there are many potential consequences that will probably follow:
- Late payments, defaults, or unpaid debts can lower your credit score, making it more challenging to qualify for loans, credit cards.
- This will probably lower your chances of finding favorable interest rates in the future.
- It will be harder for you to get approved for credit cards. You will face higher interest rates if you do actually get approved or you will be denied credit altogether due to the perceived credit risk.
- A negative mark on your credit report will impact your ability in the USA to rent an apartment, lock down your utilities, or access certain financial services. This can be a huge huge risk and really affect your financial future.
- Expect higher insurance premiums for your car, home, or other types of insurance you want to take out.
- Landlords these days usually check credit reports when evaluating rental applications. A negative mark from a moving company reporting unpaid fees could raise concerns for landlords.
- If the unpaid movers bill debt remains unpaid, the moving company or a collection agency they decide to make a part of this may continue trying to collect the outstanding balance.
Let's Wrap Up This Move
All in all, it is important to pay what you owe and be a person of your word. It is not ok to sign on and agree upon certain terms and then just default on the payment. Think of it as if your boss just decided to stop paying you and except you to keep working. If you did mess up or a crisis occurred you should expect your credit score to be very badly affected if they choose to take collection efforts.
Try not to get to this point and pay your bills as needed. If you can’t try and ask for a payment plan and explain the situation. Sometimes it’s better to take a loan at a higher rate to pay off your bill than to get to the point of threats.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I successfully pack up my entire house before my move?
Plan ahead, ensure to have a proper checklist of your items and enough packing materials on hand. Proper planning saves the stress of packing up at the last minute and having items get lost. Don’t think it’s possible to pack up an entire home in one day unless you are a professional moving service.
How can I safely move extremely fragile special objects that are irreplaceable?
The truly special pieces with sentimental value I would recommend actually packing up in many layers of bubble wrap and towels and actually putting in your personal car if the option exists.
You can of course wrap these items and put them in a plastic bin with many layers of pillows, towels and more soft items and write “fragile” on top, but I think it’s better to play it safe than sorry.
How can I find the best place for relocation for my family?
Read up on the true costs of living, job opportunities in the area, transport options, schools for your kids if relevant, nature around and any other things that are critical for you. Go and visit live if you can to get a true sense of the vibe.
What is the best way to help a senior citizen move homes?
Involve them in the process! Even if they aren’t fully functional, having them feel empowered will do a lot for their self esteem.
You can involve them in the process of choosing a new home, new area, or just in the small things such as where the local supermarket should be, or what day they want to move and feel up to it.
Make sure to keep their stress levels low, take breaks, and keep their medicines in the essentials bag so nothing gets lost in the process.
What’s the most important thing to do when moving?
Try to take care of all the paperwork ahead of time such as adding your name to all new utilities ahead of time with your credit card on auto withdrawals.
Make sure to change and update your address. Signing and locking down the new home should be done well ahead of time to avoid added stress as well as booking your moving date.
