Overview Of Removal Services

When moving home, booking your removals shouldn't be an afterthought. You need to plan it because if something goes wrong you could be looking at serious expense and inconvenience on the day of completion.

At the start of your conveyancing transaction try to get at least

3 quotes that you're happy with. You can't book them at this stage as it will be too soon to know what the final completion date will be.

Exchanging Contracts and Making the Booking

Your conveyancer will tell you when he is ready to exchange contracts and will ask you for your authority to exchange with completion for a particular date. Before giving authority call your preferred company to check they will be available on that date. If not then try the other companies on your list. If no one is available find the nearest available date and suggest this to your conveyancer as an alternative completion date. Remember that completion cannot take place on a weekend or bank holiday. Once contracts are exchanged you can safely book your removals.

Sometimes your conveyancer will hope to exchange on a particular day but for whatever reason it won't take place on that day. He should seem your authority on each new day and before giving it you should check your removals are available.

What Time to Book Your Removals?

This is a tricky question because your conveyancer can't really say what time completion will take place. You should however aim to be out of your property by 1pm and assume you will have the keys to your new place by 2pm. You should probably ensure you have your movers til at least 3pm though as completions often run late. Otherwise you risk that they will have to leave for another booking or that you will get penalty charges. Don't have them arrive too late though otherwise you may not be able to hand over possession of your property on time and may be sued by your buyer.

Make Provision for a Failed Completion

It is rare that completion won't take place on the appointed day where contracts have been exchanged in advance but unfortunately it does happen occasionally. To ensure you are as well prepared as you can be, you should think about where you might spend a night or two if you had to move out but couldn't get into your new home and if necessary research some hotels in the area you are moving to, remembering that if you intend to recover the cost from your seller or conveyancer you need to keep your losses reasonable, so no staying at the Dorchester for the weekend! You should keep some spare clothes and other essentials (toothpaste and such) with you as "hand luggage".

Equally important is storing your furniture. You should try to book a removal company that has short term storage facilities and check the rates they charge in advance.

Be Extra Careful During Busy Periods

Like any business removal companies have busy periods when it's harder to find a firm that is available. Typically this will be around bank holiday weekends and in the run up to Christmas. If you are moving at these times you may need to have longer between exchange and completion in order to be sure of being able to get a removal slot or risk booking before exchange (the risk is you may lose your deposit). Fridays are always the busiest day of the week.