Seoul, South Korea – The Korea Consumer Agency has issued a warning about the increasing number of complaints related to moving services. A recent survey found that many consumers have experienced issues such as property damage, contract violations, and unexpected additional charges.
The agency analyzed consumer complaints filed between 2021 and 2022 and found a total of 1,949 cases. Of these, only 13.6% (1,493 cases) were resolved in favor of the consumer. The most common complaints included damage to belongings (69.9%), contract violations (10.2%), loss of items (6.8%), and unjustified additional charges (3.5%).
One of the major problems is that many consumers have faced difficulties in resolving disputes with moving companies. Even when consumers were successful in reaching an agreement, only 37.7% of cases resulted in actual compensation or repairs. In many cases, companies were unresponsive or had unclear addresses, making it difficult to pursue legal action.
A survey of 600 consumers who used moving platforms found that 33.5% had experienced issues with their move. Of those, only 18.9% were able to receive compensation. The main reason cited for not receiving compensation was the complexity and inconvenience of the claims process.
The Korea Consumer Agency also conducted an investigation of 13 major moving platforms and found that many failed to provide adequate information about the moving companies they listed. According to the Electronic Commerce Act, platforms are required to display the company's name, representative's name, address, phone number, and business registration number on their website's homepage. Additionally, platforms should provide clear guidelines for resolving disputes, including information on contracts, liability, and dispute resolution procedures.
"We have seen a rise in consumer complaints due to a lack of accurate information provided by moving companies, especially those operating through online platforms," said a spokesperson for the Korea Consumer Agency. "There is a need to establish effective dispute resolution mechanisms for moving services."
[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]
