Is it Possible to Move Home on a Bank Holiday?

Can you move house on a Bank Holiday? The short answer is yes, it is possible to move home on a bank holiday, and there are some great reasons to do so.

Most people tend to move home on a Friday so that they have the weekend to settle in before work starts again on Monday. But in reality, you can move any day of the week, you just need to get all parties to agree to the date.

If you are moving into a new rented home then it should be fairly straightforward, but if you are buying a home then it will require some planning.

In this week’s home moving blog we look into the subject of moving home on a bank holiday and whether it makes sense in your particular circumstances.

Things to Know About Moving Home Over a Bank Holiday

There are pros and cons to moving over a bank holiday weekend, some of which may make it harder or even impossible to move in some cases.

If you are planning on moving over Christmas this year then you may like to read our fun but super-useful guides to moving at Christmas:

• How to Move Home at Christmas: The Easy and Fun Way
• Is Moving Home Around Christmas Crackers?
• How to Move Home: The 12 Days of Christmas
• Moving Home at Christmas is a Dickens of a Job

The Cons of Moving On a Bank Holiday Weekend

#1 Traffic and Street Closures

When moving home on a bank holiday weekend be especially mindful that not only will traffic be heavier, so it will take you and the removal van longer to get to your new home, but that some celebrations could result in local road closures, making it impossible to get to your new home, if there is a street party for example.

#2 Parking

Many people visit relatives on bank holidays so also be mindful that parking, so that you can load and unload the removal van, could also be very difficult.

#3 Restricted Store Opening Times

Also bear in mind that some stores may be closed, so if you need materials for a DIY task or to do a food shop, then check out opening times in advance of the move.

#4 Not Everyone Works Bank Holidays

You may also find that the apartment block manager does not work on bank holiday weekends, so if you have reserved the service lift for example, and there is a problem, there may be no one on hand to help you resolve the situation.

#5 The Move May Cost Move

Hiring a removal company may be slightly more expensive on a Bank Holiday, and if you are hiring a van to move yourself, then you may have to pay for extra days of hire if the rental company is closed on the holiday.

The Pros of Moving On a Bank Holiday Weekend

#1 Less Chance of the Move Being Cancelled

There are often delays with bank transfers or the keys being handed over to the new homeowner. By moving your completion date back a day you have a safety cushion of time so that the problems can be resolved and you will still have a long weekend in which to move.

#2 More Time to Move

The obvious advantage is that you can move into your new home at your own pace and the extra days you have will not eat into your annual leave allowance.

#3 A More Relaxed Move

When you are pressed for time then your stress levels will skyrocket and that is when accidents happen. Moving over 3 or 4 days is far more relaxed, you have time to sort things properly and to set up your new home.

#4 Time to Get Rid of Packing Materials

This may seem insignificant, but there can be a huge amount of packing materials to dispose of after you move. Normally when you move you end up living amongst piles of old packing materials for days, waiting for your next weekend off to go and dispose of them, whereas you will have time to get to the recycling centre over a bank holiday weekend.

#5 Time to Get Those Little Jobs Done

There will likely be a number of little jobs that need doing in your new home. That extra day will give you the time to get them done.

#6 Time to Get to Know Your New Neighbourhood

If you are super-efficient and organised you may well get unpacked in a couple of days in which case you can spend some quality time exploring your new neighbourhood over the remaining bank holiday.

#7 A Great Time to Meet the New Neighbours

There are likely to be many local celebrations and events going on so this would be a great opportunity to meet your new neighbours in a relaxed and informal way.

You may also like to read: Ways to Move Home: Every Home Moving Option. In this guide, we look at each option you have for moving home so that you can choose the cheapest and best way in your particular circumstances.

Do Removal companies Work on Bank Holidays?

Yes, most removal companies will work Bank Holidays, as will van hire companies if you are planning on moving by yourself.

Moving on a Bank Holiday weekend is very popular so you will need to book your move well in advance, and as you would expect, be prepared to pay a premium for moving on a bank holiday.

The best scenario for moving and making the most of your time over a bank holiday to get settled in is to arrange completion of your sale 2 days prior to the bank holiday weekend.

This is so that if there is a delay with transferring funds you still have a day before the holiday begins to complete the transaction.

It is also far less stressful and frantic if you move out on one day and into your new home the next day.

You then move out of your home and the removal company put your things into overnight storage for delivery on the first day of the bank holiday.

Of course, if you are moving long-distance then it may well take a day or two to travel to your new home so there is no need to pay for storage.

Must read: How to Pick a Good Removal Company: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide. This invaluable guide will show you step-by-step how to choose the best removal company for your move and avoid all the pitfalls.

So, let’s look at how that would work for the bank holiday dates this year:

Moving House Easter Bank Holiday – 15^th & 18^th April 2022

This is probably one of the busiest moving periods of the year so be sure to book your removal company as early as possible.

Wednesday 13^th April

• Complete house sale
• Move out of old home
• Possessions put into storage (or travel to new home)

Thursday 14^th April

Your safety net day if for whatever reason the money for the house purchase did not go through in time. If all went to plan then this is a time to get your new home cleaned before you move in.

