To put all the odds on your side, you've finally decided to call in a professional for your move. A wise decision! You'll be able to concentrate on the formalities, which are already numerous and time-consuming. However, you'll need to take a little time to find a reliable mover to whom you can entrust your belongings. So how do you choose your removal company from among the plethora available on the market? What criteria should you take into account to ensure the professional qualities of your future mover? And how can you analyze and compare quotes to find the offer that best meets your needs and expectations? Here are a few tips to help you make the right choice.
Like many other activities, the moving profession is regulated and governed by professional standards and agreements. Knowing the obligations of removal companies will help you to ensure that the removal companies you contact are trustworthy companies to whom you can entrust your personal effects with complete peace of mind.
Moving is a regulated activity in France. As such, moving companies must comply with certain rules in order to be allowed to practice the profession.
As a moving company, they must be registered :
You can be sure that these companies meet the following criteria:
By choosing a company that is a member of Les Gentlemen du Déménagement, you can be sure that it complies with these two rules, which are part of the conditions of membership.
To make a pre-selection of movers to contact, you can also check that they are members of one of the two unions in the sector:
It's an additional guarantee of quality.
In addition to membership of a professional association, you can also check whether the moving company is certified for its quality of service. All members of the Les Gentlemen du déménagement network are ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14 001 (Environment) certified for all their moving activities.
The network's head office is also ISO 45001 certified for the health and safety management of its employees.
Always opt for companies that come to your home to study your needs before drawing up a moving estimate. This prior visit allows the mover to :
For you, the customer, it's an opportunity to discuss the offers and specify your expectations in order to define the moving package to be considered. You'll also be able to judge the mover to whom you'll be entrusting your belongings.
In this sense, avoid online-only moving offers, which do not allow you to obtain the moving company's commitment on the volumes to be moved. In this case, it's often the customers who are responsible for estimating the volume of belongings to be moved. And if the estimate is wrong, it can cost you dearly.
As with any service, the best way to choose your removal company is to compare the offers of different companies. Price, guarantees, certifications... There are many criteria to consider when choosing a mover.
The presentation and clarity of the estimate are the first criteria for choosing a moving company. In particular, check that all the obligatory information to be included in a removal estimate is present: company and customer contact details, loading and delivery locations and the distance to be covered, date, amounts excluding VAT and including VAT, etc. The details of the offer selected, as well as the responsibilities of each party during the various phases of the move, are also essential. The details of the offer selected, as well as the responsibilities of each party during the various phases of the move, are also essential.
To be able to compare prices, you need to be able to place yourself within the same range of services from one quote to the next. Under no circumstances should price be the only criterion on which you base your choice.
The advantage
he advantage of using a professional mover is not only that you're relieved of a number of tasks, but also that you're covered by compulsory insurance in the event of a claim, based on the principle of the mover's contractual liability. If necessary, ask the mover you're considering to give you more details about his professional guarantee.
Sent at the same time as the quotation, the general terms and conditions of sale will provide you with valuable information on how the company operates. Take the time to consult them at the same time as the quotation, to get a complete picture of the file.
To choose the mover you're going to use, you have various contractual elements at your disposal to form an opinion, including the estimate. But don't focus solely on the price of the services offered: on the contrary, you should take into account all the elements at your disposal to judge the seriousness of the removal company. Your first contact with a company manager during the preliminary visit is often decisive.
If you'd like to find out more about our terms and conditions and how Les Gentlemen du Déménagement works, please contact us.