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Many of us attempt to undertake the move by hiring a van, only to find ourselves come unstuck when items get lost or damaged, or having to take numerous trips at additional hourly cost.
This is where choosing a suitable removals company comes in.
Having a reliable removals company plan and prepare your move for you can significantly lighten your load (if you pardon the pun).
Below we detail 10 simple steps for you to follow to ensure you choose the best one:
Be aware that if you book through a price comparison site you might not be guaranteed your date with the booking team. It is always best to go direct.
Local removals companies will have an understanding of our local area’s transport links, traffic black spots and parking, and so will bring the right vehicles for the job.
Shortlist who you’ll invite to quote and ask yourself the following:
Check reviews on independent comparison sites such as TrustPilot, Reviews and Reference Line.
Recommendations on a firm’s own website could be biased and they may only be carefully selecting their best positive reviews, so should not be trusted.
Remember, any firm claiming to have a 100% positive rating is likely to be bogus unless they are brand new. And even then, you might want to consider whether you want to entrust them with your move.
Recommendations from friends and family are also a good way to go. If they had a particularly good experience and said the firm were punctual and reliable, this is a good basis to work off.
The whole moving process can take some time to plan and schedule in. If you book late, there might not be availability for your moving date, particularly in the busy summer months as most removal companies are fully booked well in advance.
Get in contact with the removals company early and ensure you give yourself enough time to avoid disappointment.
You might also want to consider moving on a less popular time of day or day of the week, such as the weekend.
Ask for a written quote and check that everything is included in the cost. The surveyor’s quote should detail each aspect of your move and how the removals company intends to carry out your move.
When discussing your move with a potential removals company, you should include as much detail as possible.
Also remember that the cheapest quote is not necessarily the best. If certain services you require are not listed that you later require on the day, this can incur additional fees.
Most removal companies will be members of a trade association or organisation.
The British Association of Removers (BAR) is the industry body of choice for the removals sector and regulates the conduct and standards of all members signed up to its code of practice.
All BAR registered removal companies must:
Know the difference between the different insurance types on offer.
Most removal companies offer limited liability insurance, which means they protect your goods to a certain value whilst in transit.
Check what you are covered for and when.
It’s also a good idea before you take out any additional policy to check what’s covered as part of any home contents insurance package you have.
Make sure you check what happens in the event a move is delayed.
Sometimes there are disruptions to the property chain which means you can’t get into your house until later that day or sometimes even the next day.
Do they have the capacity to help you out in this event, and if not, can they get another removals company to assist you?
Think about any other kinds of services you would like which a removal company might offer above and over another.
Many of these services are offered as an additional charge, but you can also use them to help negotiate a better price or removals package.
Such services might include:
Another important aspect to consider when choosing your removals company is the availability of storage.
Lots of people who move each year are unaware that many removal companies with large warehouses offer this as an additional or even standalone service.
Storage can come in handy if you’re staging your move at different times or if you are moving overseas.
Check if the removals company you are looking at can offer this. They might even be able to offer discounted or free storage as an incentive for moving with them.
Depending on the size of the firm and whether or not they are local or national, they may have a different set of vehicles.
It is worth asking which ones they can offer for you, particularly if you are moving to a hard-to reach destination or if you think there might be access problems at your current home.
Smaller vehicles might be more versatile in completing your house move. Likewise, large Scania road trains can ensure your entire contents can fit neatly onto its loading area.
This featured article has been provided by Sean Delaney, a freelance journalist and blogger, with many years of experience in writing editorial content for various reputable blogs and press publications. Sean also writes for White & Co removals , featured in this article.
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