Moving on
Packing and removal quotes
It's never too early to get your removal quote sorted out. As soon as an offer has been accepted you can start looking for a removal firm.
Get quotes from several companies but bear in mind that each company will probably want to visit your home to conduct a survey of what they'll be moving for you.
Choose the right removals firm
- Never choose a removals firm that only gives you a mobile phone number they have been known to turn up and then drive off with your belongings, never to be seen or heard of again.
- Try to choose a recommended local firm with a reputation to protect not an out of town operator.
- Make sure you get their postal address and details of their insurance cover.
- Check that they're registered with a recognised trade organisation.
- Are their staff fully trained removals professionals?
- Ask for references from previous customers; good companies will provide this without needing to be asked.
- Make sure they confirm that the price they quote is the price you'll pay.
- Remember, the cheapest quote might not be the best. A more inexperienced firm may underestimate the amount of work, which could cause additional cost, hassle and delays on the day.
Additional charges
Most removal firms will make extra charges for long carries, stairs, lifts, moving a car, pianos, disconnecting washers, dryers, gas stoves and multiple deliveries.
Packing
Ask your removal firm for a separate quotation for doing your packing for you. This will help to remove a lot of the stressful aspects of moving day for you by providing the manpower and packing materials to move your contents safely and efficiently. This will be an additional cost on top of the removal quotation.
Visit Removalgroup to find a removal quote.
Doing your own packing?
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy a smoother move…
- Make a priority packing list.
- Start early packing always takes longer than you anticipate.
- Begin at the top of the house and work down starting with the attic.
- Have a clear-out and give unwanted items to charity or sell them at a car boot sale.
- Clearly label boxes with contents and which room they need to go into in the new house.
- Work out how many boxes you will need and start collecting these well in advance. You'll also need packing tape and old newspapers.
- Don't fill large boxes to the brim you won't be able to lift them!
- Check your contents insurance will cover damage and breakages during the move.
- Pack important documents separately such as marriage and birth certificates in a safe wallet and take them with you.
- Put any hazardous materials, such as paint, bleach and aerosols, into a separate box and keep them away from the rest of your stuff.
- Pack an 'essentials' box containing coffee, tea, snacks, cups, a kettle, plates, utensils, toilet paper and a kitchen cloth for the first night in your new home and carry it with you.
- Pack an overnight bag for everyone in the family.
- Other useful things to have are a torch, a first-aid kit including pain relievers, pencil and paper, and re-closable plastic bags, along with a small tool kit.
- Finish any laundry well in advance of the move.
Greener moving
If you're not careful, moving home can produce mountains of waste that will end up in landfill sites. Yet with a little careful planning you can reduce the environmental impact of your move. The secret is to give yourself a bit of time…
- Why not give perishable foodstuffs and unwanted plants to neighbours or friends? For example last loaves of bread, cartons of milk and bulky pot plants.
- Start saving cardboard boxes, bubblewrap and other packing materials. Ask at work or go to local supermarkets. If you can supply your removals men it will avoid them using lots of wasteful virgin packing materials.
- Most supermarkets don't have boxes by the tills but if you ask them nicely most will have some in their warehouse if you don't mind arranging a convenient time to collect them.
- It's cheaper, greener and less stressful to hire a removals van to do one trip than using your own vehicle to do several.
- Why not connect to a renewable electricity company such as Ecotricity?
The government provides advice on reducing the environmental impact of your move by choosing environmentally friendlier appliances, saving water and electricity. Find out more
Changing your address
When you know what your completion date is, you can start to let everyone know your new address. Here's a list of some of the key people and organisations that need to know:
- friends and family
- banks and building societies
- Inland Revenue
- Council Tax
- pension companies
- DVLA
- motoring organisations
- doctor and dentist
- clubs and societies
- credit card companies
- any magazine subcriptions delivered to your address.
Utility companies
Don't forget to tell your existing gas, electricity and water suppliers that you are moving and send them final meter readings.
Communications companies
- When you advise your telephone, internet and TV companies that you are moving, you may also be able to organise for these services to be activated in your new home.
- Remember you'll need to change your TV licence too.
Royal Mail redirection
For a fee, you can ensure that any mail that gets sent to your old address is automatically redirected to your new address. You can choose how long you want this service to be active for.
Find out more at Royal Mail's website .
Help the new owners
Why not leave a list of useful numbers, burglar alarm code, details of dustbin and recycling bin collection dates, names of neighbours etc?
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.