Friday 15^th April

The removal company can deliver your things as early as you need so that you make the most of the holiday hours. You now have 4 days to settle into your new home.

Or if you are moving yourself, then you have 4 days in which to transfer your possessions from storage to your new home.

Monday 18^th April

Bank Holiday

Moving House May Bank Holiday – 2^nd May 2022

Thursday 28^th April

• Complete house sale
• Move out of old home
• Possessions put into storage (or travel to new home)

Friday 29^th April

Your safety net day if for whatever reason the money for the house purchase did not go through in time. If the sale is completed then you can use this day to clean the new home and do those DIY jobs that need immediate attention.

Saturday 30^th April

The removal company can deliver your things as early as you need so that you make the most of the holiday hours. You now have 3 days to settle into your new home.

Or if you are moving yourself, then you have 3 days in which to transfer your possessions from storage to your new home.

Monday 2^nd May

Bank Holiday

Moving House Spring Bank Holiday – 2^ND June 2022 (+ Friday 3^rd for Platinum Jubilee)

Tuesday 31^st May

• Complete house sale
• Move out of old home
• Possessions put into storage (or travel to new home)

Wednesday 1^st June

Your safety net day if for whatever reason the money for the house purchase did not go through in time. If all went to plan then you can use this extra day to clean your new home and get those urgent DIY jobs done.

Thursday 2^nd June

The removal company can deliver your things as early as you need so that you make the most of the holiday hours. You now have 4 days to settle into your new home.

Or if you are moving yourself, then you have 4 days in which to transfer your possessions from storage to your new home.

Moving House August Bank Holiday – 29^th August 2022

Thursday 25^th August

• Complete house sale
• Move out of old home
• Possessions put into storage (or travel to new home)

Friday 26^th August

Your safety net day if for whatever reason the money for the house purchase did not go through in time. Assuming the sale went through OK you can spend this day cleaning your new home and attending to those urgent DIY jobs.

Saturday 27^th August

The removal company can deliver your things as early as you need so that you make the most of the holiday hours. You now have 3 days to settle into your new home.

Or if you are moving yourself, then you have 3 days in which to transfer your possessions from storage to your new home.

Monday 29^th August

Bank Holiday

However, the problem is not the physical move, but whether you can get the purchase of the house finalised.

Can You Exchange and Complete on a Weekend?

Do exchange and completion have to be on a Friday? You can exchange and complete on any day of the week, but rarely on a weekend.

The reason being that all monies must be transferred to the sellers’ solicitor before they can release the keys, and the vast majority of banks are closed, or have reduced working hours, at weekends.

The banking system that transfers the money between accounts (CHAPS) has a daily cut-off time of 15.30hrs, although if the buyers and sellers solicitors use the same bank then the transfer of monies can be done as late as 17.00hrs.

The vast majority of banks are closed by this time at the weekend.

Therefore, if you want to take advantage of moving on a bank holiday weekend then you should arrange to complete a day or two before the bank holiday starts.

You may also like to read: Checklist for What to do Between Exchange and Completion. A useful checklist of all the things you could be doing whilst you wait for the completion of your house sale.

List of UK Bank Holidays 2022

Because of the Queens Platinum Jubilee this year there is an extra-long Bank Holiday in June, here is a list of all the UK Bank Holidays 2022 & 2023. The list of Bank Holiday dates for 2024 and beyond can be found at www.gov.uk    

• Good Friday – Friday 15^th April
• Easter Monday – Monday 18^th April
• Early May Bank Holiday – Monday 2^nd May
• Spring Bank Holiday – Thursday 2^nd June
• Platinum Jubilee – Friday 3^rd June
• Summer Bank Holiday – Monday 29^th August
• Boxing Day – Monday 26^th December
• Christmas Day – Tuesday 27^th December (because the 25^th falls on a Sunday this year)

List of UK Bank Holidays 2023

• New Year’s Day – Monday 2^nd Jan (because the 1^st falls on a Sunday this year)
• Good Friday – Friday 7^th April
• Easter Monday – Monday 10^th April
• Early May Bank Holiday – Monday 1^st May
• Spring Bank Holiday – Monday 29^th May
• Summer Bank Holiday – Monday 28^th August
• Christmas Day – Monday 25^th December
• Boxing Day – Tuesday 26^th December

Should I Move Home Over the Bank Holiday?

The one thing that is always against you when moving home is time. Moving over a bank holiday weekend gives you that extra bit of time that will make all the difference.

Having extra time to do things properly, to move at your own pace without deadlines hanging over your head is invaluable.

Of course, you could give yourself that extra bit of time by moving completion day back from a Friday, any time during the year, but then you use up valuable holiday entitlement that could be used to enjoy your new home or garden or a new neighbourhood.

There are obviously pros and cons to every home moving option and only you know whether moving home over the bank holiday weekend makes sense in your situation.

But however, and whenever, you choose to move home, we hope it all goes to plan and you have a stress-free home move.

Don’t forget to check out our award-winning home moving blog for lots more useful home moving tips to save you time and money on your home move.