Are you hoping to move home or office soon? This guide will help you to look out for the perfect moving company to make it happen as easily and safely as possible.
According to studies the average American person moves house over 11 times in their lifetime, and every Brit moves around once every 23 years or so. During that process there is a lot to consider, including the paperwork, the legalities, the logistics and more. It’s a lot.
The great news is that several different services can make the process of moving easier. Affordable self storage, great solicitors, removals companies – they’re all there to make your moving process run as smoothly as possible. Removals in particular can be a godsend because they can ensure all your stuff gets from A to B safely. Some even pack your things for you, which makes the practical side of moving so much easier.
Of course, the company has to be the right one, otherwise they could simply add more stress to the process, and cause more harm than good.
To help you choose the perfect removals company for your needs, here are our top 10 things to look for in a removals company:
- They Offer All The Services You Need
Every company is different in what they offer, and it’s important that you can get all your removals needs met by one company, so you’re not having to go to several, or you’re paying for less than the complete range of services that you would like. Enquire about whether companies you like the look of provide packing services you need, whether they offer staged collection or pickups, do they have crane services, can they offer specialist antiques packing, are they affiliated with cheap storage, do they have a vehicle large enough for your needs etc. It may be that they have a partner company they work with to give you the complete package, something you’ll only know by making that initial inquiry.
- They Are Priced Well
A good moving company is usually great value for money. It isn’t necessarily the cheapest or the most expensive, it just sits in a really great price band for what you get. Often the only way to fully get to know what is great value for money is to get lots of quotes. You will start to see a pattern in the quotes you get back, and an idea of who is priced well for their services.
- They Are Proudly Accredited
Did you know that moving companies can be accredited? There is something called the British Association Of Removers who run on a code of practice that companies can choose to follow. There are lots of different versions of these organisations, but if a removals company is accredited by at least one of them, you can trust they run at a certain standard, which is reassuring
- They Have Good Reviews
It is helpful to know that a removal company has really good reviews from customers. Although they will have testimonials on their site, if you can find independent reviews you can trust what you are reading to be really accurate. You should also look for negative feedback that has a reply from the moving company. This will help you to understand how they handle feedback and grow from it. No company can get things right 100% of the time, but every company can learn from feedback and take it gracefully.
- Are They Available?
A great moving company will be booked up nice and early ahead of the moving season because they are so popular. If you’re booking last minute and a company has lots of space for you, consider that a little bit of a warning sign. Are they starting out? Is their marketing bad? That could be the reason. But do be wary. The best companies are booked well in advance of the main moving season.
- They Are Insured
It is so important that insurance is discussed with a removals company. If it is not, walk away! At the very least there should be limited liability insurance, which means your items are protected in transit with them. They should also recommend additional insurance for you to take out, which helps to provide extra protection, which is very helpful for very valuable items.
- Are They Flexible?
It is so helpful for a company to have lots of flexible contingencies and backup plans so that you don’t feel worried about the regular ups and downs that come from a moving process. For example; they should have some ability to change the size of the vehicle you need, or to change where the vehicle is going. There should also definitely be a delays policy that ensures that if the move gets delayed or brought forward (as regularly happens) they can still help you move, or they have contacts who can.
- Is Their Customer Service Great?
It is so important that the customer service of the company you choose is of a high standard. This means polite staff, a willingness to answer your queries and most importantly, minimal need for you to ‘chase them up’ for an answer to a question. The process of moving house is hard enough without you having to deal with a removals company making things even harder.
- Experience
A moving company with experience will have lots of suggestions for problems that you have relating to moving your things into cheap London storage or your new home. They will know how to deal with all the different hurdles that happen when you move house, they can offer a quote based on minimal information and they will be confident in the services they offer. It’s a way to feel you’re in ‘good hands’ and a really great aspect of a moving company to look out for.
- Safety First
A great removals company will always put safety first, which includes proper training for their team as to how to carry correctly, and handle your goods. This benefits not only the team who are moving your things, but also your belongings too as a safely moved box is one that is less likely to be dropped!
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Are You Ready To Start Looking For The Perfect Moving Company?
A moving company is a great asset when they have all of the above benefits and more. Make sure that you contact several companies, and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. With the right moving company you can enjoy a less stressful house move, getting you into your new place safely with more ease and less strain.
