Sadly, there are cases nowadays of some less than ethical practices in the removals industry. There are many different types of removal companies out there, from the lone man with a van, through to the nationwide removal companies with fleets of trucks and multiple depots.
You have to be careful when chosing a removal company. You are about to allow strangers into your house, remove your possesions, load onto a removal lorry then drive off and deliver to your new home.
In our 5 years of business, I have only ever been asked for identification on the day of a move twice. Always ask for the drivers identification – write down their driving licence details and also the registration of the removal truck.
The vast majority of removal companies in the UK are genuine hard-working businesses built on the foundations of trust and respect for your property. However, there are a handful of companies who are tarnishing the industry, and causing concern for customers.
You can call them scammers, inexperienced removers, under-handed or just out to make as much money as they can. They may be located in every town or city throughout the UK.
It will be highly unlikely they will be registered with a Trade Association or can provide you with genuine customer testimonials or genuine positive reviews on the internet (on trusted review sites).
These removal companies have found ways to get more money out of their customers. The most common way is by providing a low quote prior to the move, then on the day of the move increasing the removal cost.
Top Tip : When you are considering a removal company (type their name into Google, then add the following – complaints, reviews, testimonials) you will then see if there is any negative or positive feedback about the company. .
When getting house removal quotes, it is always best to get atleast 3 quotes to ensure that your quotes are realistic. Generally the middle quote will be the best. . however, base your decision on the person you have been dealing with – do you trust them. . it will be worth paying a bit more if the most expensive quote is with the most trusted person.
Alarm bells should ring if you get a very low quote.
Eg. Less than £350.00 to move a 3 bedroom house with a 7.5t lorry. Or quotes for less than £200.00 to move you.
If you get quotes less than these then you must ask yourself why are they so cheap? Do you trust a cheap company to move what could be thousands of pounds worth of your personal possessions, and only charging a small amount, after all you have to pay a premium for a removals professional.
Many removal companies now will provide you with an estimate prior to visiting your home, this is to reduce the number of visits to customers who can not afford the removals quote. Once you have received an initial estimate – if the quote is affordable book a survey. . insist they visit your home prior to the move. All reputable companies will visit (unless you live in a remote area).
Always get a quote in writing, if the removal company do not provide a written quotation with their terms and conditions, then it is unlikely they are a reputable removal company. If they ask for cash only – then they are definitely not a reputable removal company – and will be using cash to avoid HMRC taxes.
Insist on a written quotation. . ensure that a full description is provided and also the volume of the move, number of men to be provided and the vehicle to be used. This will avoid any confusion on the day.
House removal brokers these are companies who work on behalf of removal companies. When dealing with a broker, ensure that you know who the company that will be moving you are. There are different types of brokers. . there are lead brokers – these are websites which you add your name to and they will obtain 5 quotes from removal companies in your area, generally you will have no personal contact with the broker they pass on your details and the removal companies will deal with you directly. Primarily the objective of these brokers are to provide you with cheap removals, generally the removal companies who use lead generation brokers will be provding a cheap house removal quote to win your business.
There are brokers who provide a Move Management Service, they will obtain you details directly from their own website, then discuss your move in more detail, prepare your move and place your move with the most suitable removal company in your area. This is the best type of broker to use, you will have personal contact and the broker will only work with removal companies who they trust to provide their clients with a Quality House Removals Company. They have a interest in your move to ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day of your move, and they will be there on call for the full duration of your move process offering you that personal touch.
Movingeverywhere , our core business is the role of a House Removals Broker, who provide a Move Management Service, working with trusted house removal companies who have a track record of Quality House Removals Service, or are members of the British Association of Removers or the National Guild of Removers.