Watchdog warns devil is in details for home moves

Movers have been urged to better spell out their quotation details and service arrangements to boost the confidence of people moving homes. The Consumer Council made the suggestion on Thursday as it noted that complaints about movers has stood at about 30 annually since 2023, even though their services are not frequently used. In one case, a complainant, Mung, was notified he was going to be charged a 15-percent surcharge for a five-step staircase after he paid a deposit upon receiving a quotation. Another complainant, Ma, failed to reach an agreement with his mover on the amount of compensation to be paid to him after his television set had been damaged by the company despite protective materials being used. Council chief executive Alaina Shum said firms should be more proactive in ascertaining the moving environment before making a quotation. They should also actively list out all possible additional charges and compensation arrangements. "Before entering into a transaction, apart from the compensation cap, traders should also explain the factors that they will take into account when determining the compensation amount," Shum said. "This will enable the consumers to make an [informed] decision." People hiring movers should, for their part, keep track of all records, Shum said. "Before moving, prepare inventory lists and take photos of valuable, large, fragile [items], or to record their condition," she said. "This will actually better protect the consumers against any unforeseeable damages of the valuable items." It is also crucial for them to study the terms and conditions carefully and provide as much information as possible for a more accurate quotation, Shum added. Edited by Aaron Tam

2026-10-15 14:11:00