Answers To About Removal Companies

Answers To Your Top Questions About Removal Companies

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Answers To Your Top Questions About Removal Companies

Are you moving house soon? If you’re starting to think about the possibility of using a removal company then there might be a few things you want to know first – and you wouldn’t be alone.

These are some of the most frequently asked questions about removal companies, and the answers we hope will help you pick the right one for your move…

1. How much will house removals cost?

One of – if not the – top questions we usually hear is regarding the cost of removals services. It is also probably one of the only questions that companies can’t give a definitive answer to immediately without knowing a little more. There are lots of elements that make up the cost of a removal, so it’s hard to give each customer a concise figure before there’s been a chance to review their individual requirements.

As a rough guide, the cost of a removal is usually based on a number of combined factors :

  • Volume (amount) of belongings you’re moving
  • Access at both properties
  • Distance of the move
  • Your preferences for your move plan
  • Additional services you select – i.e packing services, dismantling/reassembling of items or handyman or housemaid services.

The best way to get an accurate figure is by booking an in-home move consultation, where expertly trained Move Consultants can assess the amount to be moved as well as any other components of your move, from which a detailed quotation can be made.

2. How soon should I book a removal company?

Generally speaking, it’s recommended you start contacting removal companies around 4-6 weeks prior to your arranged move date.

If you’re buying and/or selling this may be your completion date and you’ll likely know when this is once you have or are about to exchange contracts and are reaching the end of your sale process. This ensures you’ve got plenty of time to arrange a pre-move survey and get an accurate quotation. However, don’t panic if you’re moving at short notice as some companies will have flexible resources that allow for last minute moves.

And remember that it’s never too early to contact a removal company for help or advice – most will only be too happy to help you and answer any questions you might have about your upcoming move.

3. How do I know if a removal company is reputable?

When you’re paying a lot of money to hire a service you need to know that the company in question will do a good job – especially when it comes to moving all of your treasured possessions. When it comes moving house, it’s important to make sure that the company you pick is not only professional but more importantly reputable.

Finding a reputable removal company is actually easier than it sounds though. As a rule, you should always look for companies that are members of the British Association of Removers (BAR), can provide you with previous customer feedback and have good local reputations or come strongly recommended by friends or family. Find out everything you need to know about finding and choosing the right removal company for you with stalbans-removals.

Answers to your top questions about

Are you moving house soon? If you’re starting to think about the possibility of using a removal company then there might be a few things you want to know first – and you wouldn’t be alone.

These are some of the most frequently asked questions about removal companies, and the answers we hope will help you pick the right one for your move…

1. How much will house removals cost?

One of – if not the – top questions we usually hear is regarding the cost of removals services. It is also probably one of the only questions that companies can’t give a definitive answer to immediately without knowing a little more. There are lots of elements that make up the cost of a removal, so it’s hard to give each customer a concise figure before there’s been a chance to review their individual requirements.

As a rough guide, the cost of a removal is usually based on a number of combined factors :

  • Volume (amount) of belongings you’re moving
  • Access at both properties
  • Distance of the move
  • Your preferences for your move plan
  • Additional services you select – i.e packing services, dismantling/reassembling of items or handyman or housemaid services.

The best way to get an accurate figure is by booking an in-home move consultation, where expertly trained Move Consultants can assess the amount to be moved as well as any other components of your move, from which a detailed quotation can be made.

2. How soon should I book a removal company?

Generally speaking, it’s recommended you start contacting removal companies around 4-6 weeks prior to your arranged move date.

If you’re buying and/or selling this may be your completion date and you’ll likely know when this is once you have or are about to exchange contracts and are reaching the end of your sale process. This ensures you’ve got plenty of time to arrange a pre-move survey and get an accurate quotation. However, don’t panic if you’re moving at short notice as some companies will have flexible resources that allow for last minute moves.

And remember that it’s never too early to contact a removal company for help or advice – most will only be too happy to help you and answer any questions you might have about your upcoming move.

3. How do I know if a removal company is reputable?

When you’re paying a lot of money to hire a service you need to know that the company in question will do a good job – especially when it comes to moving all of your treasured possessions. When it comes moving house, it’s important to make sure that the company you pick is not only professional but more importantly reputable.

