Most people look at reviews when they make a purchase these days. They will take the advice of somebody who has tested the product into consideration. They will pour over every piece of advice they can find, usually to make a purchase that may only cost a few hundred pounds.
So why, when you are about to entrust everything you own, all the treasures you have accumulated in your life thus far, do people just hire the first removal company they can find?
In our home moving blog section you will find numerous guides advising you on the best, easiest, and least stressful way of moving home.
And this very website was created with the aim of helping home movers achieve just that.
Look through the review section of the website and it would not take you long to discover who the poorest performing removal companies are. And yet people are still booking their services.
The reviews are there so that you can see what the experience has been of other home movers who have hired particular removal companies to take them to their new home.
Then why do some people ignore what they are being told by reviewers? Not just the odd reviewer, but negative reviewer after negative reviewer is ignored.
If you are constantly told something, and it is credible, the majority of people sooner or later will believe it. Or so you would think. Or at least it would start alarm bells ringing in your head.
I will quote this one response to a negative review from the ‘customer service team’ of a nationwide moving company: “That’s a real mature review, thanks #$@&”. Would you really even consider hiring a company that clearly values its customers so highly??
Out of some 30 reviews only 1 rates that company higher than 1 star. Yet negative reviews are posted almost daily, so people are clearly still hiring them. Why???
Another company has nearly 200 reviews, nearly every one providing details of a horror home move, damaged furniture, abysmal customer service, and the actual moving costs being way over the estimated costs. And still, every day negative reviews are being posted about that company.
What possesses people to think that they will have the only stress-free service from these companies?
That is not a rhetorical question. I would love to know why (you can post your answers in the comment box below).
Our Top Home Moving Tips and Advice
We have been helping people have a successful home move for over a decade, during which time we have accumulated a wealth of knowledge about the home removal industry.
And in that decade we have spoken to and been contacted by, tens of thousands of people moving home. And we talk to removal companies every day, so we know both sides of the fence.
Therefore, based on our wealth of home moving knowledge, what is our top advice for people looking to move home?
#1 Don’t trust every review you read.
Strange advice coming from a review site, but trust us, not all review sites are equal. Nor are all reviews themselves equal.
Some review sites are paid by the companies to display their reviews. Do you believe that would make the review site impartial?
Not everyone has equal expectations of the service they should receive from a removal company. So what you may consider a minor mishap or an inconvenience could cause another person to leave a particularly negative review.
Reviews for moving antiques or specialist items may have no relevance to moving 20 boxes of clothes or books.
- Take the time to choose a removal company review website wisely.
- Read a variety of reviews but seek out those that reflect the size of home and distance moved, try to find reviews that closely reflect the type of home move you will be undertaking.
- Pay attention to the dates of the reviews. It is surprising how services can improve or decline in just a few short years.
- See how many reviews have been filtered. This could be an indication that the removal company is posting fake reviews to boost its star rating.
- Pay attention to the words used in the 5-star reviews. Marketing companies who post fake reviews will often use the same words in their reviews. Do they appear to be written by the same person?
- Do you have the option to contact the reviewer? If so make use of that option to ask as many questions as you can to find out if the removal company is the right one for you to hire.
Read verified and impartial reviews about removal companies.
#2 Hire a Reputable Removal Company
A good removal company can be the difference between a few inconveniently broken items, a treasured heirloom being destroyed and a stress-free and easy home move.
But more than that, a good removal company will allow you to live your normal life whilst they take care of the hundred and one things that need to happen in a home move.
Packing is widely regarded as one of the worst parts of moving home. It is time-consuming and can be very expensive. A professional packing service will ensure your things are properly packed to prevent damage, in the most space-efficient way, which will ultimately reduce your packing costs and space on the removal van.
You will not need to live amongst half-packed moving boxes for weeks on end. Professional packers will spend a day or two at most packing your home ready for moving day.
A removal company will take care of all the loading and unloading, preventing injury to you and damage to your property.
You will not have to endure the stress of having to drive a hire van to your new home. Nor the potential expense if you happen to dent the van.
They will place the moving boxes and furniture in your specified rooms. Leaving you only to unpack your things and arrange them as you wish (although some removal firms will even do this for you).
