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Hiring a moving truck for relocation can be a cost effective way of moving your household goods, especially when you intend to make a short distance move. But just like any other home moving option, there are some common problems many people experience when they rent a moving truck for relocation.
Thankfully, you’re reading this article. So you wouldn’t have to bother about these problems because I’m going to show you what these problems are and how exactly you can avoid them.
Top 5 Common Truck Rental Problems
1. Making a last minute truck rental reservation
When you’re planing for a move, you can save yourself from a whole lot of moving problems by making many key decisions as soon as possible. Make up your mind to either hire a moving company or a truck rental company for your move as early as you can.
If you decide to hire a truck rental company, you’ll have to make a reservation as early as possible. Should you wait to make a truck rental reservation until the last minute, you might be disappointed to learn that your favorite company is all booked up.
If you intend to move during the summer or at the end of the month, consider making a truck rental reservation at least two months in advance.
On the other side of the coin, the truck rental company you booked a reservation with may fail to keep their promise. Several customers have complained about booking reservations only to discover that no truck was reserved for them on the scheduled date. To avoid this situation, do a thorough background check before signing a deal with any truck rental company. Also, make sure all the truck rental agreements are in writing.
2. Hidden extra charges
Some truck rental companies have hidden fees and extra costs that may not appear on your initial quote. While you may be quoted a flat rate for your truck, you may end up with several extra charges including mileage, fuels costs, late returns, moving tools etc.
Also, if you’re having a long distance move and you’ll have to return the truck to a different location, the truck rental company may charge you a higher rate. To avoid this situation, carefully read the fine print in your rental agreement and ask questions before signing any truck rental deal.
3. Driving the moving truck
If you’ve never driven a large vehicle before, you may feel intimidated by the size of a moving truck when you’re on the driver’s seat.
Regardless of your driving experience, when you’re driving a moving truck, drive carefully and pay attention to all road signs. Always check your side mirrors before switching lanes, take turns slowly and and use your signal.
To avoid accidents and have a smooth trip, plan your route in advance so you can adjust for road weight restrictions and avoid low bridges that are not designed to accommodate the size of the truck.
4. Renting the wrong truck size
What would you do if the moving truck you’ve rented does not have enough space for your household items? You may have to make more trips than you’ve anticipated and pay more than you could have imagined.
Making up your mind on the right tuck size to rent could be tricky. But you can play safe by renting a moving truck size that is at least 15 percent larger than the actual size you need. Having an extra space on the truck will allow you to load your items appropriately so they can remain safe while in transit.
5. Renting a truck without inspection
Too many people make the mistake of driving off on a rented moving truck without inspecting the vehicle. Before you sign a truck rental deal, inspect the truck carefully. Check the interior and the exterior. See if any part is broken, slightly damaged or absolutely damaged. You wouldn’t be happy if you’re held responsible for a damage you know nothing about.
How To Avoid Truck Rental Problems
Ask relevant questions
Before you make any truck rental reservation, ask as many questions as you can. If you’re not satisfied with the responses of the moving company, do not sign any agreement with them. Don’t hesitate to ask about extra charges, hidden fees, truck conditions, reservation guarantees, mileage costs etc. The more you know, the better you’ll be prepared for what to expect and avoid what you don’t want.
Get truck rental estimates from reputable moving companies
While researching truck rental company options, get at least three truck rental estimates from reputable moving companies.
This will give you the chance to carefully compare all three options and pick the best for your move. The cheapest option isn’t always the best and if the costs are too good to be true, you’re probably dealing with rogue movers.
But you can play safe by getting up to 6 free truck rental quotes from licensed and BBB rated moving companies. So you can compare their costs and reviews before hiring any.
Read reviews
Don’t sign any deal with a truck rental company without reading reviews about them. Reviews can reflect the quality of customer service each truck rental company has rendered in the past.
Do some background check
Go online and do some background check before signing any truck rental deal with any moving company. You can check activities about moving companies on MovingScam.com or Ripoff Report. Also, visit the FMCSA website to verify the moving company’s USDOT number and check their profile on Better Business Bureau (BBB).
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