Finding a removal company is actually easier than it sounds though. As a rule, you should always look for companies that are members of  Removers , can provide you with previous customer feedback and have good local reputations or come strongly recommended by friends or family. Find out everything you need to know about finding and choosing the right removal company for you with The Ultimate Guide to Removal Companies.

4. Do I pack my own belongings, or do the removal company do the packing for me?

It’s entirely up to you what you choose to do regarding the packing of your goods – if you’re happy to pack your own items and are confident in doing so then that’s absolutely fine, but the removal company can usually do it for you if you want them to. Consider:

  • Do you have a large amount of furniture and personal effects to be moved?
  • Are you short on time?
  • Would you like the peace of mind of professional packing to reduce the risk of damage?
  • Have you got any awkward, delicate or fragile pieces you need help with?

You can usually choose from self packing, full packing or even customise your quote and ask for just selected items to be packed for you. Whatever your requirements are, you can discuss this with your Move Consultant, who will ensure that the quote they produce reflects your needs.

The same also applies to unpacking – this is something you can do entirely yourself, or for an extra charge you can request the help of your removal company in unpacking.

If you’re packing your own items you can watch our packing video guides here to help you make sure they are safely protected. Answers To About Removal Companies

5. What is a pre-move survey and do I really need one?

A pre-move survey is the name given to the process that most removers use to assess the overall volume of goods that need to be moved from your present home to your new one.

Moving House Room Planner

Moving House Room Planner

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Moving House Room Planner

Are you preparing to move currently but struggling to work out how all of your furniture and things will look in your new house? This piece of room planner software from Sweet Home 3D might be just what you need to plan the layout of your new rooms… Moving House Room Planner

One of our customers recently shared this with us in explaining where everything needs to go in her new home, and we thought it was great so wanted to share it with you!

Preparing for the aftermath of moving house can be daunting – not only do you have the challenge of unpacking after a move, but before you can even get to that you also have to try and plan out each room from scratch, working out what fits where.

If you’re trying to plan the layout of the rooms in your new house but are struggling to ‘see’ it all come together before you’ve moved then you might benefit from the help of Sweet Home 3D – a revolutionary piece of software which allows users to virtually build any room in their house and see the layout from several perspectives.

A completely free software suite, Sweet Home 3D can be used by anyone who is currently planning a house redesign, but is particularly useful for those that are moving house and want to plan how all their existing furniture will work in their new spaces, as per the example above.

The rooms are designed in 2D, with the user able to input all the correct room dimensions and add in furniture from the software’s built-in catalogue. Once finished, users are then able to preview how the room will look in 3D, giving them an accurate idea of how the room will look in real life.

1. The furniture catalogue: organised by categories and contains all the furniture and objects needed to reconstruct your home design.
2. The home furniture list: contains the furniture in your home, listed by name, size and other characteristics.
3. The home plan: gives you a birds-eye-view of your home, layered over a grid which allows you to set or reset dimensions and add in all the furniture.
4. The home 3D view: allows you to preview your layouts in 3D, either from above or as a virtual visitor.

Once each room is complete, you can create 3D photos, videos and print outs of your finished layouts (handy to pass on to the removal company!!) helping you to get organised for the unpacking stage of your removal

5 Tips For Packing A Winter Essentials Box

5 Tips For Packing A Winter Essentials Box

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5 Tips For Packing A Winter Essentials Box

Wherever you’re going and whatever the weather may be, no move would be complete without making sure you’ve packed your essentials box. if you’re not sure what to include, then here our our 5 top tips for packing a winter essentials box...

An essentials box is exactly that – a box of essential items which will help to make moving day a little bit easier for all those involved; think kettles, snacks, phone chargers and toys for the children, etc.

