What to Do if Your Movers Don't Show Up (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Every move is built around a fixed timeline. Once you’ve booked a date, the weeks leading up to your move are spent organizing your household, packing up your belongings, submitting change of address forms, and setting up your utilities. Then, after all that preparation, the moving company doesn’t arrive. It’s a nightmare scenario that happens rarely, but it does occur. For concerned homeowners, this blog will explain what to do if your movers don’t show up ‒ laying out your options step-by-step to help you keep your move on track.

Start Making Calls

When movers don’t show up, the most important thing is not to panic. Even the best crews don’t always arrive on the dot. In most cases, they’re late because of an unexpected snag. Often they’ll call to reassure you that everything will proceed as planned, with a slight delay. But if you haven’t heard anything from them after fifteen minutes past their scheduled arrival time:

• Check Your Moving Contract. Make sure the date, time, and meeting location are correct. Most missed appointments occur due to miscommunication.
• Contact Your Moving Company. Explain the situation and ask for the status of your moving crew. Most likely, they’re stuck in traffic or simply got a late start. In some cases, the company may have made a mistake and either double booked the job or entered the wrong day on their schedule.
• Contact Your Landlord or Property Manager. Dealing with late movers can be tricky if you live in an apartment complex. You may have had to secure parking permits or reserve the loading dock. There are likely service teams waiting to access your unit as well, to prepare it for new tenants. Because these services are time-sensitive, it's a good idea to contact your leasing office if your movers are going to be more than a few hours late, so everyone can adjust their plans as needed.

Remember that moving contracts are legally binding, so if your movers don’t show up at all, they’ve broken their end of the agreement ‒ possibly entitling you to some form of compensation. Keep a copy of your contract handy, and as a precaution, write down the date and time of each call, as well as the name of everyone you talk to. Make a few notes on what you discussed, in case you need to file a claim later on.

Create a Plan B

Once you’ve talked to your movers, you’ll need to decide on your next course of action. If the movers have only been delayed one or two hours, then you can simply push back your original plan. This is often the case when:

• The movers were caught in unexpected traffic, due to an accident or construction
• Their vehicle broke down because of a flat tire, dead battery, or other mechanical trouble
• They got lost due to road closures, poor maps, or confusing geography
• One of the moving crew called in sick or needed to respond to a family emergency

If your movers have run into a significant delay, they may be able to rearrange their schedule and come back the next day. However, due to other commitments, it’s possible they might not have any open slots available. In this case, you’ll need to come up with an alternative plan. There are three possible solutions:

• Contacting moving companies in your area, to see if they can accommodate you
• Reaching out to moving pod companies
• Renting a moving truck and handling the move yourself

Hiring a moving company at the last minute is normally expensive, but is often the best option in these cases. You may even be entitled to compensation to help defray the extra costs (more on that below).

Moving pods are a good choice, but you have to load and unload them yourself. The good news is that once the pod is loaded, the company will pick it up and deliver it to your new home, so you don’t need to worry about transportation.

Rental trucks are the least expensive option. The downside is that they not only require you to handle the heavy lifting, but drive a commercial truck as well, which not everyone is comfortable with.

Your Local Network

At times like these, friends and family are a great resource. They can help you load vans and moving containers. They might not be able to assist you at every stage of your journey, especially if you’re moving long distance, but they can provide crucial support before you go.

Long-Term Considerations

If you have to make alternate arrangements, go back and review your contract once the new plan is confirmed. It should contain a clause stating what recourse you have if the movers fail to arrive. Depending on the terms of your agreement, you may be entitled to:

• A refund on your deposit, if money was provided upfront
• Compensation for any financial losses you may have suffered
• Liquidated damages, money parties are obliged to pay if they break a contract

You can also submit a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, as well as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), though only if you were relocating to another state. (The FMCSA only regulates interstate moves.) For more egregious issues, customers can file a lawsuit in state court or small claims court. However, the legal avenues open to you might be restricted by the terms of your contract. Movers often require you to settle disputes through arbitration. You may wish to consult a lawyer for advice on how to proceed.

How To Reduce Your Risk

While it’s not possible to guard against every eventuality, there are steps you can take to keep your movers from arriving late. Start by vetting the moving companies in your area. Read their reviews, to see whether they failed to show up for previous customers. You should also check in with your moving company at least a week before moving day. Confirm the day, time, and location. If there are any special instructions, such as to avoid certain roads or park in certain areas, make sure they’re aware of them.

You may also want to consider purchasing additional insurance. While all movers are required to provide basic coverage for damaged items, they don’t offer any protection for missed moves. Customers can ask their movers about upgrading to full coverage or buy a policy through a third-party, to make sure they’re protected in case the worst happens.

On moving day, few things are more frustrating than movers who don’t show up. In these situations, clear communication is the best defense. Talking to your movers helps ensure everyone from homeowners to moving crews to office staff are on the same page so the move can proceed as smoothly as possible.

North American Household Moving Services

North American Van Lines is one of the United States’ leading movers. For nearly a century, we’ve helped people relocate to cities and states across the country. Our agents work closely with customers, checking in, providing updates, and answering questions to make sure your move runs smoothly from beginning to end. Take the stress and uncertainty out of your journey. Contact us today for a free quote!