What is the best day of the week to move house?
Moving house involves making a lot of decisions, and your moving day may be one of them. The most common moving day is Friday – but is it the best day? Here’s a guide to the pros and cons of moving house at different times of the week, and some of the key factors to think about….
Should you move house on a Friday?
Traditionally, the most popular day of the week for moving house is a Friday (with the exception of Friday the 13th – people are surprisingly superstitious!), while weekends are the least popular. However, this means that Fridays are also the busiest, so it doesn’t necessarily follow that it’s the best day for you to make your move.
One of the main reasons for Friday’s popularity is work commitments. The majority of people work during the week, and moving on a Friday means that you will only need to take one day off work. Then you can then make the most of the long weekend to start unpacking your belongings (some of them at least!) and settling into your new home.
On the flip side, though, Friday is also the busiest day of the week for removal companies, who often find that their Fridays get booked up many weeks in advance. So if you are planning a Friday move, it’s essential to secure your moving day as soon as possible.
When things go wrong…
In fact, availability is a key thing to factor in when considering what is the best day to move house.
One of the downsides of moving on a Friday is that there could be some serious repercussions if you should encounter any problems on moving day, such as issues with the chain, and payments not going through. As well as the removal firms, banks, estate agents and solicitors are all under additional pressure on the final working day of the week, and if it gets too late in the day there may be nobody available to assist you.
Banking on a Friday?
On the financial side, you cannot legally move into your new property until all of the funds have cleared. Because of their popularity, transactions can take longer on Fridays, and waiting for the funds to go through can lead to an anxious waiting period on a Friday afternoon!
Bank transfers generally need to go through by 3pm at the latest, and if for any reason the funds do not clear by the set time, you may find yourself unable to progress with the move until the following Monday – leaving you and your things stranded over the weekend. In addition, you could also find yourself liable for additional interest or legal fees.
It’s also worth noting that it can be harder to find an available tradesman on a weekend, should you find that you need any help with the plumbing, electrics or other utilities in your new home.
Moving on a Monday
Monday is the second most popular day of the week to move house, meaning again that it can be quite a busy day from a resources point of view.
Moving on a Monday has the bonus of allowing you additional time at the other side of the weekend to pack up and vacate your existing home, and to cover that inevitable last-minute packing rush!
A mid-week move
Moving house in the middle of the week, between Tuesday and Thursday, will mean that removal companies and other professionals have fewer reservations and are generally less busy, allowing you better access to resources, and meaning that in the event of any issues it will be easier to contact the necessary people.
Choosing a Thursday for your house move has the particular advantage of only requiring one additional day off work, while offering that extra back-up should anything go wrong – and you can take advantage of an extra long weekend to help with all that unpacking.
Securing your moving day
If you’re in a chain, it’s less likely that you will be able to dictate your moving day, and more than likely that a Friday will be put forward – but it’s still worth approaching your solicitor and proposing an alternative day of the week for your move.
Of course, if you are only buying and not also selling a house, you don’t necessarily have to complete and move in on the same day. You could complete on a Thursday, allowing you the whole of Friday to get established in your new home.
If you want to help ensure that your moving day goes as smoothly as possible, you should make sure that any mortgage funds are available in time for your completion, to help avoid any unexpected delays.
Choosing your removal company
It’s also important to choose your removal company carefully, and to check your contract to make sure you are clear on the terms applying in the event of any delays. This might include at what point the firm may begin charging for any overtime, how much notice they will give ahead of additional fees being incurred, and whether they will return the following day to finish the move if necessary.
Employing an experienced removals company, such as a Master Remover, will mean that they are better equipped to handle any unexpected issues, if things don’t quite go to plan. An established removal company should also be able to provide storage solutions should you find yourself in need.
Your day, your way
Exactly which day of the week is best for your move will ultimately depend on your individual circumstances. Whatever day of the week, or time of the year, you should choose to move, with a Master Remover you can rest assured that you will be receiving expert service from an experienced team, who will help to get you settled in as smoothly as possible. Contact us today for a quote.