If you’re preparing to move over the upcoming Christmas period then it’s important to remember that you’ll need to add a few key items when packing a winter essentials box:

  1. Kettle: A staple of any good essentials box, and one which we’d advise you to pack for any move! Being able to plug the kettle in as soon as you get to your new house will instantly make you feel at home – particularly when it’s cold outside. If you’re facing a long journey to your new house and won’t be stopping then fill some flasks up with tea, coffee or even some warming soup to keep you going until you get there.
  2. Tinned food: Likewise, it’s always a good idea to have some tins of food to hand. Cooking will be the least of your priorities once you’re finally in your new house, but all that energy burnt moving on a cold day will certainly work up an appetite. Make sure you have a few tins of soup or beans packed in your box – or anything else that can be heated up to provide a quick and easy meal while you concentrate on getting settled.
  3. A change of clothes: It goes without saying that if you’re moving in winter then the weather is likely to be less than favourable. Whether there be torrential rain, sleet, snow or ice come moving day, you’ll definitely appreciate having a fresh change of clothes to step into once you’re settled in your new house. Make sure everyone has their gloves, scarves and hats with them when you leave and perhaps even pack the car with some spare blankets and a hot water bottle or two if it’s particularly cold.
  4. Towels and toiletries: There’s no nicer way to warm up after a long day in the cold than in a hot shower or bath. Make sure you have some towels and basic toiletries included when packing a winter essentials box so that you can use the bathroom without having to hunt for anything when you’re tired at the end of the day.
  5. Snow shovel: An item which obviously won’t fit into your actual box, but necessary all the same! If the forecast predicts snow or heavy ice the week of your move then make sure you have a shovel and some grit at the ready with which to clear pathways – and don’t forget to check that your car is topped up and ready for the journey.
What To Pack When Moving

What To Pack When Moving: The Essentials Box

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What To Pack When Moving: The Essentials Box

So far, you’ve probably been concentrating your efforts on packing the contents of your house. But the packing doesn’t stop there – have you thought about what to pack on the day of your move yet?

If not, then here’s our guide to preparing your box of essentials when moving.

WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL MOVING BOX?

The essentials box is a box or bag full of important, everyday items that you’ll need first when you arrive at your new home.  The things you need or want on a daily basis, which would cause extra stress if they were packed away in boxes on the removal truck and you couldn’t get hold of them quickly.

Ideally, your box of essentials needs to be kept in the car with you for the duration of the move (in case you don’t arrive at the same time as the removal company), or if it does travel with the moving company make sure it’s the last box to be loaded so it can be unloaded first.

This kit keeps everything handy when you first arrive at your new home. Not having to wait for the whole van to be unloaded before you can have a glass of water or use the toilet makes unpacking much less stressful!  What To Pack When Moving

Everyone’s essentials will be different, so think through what you will do when you first arrive at the house and make sure you’ve got everything you need. Here are a few ideas of ours for what to put in your essentials box.

What to pack in your essentials box when you move house?

  • Toilet Paper
  • Washing up liquid
  • A dishtowel and a dishcloth
  • All-purpose cleaner (unopened if you can to avoid leaks!)
  • Coffee/tea, milk and sugar
  • Cup or glass, plate and cutlery per person
  • Something for lunch or dinner (or the take out menu of your new local favourite!)
  • Snacks (cereal bars, bag of crisps, chocolate bar)
  • Drinks (bottles or cans of soft drink, water and a beer for when you’re done!)
  • Pet food (and something to put it in)
  • Radio/CD/MP3 player to entertain you during the boring unpacking
  • Scissors or a penknife for opening boxes
  • An emergency first aid kit
  • A torch and matches/candles in case of any issues with electrics
  • Pyjamas and a chance of clothes, including a towel per person
  • Toiletries: Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush and hand soap
  • Bin bags
  • A basic tool kit
  • Important documentation and paperwork for move day

If you’re moving with children, then don’t forget to put a few toys or books in there too, to help keep them entertained over the course of the day

Moving House With A Baby

Moving House With A Baby

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Moving House With A Baby

Moving house can be challenging enough, but add a new baby into the mix, and things can feel stressful. So what’s it like, and what are some top tips to make it easier?

TIPS FOR MOVING HOUSE WITH A BABY

Using a professional removal company saves you a lot of time. Typically, a moving company can move the average 3-bedroom house in a day, meaning the amount of time you’re disrupted is kept to a minimum.

Having professional movers do the physical work also means that you can focus your time on your little one, which most new parents know can be all-consuming, without needing to figure out how to also lift boxes and get a car seat into a van. You’ll also save a lot of energy! Moving house is physically hard work, and the last thing you need to be is physically exhausted as well as sleep deprived!

