"Paid 2.8 Million Won, But Fridge Food Rotted and TV Was Damaged": Moving Damage Alert

Lozen Moving Service Ranked No. 1 in Reported Damages
Consumer Complaints Jump Over 60% in Five Years

As consumer complaints related to moving companies are rapidly increasing every year, consumers preparing to move are urged to exercise particular caution.

According to data submitted by People Power Party lawmaker Lee Yangsoo from the Korea Consumer Agency on the 17th, a total of 4,156 applications for damage relief related to moving companies were filed between 2020 and January 2024. In particular, the number of cases increased from 576 in 2020 to 785 in 2024, and surged to 961 last year, showing a sharp rise in damages over the past five years.

Consumer complaints related to moving companies are rapidly increasing every year. Photo unrelated to the article. The Asia Business Daily database.

The main cause of damage was "breach of contract," which accounted for more than half of the total with 1,914 cases, while "quality complaints," such as damage and after-sales service issues, also reached 1,514 cases. These problems are causing substantial inconvenience to consumers.

Actual cases show several instances of damage caused by the negligence of moving companies. One consumer paid 2.8 million won for storage moving services, but due to the company's negligence, the refrigerator was not plugged in and all the food inside went bad. The refrigerator became filled with a strong stench and was unusable even after cleaning. The consumer demanded compensation from the company, but after the company refused, the consumer eventually applied for damage relief with the Korea Consumer Agency.

In another case, a television was damaged after the move, and when the consumer requested compensation, the company avoided responsibility, claiming, "The damage did not occur during the move." There have also been repeated cases where consumers were forced to pay additional vehicle charges and unexpected box fees on the moving day.

In terms of the number of reported damage cases, Lozen Moving Service recorded the highest with 444 cases, followed by Good Moving Service (229 cases), Tongin Express (158 cases), and Younggu Clean Moving Service (150 cases). However, these are simple figures that do not reflect each operator's market share, so caution is required when making direct comparisons.

Lawmaker Lee Yangsoo stressed, "As applications for damage relief related to moving are surging, effective countermeasures are urgently needed," adding, "Moving is an important process that signifies the beginning of a new life, so we must closely examine the actual situation and strengthen oversight and supervision."