How to secure your moving date with a removals company
Your moving day represents the final step in the often long and involved process of moving house – the culmination of months of planning and packing. Having secured a buyer, packed up all your belongings, sorted the pets and the children, and told everyone you need to about your new address, the big day has finally arrived.
All you’re waiting for now is the removal men to turn up… but what happens if they don’t? Here’s our guide to securing your removal date and helping to make sure that things run as planned.
Why is it important to secure a date?
One of the main concerns for homeowners when buying or selling a house is that the removal company will not arrive as scheduled, and that the move will not be completed in time. More often than not, a house move involves a chain of buyers and sellers, and not being able to move on the agreed date upsets the entire chain.
Once you have exchanged contracts and reached the completion stage, you are legally bound to move out of your property in order to make way for the new owners, and there could be serious legal and financial implications if you are unable to do so. That’s why it’s essential to establish a moving date ahead of time and to book a company that will be there on the day and will stick to the plan.
The legal issues
If you’re selling your home, you must vacate it within a reasonable timeframe, to allow the new owners to move in. Legally a buyer cannot gain entry to a property until the funds have been cleared.
Sometimes issues can occur which are outside your control, for example delays with bank transfers, which can lead to keys not being released on time, meaning that the removal team have to spend hours waiting in the van – which then in turn delays the process of unloading your possessions at the other end!
What do I need to do?
There are a number of steps you can take to minimise the risk of any problems such as delays, and to help ensure that your removal team arrive as agreed, and that your moving day runs as planned.
Get it in writing
Once you have chosen your removal company, it’s essential to book your moving date as soon as possible and to get written confirmation. Remember to allow plenty of time, as your chosen company may be booked up several weeks in advance.
You should make absolutely certain that the chosen moving date is communicated to all parties, to avoid any issues with double booking or failure to turn up. Don’t rely on a phone call, an email, or a provisional booking in the diary – you should ask for a written contract which details exactly what is included in the service and sets out the agreed removal date.
Read the small print
Once you have received your written agreement, read it carefully. It should include information on what would happen in the event of any delays, and at what point the firm may begin charging for any additional hours, whether they will give you notice of this, and whether they will return the following day to finish the move if necessary. Any additional fees and measures should be reasonable and proportionate.
Book a removal survey
If your removal company miscalculates the amount of possessions they need to move, this could run the risk of delaying the process. By arranging a removal survey ahead of time, you can make sure that they have all the information they need to move your goods safely and on time, including establishing exactly what needs to be moved, which vehicles to send, and how long the process is likely to take – as well as any other special considerations, such as dealing with any large, awkward or fragile items. Don’t forget to include a tour of the loft, garage and garden, so nothing gets missed!
Pack in plenty of time
Many’s the time that people have found themselves still hurriedly throwing things into boxes when the removal company knock on the door. Packing invariably takes longer than you expect, so if you want to minimise the risk of any problems make sure that you’ve sorted your packing before moving day, and that you have disassembled any furniture and prepared white goods such as fridges, freezers and washing machines ready for the removal company.
If you end up needing additional packaging materials, or if the move takes longer than expected, you could be charged extra by the removal company. Remember, an established removal company, such as a Master Remover, can offer a full professional packing service, helping to save you time and hassle and ensuring that your goods arrive safely at the other end.
Provide clear direction
Make sure that your removal company has clear directions to both your existing and your new house, and an accurate idea of how long it will take them to get there, together with any necessary parking permits. It’s worth providing a crib sheet with the relevant addresses, postcodes and mobile contact numbers.
Choosing a reliable removal company
Booking the right removal company also plays a vital part in making sure that your house move goes according to plan.
An established firm will have more experience and resources at its disposal, and is more likely to be able to deal with any issues that may come up.
It’s essential that you feel confident in your choice of removal company, so you should discuss your moving day with them ahead of time and ask any questions you may have. This might include how many vehicles and members of staff they will be using, and how much time they are allowing for the move, as well as any additional fees which may apply if the move over-runs, and what will happen if things don’t go quite as planned.
Taking the measures outlined above will help to ensure that your removal company has sufficient time and resources to move your belongings out of your old home, and also help to avoid a situation where you find yourself unable to move in when you reach the new one!
And if the worst happens – a Master Remover can rescue you!
Occasionally we are called by somebody who has been let down by their remover at the last minute. In most cases this is because they have booked a small owner-managed remover who has got a better offer. We have deep resources at our disposal – if you need a last minute removal rescue, call us and we’ll do our best to help you.
With a Master Remover, you can rest assured that you will be working with an established and experienced team, who are not only guaranteed to turn up on time, but will also be able to cope with any unforeseen issues – helping you to cross that final hurdle and get safely established in your new home. Contact us for a quote.