Get help with packing

If you’re using a professional removal company, then ask them to provide packing services. This means you won’t need to find lots of time in the run-up to the move to get everything packed, and also means you won’t have to live amongst the boxes for too long. Typically, the movers will come in and do all the packing on the same day as your move, or the day before if there is lot to be done. They will provide all the packing materials and pack everything carefully to reduce the risk of any damage.

GET A QUOTE FOR REMOVALS WITH PACKING SERVICE

You can choose to have everything packed for you, or just some of your items like fragiles if you just want a bit of help.

If you are moving yourself, ask friends and family if they can help you with the packing, or help take care of the baby for a little while whilst you spend some time getting everything packed up.

Handyman services can also be a big help getting prepared for move day – ask your removal company or a local handyman if they can help with things like dismantling beds or large furniture, taking down trampolines and swing-sets or even taking down curtain poles and picture frames.

Get help with unpacking and getting set up

Many removal companies offer unpacking services too. This can help speed up the process of getting settled into your new home.

Handyman services are also great for helping you get set up – ask your removal company or local handyman for extra help with putting back together anything you dismantled to move, hanging pictures and curtains/blinds, putting together new furniture for the baby that you’ve bought, etc. This will help save you time and create a comfortable and relaxing new home for you all to settle into, to minimise disruption for the baby.

Consider temporary storage if you can’t move in right away

If you’re not moving directly into your new home, then it’s a good idea to arrange storage for your belongings whilst you’re in alternative accommodation. Many removal companies offer their storage services for moving house, or you can look at local self-storage facilities.

If you’re using a removal company, then look for those that offer wooden container storage or steel container storage that is loaded directly onto their vehicle at your home. This reduces the risk of damage through extra handling.  Find out more about Moving House storage.

WHAT’S IT LIKE MOVING HOUSE WITH A NEW BABY?

We asked one of our customers how they found the experience of moving house with a new baby, and here is their story.

Martin and his partner Amberley were hoping to get their move completed before their first child was born, but lots of delays and issues meant that wouldn’t be the case, and instead they had to move when Tod was 3 months old. They moved from their first home, a 1-bedroom flat in Tunbridge Wells, to a more appropriate family-sized 3-bedroom home with a garden a little further outside of the town.

What has the move been like for you?

“The move process was drawn out and stressful.

We were the start of what turned out to be a fairly long chain, so it took a while before all parties were ready to go, and then our buyer pulled out at the last minute. Amberley had just given birth to our first child when we found out this news! A new build property developer finally came in to purchase our property and get the chain moving, but with all the stipulations they required, it seemed an age to get to the point of exchange.

One thing I have learnt is that if solicitors could join the 21st century and communicate over the phone and via email rather than sending letters by post and carrier pigeon, things would happen far quicker!”

At what point were you able to start thinking about the physical move? What options were you looking into for doing the move?

“Due to the previous buyer pulling out, we were only confident that the move was going to happen once we had exchanged contracts. For us, this allowed just short of 2 weeks until our completion date. Rather than moving directly, it suited my partner and me to move out before the completion date, and following a discussion with Bournes whom we already had some goods in storage with they were able to be flexible to my requirements.

Because I’d need more storage, but only temporarily for a couple of days before moving into the new house, Bournes were able to transfer my goods from a wooden storage container to a larger steel container which could be loaded onto one of their lorry’s and bought to my flat to add the things from there and then offload it from the vehicle in their storage facility before re-loading it on the lorry a few days later and bringing to the new house, without having to handle it all a third time.”

This move involved a short period of temporary storage, so Bournes used one of their vehicles that allows a steel container to be lifted on for loading, off for storage at our secure warehouse, and then back on for delivery without requiring additional handling.

How was the packing process for you?

Even though I have some experience packing to move house, I was surprised myself how long it took to pack. Not from the speed of my packing, but due to the volume of things we didn’t realise we had, other time constraints with my job and all those little things that seem to ‘crop up’ when you have a new baby, so it was a good job we decided to start packing early!! Living in a small flat also meant having packed and half-packed boxes all over the place and in our way for a few days, which was quite annoying too!

