How to choose a removal company

Prepare a useful moving brief

• Moving date or realistic date window
• Full collection and delivery addresses
• Room-by-room inventory, including sheds, lofts and garages
• Large, fragile, valuable or unusually heavy items
• Stairs, lifts, narrow doors, long carries and restricted access
• Any dismantling, reassembly, packing or unpacking needed

Ask how the move will work

Confirm the likely crew, vehicle plan, loading time and what you must prepare. Ask who arranges parking or permits at each address and what happens if keys are delayed. For a chain move, discuss waiting time before the day rather than assuming it is included.

Packing and storage

• Who supplies boxes and packing materials?
• Are fragile items packed by you or by the company?
• Which items will not be carried?
• If storage is needed, where is it, how is it charged and when can you access your belongings?
• How are inventories recorded when goods enter storage?

Insurance, exclusions and terms

Ask what insurance applies, its limits and exclusions, and whether your own home insurance provides any cover during a move. Check the procedure and time limit for reporting loss or damage. Read cancellation, postponement and payment terms before paying a deposit.

Compare written quotes

Make sure each quote covers the same inventory and services. Look for VAT, packing, materials, dismantling, waiting time, parking, storage and difficult-access charges. A site or video survey may expose details that a quick estimate misses. Resolve provisional amounts and exclusions in writing.