Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Are you going to be making a move but don't have the money in your budget to hire a professional moving company? If it's your first time moving out, you’re going to need to get in touch with some of the moving truck rental companies in your area to see if they’re available at your time of need.
Hiring one of the best moving truck companies will be your best bet when making a DIY move. In fact, you can save quite a bit of money. However, you're going to need to brush up on some of the finer details of renting a moving truck. What to ask the rental companies will become essential.
Though it's all well and good knowing WHEN you need their moving truck rentals services, you’re going to need to know all the smaller details that come with renting a truck.
This can be things like knowing; how big the truck is, how long you can use the truck, who can drive the truck, and if your insurance covers you.
These are just a few of the things you’re going to need to ask when hiring truck rentals; we’re going to discuss the rest right here. So, let's take a deep dive into the things to know when renting a truck.
One of the first things you will want to do is see what moving truck rental companies are in your general area. Using Google as your friend will be worthwhile in most instances. You can search for truck rental companies near me, and you should get at least a handful of options.
You could also ask friends, relatives, or a local real estate agent who they have found to be good. There are lots of considerations for picking a truck rental company.
Typically, the basics you’re going to need to drive a rented truck will be a valid driver's license. On top of that, there may be age restrictions, too, though this is based on where the rental company is as well as where you’ll be driving to.
In short, ask about all of the requirements before you sign on the dotted line.
Plans change, and you (or whoever agreed to) might not actually drive the truck during the moving of your property.
In most cases, truck rental companies will charge a small fee for any additional drivers, so if you believe that someone else may drive the truck, then be sure to let the company know beforehand so that you can protect everyone involved.
Getting a smaller truck would mean making multiple trips, which could take up far more of your time than necessary and will add to the stress already associated with moving your precious property from one place to another.
You’re best off asking the moving truck rental company what size of commercial trucks they have as well as what they would recommend for your particular move. If there is any doubt in your mind, go with the larger truck. It is better to have a truck a bit oversized than to make unnecessary trips because of improper planning.
In almost all cases, the rental company you choose to go with will want a deposit up front when renting one of their trucks, so remember to adjust your budget accordingly.
Find out their policy on when you will get your deposit returned to you and the circumstances of when you might not get all or part of it back.
Your current insurance, which you use for your own motor vehicles, might be enough to protect you when using a rental truck, though this depends on the sort of package you have.
Before renting, make sure to check with your automobile insurance company and your home insurance company to see if your belongings are protected whilst they’re on the truck.
If you find out that your insurance company does not protect you, ask the truck rental company what they offer. Most importantly, find out the coverage and what it will cost.
If you lack the required insurance coverage from your own automobile insurance provider, rental companies will offer protection plans for you as well as to those who would like additional protection on top of the insurance which they may already have.
Although you may already be covered, it's good to ask about these things before renting to see if there are any additional benefits to you and your belongings.
After knowing how long you’re going to be using the truck, ask the truck rental company how long they allow customers to rent and use their trucks. The various truck rental companies will have slightly different policies, so this is worth understanding.
Driving a huge rental truck can be a difficult task, especially if you’re used to driving a regular car about every day to go to and from work. In this case, it's a good idea to know what exactly you should do if the truck were to become damaged or if it were to break down during transit.
You might also want to practice driving the truck in a decent size parking lot before taking it out on the road. This will especially be the case when you've never driven a rental truck before.
If you’re moving from one home to another, you’re going to need equipment such as moving straps and dollies to load those big items onto the truck itself.
And sometimes, these may not be included in the rental. One of the most recognized truck rental companies in the industry is U-Haul. You may want to put U-Haul on your list as they offer some of the widest selection of accessories to accompany your truck rental.
Make sure you inquire about what comes with the rental as a whole and see if there are any add-ons you need to pay to get the extra equipment as mentioned above.
Plans can change depending on a lot of things, so it would be best to ask about any cancellation fees resulting. You’re going to need to see if there is a time limit on this cancellation too. It is possible to get stuck with an unwanted bill if you wait too long to put in your cancellation request.
When you are renting from a moving truck company for the first time, there is a lot to know. It is sound advice to do as much due diligence as possible.
Asking lots of questions is a smart thing to do. Remember that there are tons of companies to choose one. It makes sense to do a little research to make sure the local company you're going to choose has a solid reputation.
Hopefully, you have found this guide to choosing a rental truck company to be useful.