Should I not have known what I was doing, I would have certainly had Bournes in to do the packing, and in hindsight.”

What were you most worried about with the physical move?

“I wasn’t too worried, I trusted the team. I guess my only concern was if I should have had them pack my fragile items, but everything made it without a scratch.

How stressful did you find moving house with a new baby?

“Well, I think we nearly doubled our box count with all the new stuff that was purchased for him! But in terms of the move process coming from a one bed flat it made it more important to us that the move went through, and all the more frustrating and worrying when there were delays, but during the stressful times you only had to look at him to put a smile back on your face!”

What are you looking forward to most about your new home?

We were living in a one-bedroom flat with a view of the car park, and we have moved to a three-bedroom house with a beautiful view. However, without a doubt, I am most looking forward to being able to provide my son with his room!

And finally, do you have any top tips for the moving process or for moving house with a new baby?

“Be aware that things don’t always go to plan, some of the additional options Bournes provide like cancellation protection mean that whilst your worrying about your move falling through for a whole lot of other reasons (like my son outgrowing his moses basket!!) you don’t have to worry about financial costs of cancellation charges for your removal company, it’s a small fee but a big weight off your shoulders.

If you’re doing your packing, start early! Carefully evaluate the extra cost of having your packing done for you; if it’s an affordable luxury, go for it – you won’t regret it!

And my top tip?…. Stand at least arm’s length away from your partner before telling her your buyer has pulled out just after she’s given birth…”

Storage For Belongings During a House Build

Storage For Belongings During a House Build or Renovations

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Building your dream house but having nowhere to store all your stuff during the process? Using a removal company for storage during renovations or a house build is a great way to keep everything safe.

Moving to temporary accommodation during building works or renovations

If you are moving into a temporary home then you might want to take some items with you and put others into the store.

A removal company can handle the whole move as one project keeping everything coordinated.

Typically they will load the items for storage directly into your wooden container for return to their storage facility. These items would be inventoried so you have a copy. Your items for moving directly would then be loaded separately and delivered straight to your temporary home.

Many company’s removals vehicles are specially designed to be able to carry both wooden storage containers and larger steel shipping containers, which means that whatever the size of your storage requirement, your items can be loaded directly into a container at your home and then returned to the warehouse for storage without the need for anyone to re-handle your belongings. Not only does this greatly reduce any risk of loss or damage, but it also keeps handling costs to a minimum.

Accessing your belongings in storage

Most removal companies will allow you access to your belongings whilst they are in storage, so don’t panic that they will be locked away until you’re ready for delivery.

You may need to contact the removal company in advance to book an access appointment and you should be able to easily identify the location of items you might need using the inventory provided.

Ready for delivery?

Once the works are completed the removal company can load your container back onto their vehicle and deliver it back to your new home.

If you’ve got items at a temporary property that you’d like to move to the removal company will be able to collect these and deliver everything to your home together.

Your House Removals Company

Why Choose St Albans Removals As Your House Removals Company?

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We know you have a choice of household moving companies, and if we’ve not convinced you yet here are some great reasons to choose St Albans Removals as your removals company.

We are an experienced, knowledgeable removal company providing personal service.

St Albans Removals has been helping people move since 2010. St Albans Removals has a great team of experts ready to help with all aspects of your move and to make sure everything that’s important to you happens just the way you want it to.

From Move Consultants that take the time to listen to your individual needs so they can tailor the best solutions for your move, to your personal move manager who will guide you through the whole process.

Our removals crews and staff are Security vetted, uniformed and professionally trained.

All removal crews and office staff handling sensitive information are security vetted to check for any criminal record through the government Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS – previously known as CRB checks) for your peace of mind. Your move-day crew will be uniformed, arrive in a liveried vehicle and carry St Albans Removals Identification.

As well as comprehensive in-house professional removals training at the St Albans Academy our staff also regularly participate in external professional training including the FIDI Academy, the British Association of Removers. the CIPD, Worldwide ERC and more.

Each and every member of the team takes personal responsibility in providing you with great service.

We offer comprehensive removals insurance coverage.

Moving is one of the most stressful activities you can undertake, and due to the nature of the removal industry, there is always a risk something can go wrong. We understand that how we handle a situation when something gets damaged is so important to help reduce the impact and the stress on you during your move.

