The 10 questions that separate a legitimate mover from a broker platform – what to insist on, what to walk away from, how to spot inflated pricing.
The moving industry in India is fragmented, largely unregulated, and full of aggregator platforms that subcontract your job to whoever is cheapest on the day. Choosing the right mover is one of the most consequential decisions of your relocation – and it is easier than it looks once you know the right questions.
This checklist is the exact set of criteria we would apply if we were hiring a mover for our own family. Read it before you accept any quote.
Aggregator platforms have no physical presence in your city. A local mover has an office you can walk into, meet the team and see the trucks. Ours is at NH-33, Booty, Dumardaga, Ranchi. Insist on this. If the answer is evasive, move on.
A direct answer names their own team. A vague answer ("our verified partner") means subcontracting – someone else you have not vetted will handle your belongings.
Legitimate GST registration means the business is on the tax rolls. Ask for the GSTIN. Verify it on gst.gov.in in 30 seconds – it should show as active and match the mover’s legal name.
IBA (Indian Banks Association) approval means the mover’s documentation is accepted by banks for home-loan and relocation reimbursement. Read our transfer allowance guide for why this matters.
A phone-only quote is a guess. A physical or video survey produces an accurate estimate. Movers who skip the survey are either inexperienced or planning to inflate the price later on moving day.
Verbal quotes are not binding. A written quote itemised for labour, material, transport and unloading is your protection against surprise charges. Every quote we send is written.
Packing material (cartons, bubble wrap, foam, stretch film), labour at both ends, transport, and unloading with basic re-arrangement should all be included. If packing material is extra, the price is misleading. See our service inclusions page for what a real quote should cover.
A GST-compliant invoice is what makes employer reimbursement possible. Ask for a sample. If they cannot show one, they cannot provide one.
Modern practice: WhatsApp updates from a named coordinator at packing, loading, mid-route and delivery. Older practice: nothing until the truck arrives. Ask which one you will get.
Look for a clear damage-response process: goods inspected against the packing list at delivery, issues documented on the spot, resolution timeline stated in writing. Handwave answers are red flags.
The cheapest quote is almost never the best. Under-pricing usually means the mover plans to under-serve or add charges later. Look for the middle of the range: a quote that is 30% cheaper than the others is a warning, not a bargain.
Get 2–3 quotes for context. See our cheapest time to move guide for what price ranges are realistic in different seasons.
Founder note from Ranjeet Chaudhary: A moving company’s job is to make a stressful day easier. If a quote or a conversation feels off before you have signed anything, it will not get better on moving day.
Aggregators (the "packers and movers" search engines and marketplace sites) can be useful for generating a shortlist – but the mover who eventually handles your job is the one you sign with directly, not the platform. Insist on knowing which company will actually do the work, and evaluate them by the 10 questions above.
Call 94301 10339 for a written estimate that answers every question on this list. See our home shifting checklist for the wider planning framework, and our transfer reimbursement guide for the paperwork side.
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Our Ranchi team is on standby, 8 AM to 9 PM every day. Call, WhatsApp or fill the form — our coordinator gets back in under 30 minutes.