When you’re moving home, choosing to use a professional removal company is often a very efficient and cost-effective decision. But it’s important to choose a reputable company; not only are you trusting them with your property and belongings but, but an experienced, friendly and efficient company will ensure your house move goes smoothly and is stress-free.
So before picking a removal company, check out our helpful tips for choosing one you can trust!
- When to get a quote? – Obtain removal company quotes 4-6 weeks before you move. Remember that moving on a Friday and in the school holidays is always the most popular, so start looking sooner rather than later.
- Check feedback and reviews – By reading feedback, such as Trustpilot or Google reviews, from moving companies’ other customers you can feel reassured that the removal company you choose will provide a good service.
- Ask friends, colleagues, and family for a recommendation – Get some feedback about what was good and bad about their experience.
- Make sure they have a fixed address – One of the simplest ways to make sure they are reputable is to check that they have a company address and landline telephone number. This ensures you’ve a way to find them in the event of things going wrong. Read their ‘about us’ section on their website for trading history and longevity.
- Removals briefing sheet – It’s helpful to send your chosen removal company a briefing sheet that lists: any items needing special packing, such as paintings and valuable items or hard to handle items such as a piano or fish tank. Note any carpets and curtains that need to be moved and provide a floor plan of the new home so the movers can put boxes in the right rooms when unloading.
- Insurance – It’s a good idea to check if your removal company has adequate insurance cover for your belongings and also what the time limit is on claiming on insurance after the move.
- Delays policy – Make sure you check with the removal company about their delays policy. Some removal companies charge extra per hour of delay, which can be out of your control, e.g., if you’re waiting for legal confirmation that your property transaction is complete.
- Payment options – Check on how the removal company prefer to be paid. Beware of companies who insist only on cash payment or a big cash deposit. Reputable removal companies will be able to accept payment by credit/debit card and cheques as well as cash.
- Uniformed removal staff – A positive indication of a professional removal company is uniformed staff. If they have uniforms for their staff, it’s easier for you to identify them on site on the moving day.
Getting quotes
- Try to get at least three quotes from removal companies, ideally from companies that will visit your house rather than just estimating costs over the phone.
- A removal company should visit you free of charge to survey the job before your move and provide a fixed quote. By doing this, they can confirm the volume of items to be moved and check any access issues with your property.
- If you do get a quote from a company that isn’t able to visit your home in person, be as honest as you can when listing your belongings including contents of the loft or garage. Otherwise, this could cause issues or delays on moving day.
- If you’re relocating to a different part of the UK, it might be worthwhile getting an estimate from a company based in the area you’re moving to, as prices there might be cheaper.
- Request that your quote be broken down so that you can clearly see how much you’d be paying for packing, insurance, hourly rate, mileage and any storage costs. This makes it easier to compare quotes. Check whether overtime rates apply.
- Large lorries can’t always access some steep gradients, tight bends or uneven road surfaces. Find out if there are any access or parking problems at the new property: you may need to speak to the police or local council to gain permission to unload, or to have a parking meter suspended.
It’s important that a good rapport with your chosen removal company as it will make the moving journey as smooth as possible and avoid a lorry-load of stress!