Our removals insurance provides protection over and above that provided by many removal companies under the limited liability cover of the BAR terms and conditions. If you select our insurance we provide you full coverage for the value of your belongings whilst they are in our care and our dedicated customer service manager will help you reach a swift and satisfactory resolution in the event that something does go wrong.

Make Unpacking Less Stressful

Ways To Make Unpacking Less Stressful

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Once you’ve packed up your belongings, loaded them onto a removal van and transported them to your new house, you will then be tasked with unpacking everything and turning your new house into a home. It isn’t uncommon for homeowners to have high hopes of unpacking everything on moving day, but unfortunately, this isn’t always possible. Depending on when you get your keys and the number of packing boxes you have, you might not have enough time to completely unpack everything before going to bed.

Many homeowners agree that unpacking is just as tedious as packing, if not more so. Not only is it time-consuming, but living out of half-empty boxes and not knowing where anything is can be very frustrating. To help anyone with an upcoming house move, below we have put together some tips that can help to make unpacking much easier and a lot less stressful.

Declutter Before You Pack

Simply put, the more you have to unpack in your new home, the longer it will take. To make life easier for yourself, declutter before you pack your belongings into boxes and donate, sell, recycle or throw away anything you no longer need. Although this can make the packing process slightly longer, it’s always worthwhile doing in the long run.

Label All Of Your Boxes 

When packing in a rush, it can be easy to overlook this step, but labelling your boxes will make things so much easier when you start unpacking. If boxes are labelled, your removals company will ensure they’re put in the correct rooms in your new home. So, you won’t have the hassle of moving all of your boxes around before you can start unpacking them.

Create An Essentials Box

To prevent you from having to rummage through several different boxes to find the things you need for the first night in your new house, create an essentials box. Put things like pyjamas, toiletries, bedding and phone chargers into this box, you’re likely to need all of these on your first night. You might also want to put things like your kettle and tea bags into this box.

Book An Unpacking Service 

One of the easiest ways to make the process of unpacking completely stress-free is to book an unpacking service. Lots of homeowners don’t know this service exists, but if you’re planning to book a professional packing service, it’s always worth inquiring about an unpacking service too. Removal companies usually offer part or full unpacking services and both of these can help you to start settling into your new home much quicker.

Work Through Your Rooms In Order Of Priority

If you decide to unpack yourself, it’s useful to make a list of your rooms in order of priority. Often, rooms like the kitchen and bathroom will be the most frequently used and it’s beneficial to unpack these first. You may also find that children’s bedrooms are higher in order of priority than your master bedroom, for example, and unpacking them first will keep your children happy.

Finish One Room Before You Start The Next 

It can be tempting to unpack a few boxes in each room to make you feel like you’re getting somewhere with this mammoth task, but this will usually result in an unorganised mess. You should try to completely unpack one room before you move on to the next and tidy up behind yourself as you go. This will make unpacking much quicker and easier in the long run.

Arranging Packing And Moving Services

Hopefully, the tips above will be useful when you’re moving house and they can help to prevent unpacking from being such a taxing task. If you’re interested in booking a range of packing and moving services to make your house move as straightforward as possible, don’t hesitate to contact our team at Moving Home Made Easy. We provide a local and international professional moving service, and we offer a range of services that can be personalised to suit your needs.

Here at St Alban Removals, in addition to providing a full packing service, we can also assist you with unpacking. Our professional packers and movers can help you to get comfortable in your new home on moving day. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer service, and every member of our team will go above and beyond to ensure your move is as hassle-free as possible. If you have any questions about the packing and moving services we offer, get in touch with us today.

The country so it’s possible that when you move you won’t be able to get the same level of service.

Moving Broadband, Phone And Tv

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Moving Broadband, Phone And Tv

  • Check the availability of services

Broadband access varies across the country so it’s possible that when you move you won’t be able to get the same level of service. This applies to cable internet and fibre optic broadband access in particular, if you move to an area without one of these you’ll lose that high speed connection. Of course, it can also go the other way.

