Check who you are booking
An attractive advert is a starting point, not a completed check. Ask for the business name, contact details and the name that will appear on your quotation and invoice. Search the name or UEN using ACRA’s Bizfile, then check that the details match the business you are speaking with.
A registration record helps establish identity; it does not guarantee service quality. Read recent, specific customer feedback and look for a consistent history across the company’s website, contact channels and reviews. If the person collecting payment gives you a different business or account name, ask for an explanation before proceeding.
For a Singapore household move, US DOT or MC numbers are not a substitute for checking the local business. Equally, a familiar logo, a polished profile or a photograph of a lorry is not enough on its own.
Put the scope in writing
Send each mover the same inventory, clear photographs and both addresses. Include large furniture, appliances, cartons, fragile pieces and anything requiring dismantling. Explain stairs, lift access, parking restrictions and the distance between the loading point and the lift.
| Before confirming | What to get in writing |
|---|---|
| The work | Items to move, collection and delivery addresses, packing, dismantling and reassembly responsibilities. |
| The amount | The total, whether GST is included, the pricing basis and what could change that amount. |
| The booking | Date, arrival window, expected access arrangements and contact person. |
| The terms | Deposit and balance schedule, cancellation or rescheduling conditions, and how damage concerns will be handled. |
A fixed price is not automatically suspicious, and a deposit is not automatically a scam. The useful question is whether the amount, scope and conditions are clear. Pause if someone refuses to provide a written quotation, pressures you to pay before answering basic questions, or offers a price without asking what needs moving.
For a closer look at pricing, read how a home-moving estimate works and moving costs to check before booking.
Check payment requests
Save the quotation and booking confirmation before paying. Check the payee details against the arrangement you have agreed, and retain the payment receipt and messages. If bank details change unexpectedly, verify the change through a contact channel you already know—not only the number or link in the new message.
Do not share banking passwords, OTPs or remote access to your device to arrange a move. A request to make an urgent additional transfer deserves a pause and a clear explanation, especially when it does not match the agreed terms.
Protect the handover
Before loading begins, walk through the agreed inventory with the crew. Point out items that are staying, items going to a different address and existing damage you have photographed. Keep identification documents, medication, jewellery, keys and essential electronics with you.
If the job differs from the quotation, ask what has changed and what the revised charge covers. Agree the revised scope and amount in writing before the additional work starts. A genuine change in access or inventory is different from an unexplained demand made halfway through the job.
At the destination, check rooms and the major items before signing off. Record any concern promptly with photographs and refer to the agreed reporting process. Do not assume that every mover offers the same insurance, compensation terms or exclusions.
If something goes wrong
For an ordinary service or price disagreement, first send the company a concise written account: the agreed scope, what happened, the disputed amount and the outcome you are requesting. Keep the original messages and evidence rather than relying on a phone conversation alone.
If you suspect a scam or have made a fraudulent transfer, contact your bank promptly and follow the official ScamShield steps, including making a police report. Do not send more money simply because someone promises it will release an earlier payment.
A final check before you book
- I know the business I am hiring and how to reach it.
- The quotation covers my actual items and both properties.
- I understand payment, changes, cancellation and damage-reporting terms.
- I have saved the written agreement and payment record.
Use these checks alongside our moving red-flag guide, guide to hiring a mover and moving FAQs. You can also view Move Move’s moving gallery.
Planning guidance for Singapore. Confirm the current terms with the service provider and the rules with your property management before booking.
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