And hiring a good removal company will seem very good value for money when you see how hard they work and how easy they made the home move for you.
At the end of the day hiring a removal company for your home move is all about saving you time, inconvenience and stress.
#3 Check the Removal Company is Legitimate
There are a few things you can do to ensure that the removal company is a legitimate business.
- Check that they are registered with Company House. You will also be able to find out who owns that company and their legally registered business address.
- Take a look at their website. Does it have numerous ways for you to contact the company? Mobile and landline telephone numbers as well as an email address. Are they on social media? Test the numbers and email to see how quickly you get a response.
- Drive by the removal company depot or at the very least use Streetview online so that you know the depot exists.
- Are the removal vans liveried? Are the staff full time employed by the removal firm or agency? Is the moving team uniformed? Whilst not essential to gauge how good or legitimate the removal company is, it will give a good idea of their professionalism.
- Ask family, friends, your estate agent or landlord if they have had any dealings with this company or know anyone that has.
The more information you can glean about the removal company the nearer you will be to choosing the right removal company for your home move.
#4 Get an In-Home Removal Survey
It is vital that any removal company you intend to hire visits your home to see exactly what you intend to move to your new home. This is increasingly being done by the use of phone apps, but many companies still come out to the home.
It is the only way that a removal company can give you an accurate cost estimate for your home move and see if there are any access issues or things that they need to be aware of to make moving day as easy as possible for everyone.
If you go with a company that just gives you a quote over the phone it is likely that come moving day that there will issues and your final removal bill may exceed the quote quite substantially.
Be sure to have decluttered your home before the inventory is taken so that the removal company knows exactly what they are pricing to be moved.
Having the home removal survey is also a good opportunity for you to meet the company, ask any questions you may have, and get an overall impression of the company themselves.
# 5 Plan Every Stage of the Home Move.
As we have already learned, a good removal company will take care of most aspects of the home move but there are some things that only you can do. Deciding what items you will take to the new home, changing utilities and notifying companies and people of your new address are just a few things that you will need to do.
We have created every checklist and planner you will ever need for a home move so be sure to make use of them, it will ensure that nothing is forgotten or missed.
#6 Ensure you Have Proper Home Moving Insurance.
Most good removal companies will offer you a level of insurance, but often this will be a basic amount and may not cover your precious items adequately.
- Be sure that you understand the contract you are given, read the small print.
- Contact the removal company’s insurance company or ask for a copy of the company’s insurance certificate to ensure that it will be in date when you move home.
- Consider what additional insurance you may need such as late key waiver or cancellation insurance. A small outlay now may save you many hundreds of pounds in the long run.
Must read: Home Removal Insurance – Do I Need It?
#7 Communicate With the Removal Company
The more your removal company knows about your home move, the more they can be prepared and plan for it. Be sure to confirm the home move dates as soon as you can and again at least a week before you move to ensure everything is booked and ready for moving day.
If you intend to take more items than you originally planned then make sure the removal company knows so that they have a large enough vehicle available. Equally, if you intend to take fewer items then they may have the ability to reduce your moving costs.
Communicate by phone, but also follow that up with written confirmation of the call via email. In the unlikely event that you need to claim against the removal company, you will have evidence of all your communications.
Good to know: Things to Tell Your Removal Company
There is lots more advice we could give you about every aspect of your home move, and indeed we have guides that cover just about every conceivable aspect of your home move, so be sure to visit the resources section of this website.
Below are some guides that we hope you will read before hiring a removal company. There is useful information contained within them that will prevent you from being one of those home movers who experience a stressful home move.
- 20 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Moving Home
- One Piece of Home Moving Advice You Ignore At Your Own Peril
- A Guide to Making Home Moving Reviews Work for You
- How to Compare Removal Company Review Websites
- Family Lose Everything In Removal Company Scam
- How to Avoid Moving Scams
- Why Social Proof Matters When Choosing a Removal Company
Moving home can be stress-free, and moving day can go without a hitch. If you start moving day assuming the worst will happen, it may just do so.
So try to relax, easier said than done I know but let the removal company do their job, and try to see all the positive things that are going right, the excitement of a new home, new opportunities, and a new future. It will make moving day so much more fun.
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