You can contact your current ISP and ask them to check the address to confirm coverage. Alternatively, use the broadband checker tool at BroadbandGenie.co.uk to view the availability of services at a specific address or general area; the latter is useful if you’re still house hunting.

When it comes to TV, this can again depend on broadband connectivity. If there’s no cable broadband you won’t get cable TV, and if you use something like YouView or Netflix to stream video the quality may be impacted by a slower connection. Satellite TV is only dependent on whether you can attach a dish to the property, and standard broadcast Freeview just needs you to be within range (most of the country) and have a suitable aerial.

For the phone the biggest problem you’ll face is that a line either needs installing (perhaps if the property only had cable before) or has been deactivated. There will be an engineer visit and some costs involved, but it’s usually an easy fix.

  • Want to switch providers whem moving broadband, phone and TV?

If you discover that you can’t get the same service at a new property, or simply want to drop the current provider, there is often a price attached. Unless the provider cannot offer anything they will most likely require you to pay a fee to break the contract.

This is less of an issue with ADSL and fibre optic broadband and satellite TV, but with cable you may be forced to downgrade to a slower ADSL line and lose your cable TV – Virgin Media does have an ADSL product using BT lines which is offered to homes lacking cable so if you don’t cancel you might have to use this instead.

  • Contact the providers

Every company will have a minimum time in which it needs to be notified of a transfer of service. This could be two weeks, it could be a month, so find out in advance. If you leave it until the last moment, it will delay the setup at your new home.

  • Liaise with the current occupier

A very important step is to confirm with the current occupier of the property that they will be properly cancelling their phone, broadband and TV services for the moving date. The phone is especially important; if this is not done the line will be blocked and your internet access delayed by weeks. If this happens, the ISP will attempt to activate it again a few days later, and if still denied, will follow a set procedure for gaining access.

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO MOVE

First step: contact the providers within their minimum notification period to supply the new address and your moving date.

For broadband and phone from the same provider, just give them the details and follow their instructions, assuming there’s no other problems they should handle the process and cancel, then enable your services on the correct dates.

For broadband and phone from separate providers, you must first contact the phone company and ask for a Link Order Reference Number (LORN), which is sometimes called a Simultaneous Provide Number (SIM). Then get in touch with the broadband ISP and supply the reference. This will allow the two companies to work together to enable both services on the same day. If this isn’t done, it can take several weeks to sort out.

For cable, satellite and Freeview television, including BT or TalkTalk YouView, the steps will vary. Cable and satellite will require an engineer visit to set up the necessary hardware, but for Freevie, you can handle this yourself as it’s simply a case of plugging in the aerial to your TV or set-top box, and ensuring the broadband is correctly activated.

MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR MOVING BROADBAND, PHONE AND TV WHEN MOVING HOUSE

Getting a new home is a good time to take stock of your outgoings and consider ways to cut back on expenditure.

  • Bundle up

Signing up for a broadband, phone and TV bundle from a single provider can simplify bills and equal big savings compared to using separate companies, particularly if you take advantage of the frequent special offers that include free shopping vouchers and months or years of free broadband. You can use Broadband Genie’s broadband, phone and TV bundles comparison table to find the best deals currently available.

  • Cut back on extras

Paying for extra TV channels you don’t watch, or inclusive phone minutes that aren’t being used? Such extras can usually be removed for no charge to reduce monthly bills.

  • Compare broadband deals

When checking the availability of broadband at a new home you might find that there’s a different provider you could sign up for that may be better value. This might not necessarily be cheaper, but if you can make the move from a relatively slow ADSL broadband line to a speedy fibre optic or cable broadband service for not too much more it could prove to be better for you and family by allowing you to do more online. For instance, you could stop paying for premium TV and instead take advantage of the many great catch-up TV and streaming movie services

Avoiding Delays When Moving House

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HAVE YOUR MONEY AT THE READY

From the moment you decide to put your house up for sale, you need to be clear about your finances. Whether you’re a first time buyer or moving for the fifth time around (in which case, you’ll already know all about this) sorting your finances first is guaranteed to speed up any house move. Whether it be getting your mortgage in principal agreed in order to start making serious offers or simply ensuring you have your full deposit and any fees ready (especially if these are not coming from existing savings) and staying on top of your finances every step of the way is vital.

