Moving tips
How to choose a removal company: what to check before you book
Three quotes for the same move can be £300 apart and none of them wrong. The difference is what is in them. Here is how to compare removal companies on the things that matter on the day, not just the number at the bottom.
Start with what a quote should contain
A serious quote is specific: the date, the crew size, the van size, the hours or the fixed price, what is packed and by whom, whether dismantling and reassembly are included, and what the goods-in-transit cover is and what it excludes. A number on its own is a guess. If two quotes differ by hundreds of pounds, the first question is what one includes that the other does not.
The checks that take five minutes
- Companies House. Search the company name. A firm trading for years under the same registered name is a different proposition from one registered last month.
- Insurance. Ask for the goods-in-transit certificate and the public liability certificate, and read the cover limit and the per-item cap. "Fully insured" without a number means nothing.
- Reviews that mention specifics — the crew's names, a piano, a fourth-floor walk-up — are worth more than a hundred that say "great service".
- A landline and an address. A firm that exists only as a mobile number is a firm you cannot find afterwards.
- Trade bodies, if claimed. Membership of the British Association of Removers is checkable on its website; say so on the quote and it should be true.
Questions that sort the good from the rest
- Is this a fixed price or an estimate — and what would make it change on the day?
- Who is actually turning up: your own employed crew, or subcontractors?
- What happens if the completion date moves — is there a charge, and how much notice do you need?
- What is not covered by your insurance? Ask specifically about electronics, glass, and anything self-packed.
- Will you visit, or quote from a video call? For anything bigger than a flat, someone should see the job.
- What time will the crew arrive, and how long do you expect it to take?
Red flags to walk away from
- A large cash deposit, or cash only. A deposit is normal; most of the price up front, in cash, is not.
- A price that is far below the others with no explanation of why.
- No written quote, or a quote that changes each time you speak to them.
- Reluctance to send the insurance certificate.
- A quote given for a four-bedroom house without anyone seeing it.
- Pressure to book today because the date is "about to go".
Cheapest is not the same as best value
The cheapest quote and the cheapest move are different things. A quote that excludes packing materials, dismantling and a second crew member is not cheaper — it is smaller, and the missing parts arrive as extras on the day. Compare what each price buys, then choose. A midweek date in the middle of the month will do more for the price than shopping for the lowest number.
Compare removal quotes — vetted firms — Companies House, insurance and identity checked — price the same briefWhat moving house really costs — removals in the context of everything elseQuestions people ask
How many removal quotes should I get?
Three is the usual advice and it is right — enough to see the spread, not so many that comparing becomes a job. Make sure each is quoting the same brief: same date, same rooms, same packing.
Should a removal company visit before quoting?
For anything larger than a one-bedroom flat, yes — in person or by a proper video walk-through. A firm that quotes a whole house from a form is guessing, and the guess gets corrected on the day, in their favour.
What insurance should a removal company have?
Goods-in-transit insurance, which covers your belongings in the van, and public liability insurance, which covers damage to the properties. Ask for the certificates and read the limits — cover is often capped per item and excludes things you packed yourself.
Is it safe to pay a deposit?
A modest deposit to secure the date is normal. Paying most of the price up front, especially in cash, is not; pay the balance on the day, once the crew has arrived, or as the quote sets out.
What is the difference between a fixed price and an estimate?
A fixed price is what you pay unless the job changes; an estimate is a starting point that can rise if it takes longer. Both are legitimate. Know which you are being given, and ask what would make an estimate go up.
How far ahead should I book?
Two to four weeks for a local move; six or more for late summer, month-ends and bank-holiday weekends, when vans and crews run short across the country.
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