How to Choose a Removal Company

Written by Ashleigh Williams Reviewed by Dave Sayce

11th Jan 2023 (Last updated on 27th Jan 2023) 6 minute read

Read Their reviews

Checking independent reviews is a great way of having a clear idea of whether a company is reliable. The reviews will be first-hand experiences of people in a similar position to you.

The higher reviews a company has, and the more praised they are, the more they can be relied upon. You can use websites such as Compare My Move and TrustPilot to read reviews.

Compare my Move provides independent and unbiased reviews on our site for each removal partner. The reviews are written by movers that have used our services and the removal companies directly. They are honest and open and help you determine each company's suitability.

Check Their Insurance

Always ensure a removals company is covered by both Goods in Transit and Public Liability. This will cover and protect your goods and fragile items should anything go wrong during transit.

If you’re moving internationally, international removals insurance is vital. Many international removal companies will include cargo or shipping insurance.

Check Their Accreditations

Checking the accreditations of a removals company helps determine whether the company is suitable and trusted. Accreditations include the British Association of Removers (BAR), NGRS and FIDI.

These accreditations are independent. Removal companies have many high standards and expectations to meet to be accepted. This emphasises their professional standards.

If there are any issues or discrepancies with removal services, the Removal Industry Ombudsman Scheme (ROIS) will look into this in more detail.

Request a Home Survey

A home survey. This is important because it helps to prevent removal firms from adding additional charges or unexpected fees if the removal is more difficult than they first thought.

By visiting your property, the removals company will have a better understanding of the assistance you require and can provide a more accurate removals quote. If a physical visit is not possible, many reliable removal companies will offer virtual home surveys too.

Ask if They Meet Your Requirements

It’s important that a removal company is able to provide any additional services you need. If you require boxes carried down flights of stairs, you will want to ensure they are able to provide this.

You may require packing services, white glove delivery, packing materials, storage or international removals. These are all services removal companies can choose to offer.

Use a Comparison Website

A comparison website like Compare My Move is a fantastic way to compare removals. Here at Compare My Move, we can provide you with up to 6 different partners that offer the service you require. This helps to save you time when searching for a company, and it allows you to save money on the cost of your move too.

It's important to weigh up all aspects when comparing removal companies, and our simple form will do all the hard work for you.

Ask Friends and Family for Recommendations

Friends and family are great to ask for recommendations when moving house. While it’s helpful to look at independent reviews, we tend to take the advice of people we know more seriously.

How Much Does a Removal Company Cost?

The average house removal company costs £806 for a 3-bedroom home, according to our research. The cost will vary if your house is smaller or larger than this.

If you’re looking to include additional services such as packing and furniture dismantling, these will be added at an extra cost. The average removal cost with these services included is £1,181.

The overall cost of the removals service will be based on the following:

• The number of items being moved
• The ease of access to the property
• Distance travelled
• Additional services
• Any special handling requirements

Each company will have their own rates, and you will need to take into consideration the distance travelled too. Long-distance removals and international removal costs will be typically higher.

The average cost to ship a 40ft container internationally is £2,997. Moving house in London has the highest average cost of £1,547.

How to Brief a Removal Company?

Before your move date, the company will need to have a good idea and understanding of your needs and expectations. A brief will help the removal company to plan in advance to ensure your moving day runs smoothly.

Here is what you should include in your brief:

• Accurate volume of items - When you have a home survey carried out, the removalists will be able to determine how many items need to be moved and the expectations of this.
• Let them know any access issues to the property - If there are stairs or awkward turnings to consider when moving, you need to be transparent about this. It will prepare the moving team beforehand.
• Let them know any parking timing restrictions - It’s polite to inform removal companies of any parking or timing restrictions. This will help to prevent any fines from occurring. The removals company may not be aware of any issues in the area so it’s up to the person moving to make them aware of this.
• Let them know any fragile or specific items to be carefully packed - While removalists are careful when handling goods, it’s important to be clear about what items are fragile. This allows them to take extra care when handling these goods to prevent any damage.
• Clear instructions for unpacking in the new property - A removals company needs to know where you would like your boxes to be placed when unloaded. While some people will have them placed in one room, others movers may want them to be dispersed into the correct rooms.

After briefing the removals company, you should expect them to carry out the service you have requested. A good removals company will take into consideration what you have asked and will provide feedback on whether they are able to tailor their services to meet your removal needs.

Hiring a Removal Company VS Doing it Yourself

You may be wondering whether it’s worth hiring the help of a removals company or whether you should do this yourself. While both have their pros and cons, it’s typically recommended to hire the help of a removal company.

Removalists are experts in their field, as a result, you can rely on them to successfully move your items for you.

The removalists will help with the heavy lifting and as they are fully insured, you know your goods will be safe during transit.

When moving goods alone, you will need to load the van yourself, and your goods won’t be covered if anything is damaged. Moving home yourself can be tiring and stressful. These are a few reasons why it’s useful to hire a removal company.

When using a removals company, you will want to book their removal services at least 4-6 weeks in advance of your move.