BE PROACTIVE AND COMMUNICATE

You’ll deal with a lot of people whilst moving house – from estate agents and conveyancing solicitors to removal companies and everything in between.

Completing and paperwork swiftly, responding quickly to enquiries, having your documents ready (for example copies of wage slips, bank statements and your ID for a mortgage application or planning permissions/guarantees for the property you’re selling) and having all your affairs in order can really speed up the process of making and having an offer accepted and starting off the contracts process.

Staying in touch with them and updating them with any changes that occur along the way means that everyone (including you) can plan accordingly, with as much notice as possible to take action avoid any last minute problems. If you want an update on something don’t be afraid to pick up the phone or drop a quick email – these companies are working for you so should be happy to provide you with any information you need.

COMBINE YOUR PROPERTY SURVEYS

If you want to have a home buyers or full survey done on the property you are buying then consider using your mortgage lender to provide this at the same time as conducting their valuation report rather than doing them independently. This will speed up the process and could save you money.

BOOK YOUR REMOVAL COMPANY EARLY

Although you might not have a date yet you should try to start arranging a removals company around 4 weeks before when you think moving day might be.

Contact around 3 companies in your area (our guide on how to find a recommended removal company explains this in more detail) and book an in-home move consultation with each. This is always a free, no obligation service which enables the removal company to quickly and accurately calculate the cost of moving your items. The surveyor who comes to see your home will also highlight little things you might not have thought about yet – like whether or not you need to make parking provisions for the removals truck or whether you require extra services such as a handyman or housemaid to help at each end. Once you have your quotes, narrow them down to one (see more about comparing removals quotations on our blog) and provisionally book the dates you’re aiming for.

Once you’ve exchanged contracts and have set a completion date for your move let the removal company know ASAP so they can finalise the dates for you and confirm your booking. Remember that during peak times (summer, school holidays, bank holidays and Christmas) removal companies will be busier and book up faster than usual so starting this process early is vital. Fridays (particularly the last of every month) are also extremely busy times, so if you can move on any other weekday, do it!

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO PACK

IF you’re doing your own packing to move house then as soon as your removal company is booked, start packing. This is arguably everyone’s least favourite part of the moving process, probably because it always takes longer than you think – so the sooner you get going with it, the sooner it’s done. This way, you can order extra boxes if needed, sort everything carefully and make sure it’s packed properly (see our how-to videos here for more advice on packing your own items). The last thing you want is to still be packing the night before – or even worse – the morning of your move. Not only is this stressful, but it might also delay your move and cost you more money.

Packing early also frees you up the week before your move to do all those last minute jobs you might have forgotten about until now like reading meters, redirecting your post and making arrangements for children and pets on the day of the move.

THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU WANT TO EXCHANGE AND COMPLETE

No matter how tempting it might seem to roll two things into one (and in principal, it does sound like a good idea) always try not to exchange and complete on the same day if you’re part of a chain. Completion dates are usually set at the time a contract is exchanged, meaning everyone connected in the chain can organise for their funds to be released on the same day. It only takes complications from one vendor who can’t complete on the given day to break the chain for all involved. If you can, try and leave about a week or so between each exchanging and completing, which should be enough time to resolve any problems that might arise. That’s not to say that they can’t be done on the same day at all – there are, of course, circumstances in which it works for many people – but you must be certain of the strength of your chain and confident that everyone will have their finances in place by completion day.

Although often not possible when you’re involved in a chain, If you can avoid moving in on completion day this is great as it gives you a bit more breathing space without having a deadline to be out of your old home and reduces the risk of waiting around for keys to get into the new one.

ARRANGE CHILD/PET CARE ON MOVING DAY

Moving day can be hectic, if your children and pets can be elsewhere for the day this is a good idea as it means you can focus on the move and not get distracted by having to think about keeping an eye on them or keeping them entertained.

CONSIDER ADDITIONAL MOVING SERVICES

Do you need to dismantle anything to move? Are you taking any of the fixtures and fittings? Does anything need disconnecting? Do you need to have the house cleaned before you hand over the keys or can you come back and do this another day?

Many removal companies offer additional services to help you with the above so that everything is taken care of in advance so that you’re ready on move day.