When Do we Book the Removal Firm?

beachbeth

We are nearly at the exchange of contracts stage of selling our house and buying another. My solicitor is waiting for the other solicitors to agree to 17th August as being the completion date. Looks like this will be the date it just hasn't been confirmed. Ive got a good price from a local removal firm. Do I book the removal firm now or leave it and risk not being able to book them? Will they want a deposit? What do people usually do?

pinkzebra

I have had a few quotes too. The removals companies where I live will not let you book until you have exchanged contracts. I think it is worth getting a few quotes, as the company you like may be fully booked on your completion date. The companies I have had quotes from, take a deposit when you book them. Then they deliver the boxes.

We are hoping to exchange this week, to move mid August - but some firms around here are already fully booked until September!

ono_no_komachi

We've recently had a bit of a headache around this, with our purchasers initially wanting completion around 6-7 August, then 8 August, but we didn't exchange in time. We already knew our preferred removals company couldn't do that week, so a week ago I was ringing round local companies to see who still had a slot, say, on the 8th.

As it turned out we failed to exchange contracts in time and the next date everyone can agree on is the 15th, which our preferred company can do, so I have told the manager there that the date 'is not set in granite, but is set in blancmange', in other words it is not definite but as close as we can get to an agreed date at the moment. In the meantime I have had to ring a couple of the other companies I'd made enquiries of and told them that sorry, we will not be needing them.

I have signed an agreed quote for him and returned it. From here on we will be taking it as it comes, i.e. if we exchange and the date is definite I have to let him know straight away, likewise if something falls through and we have to change the arrangements again (please, not!)

Sorry, this is a very long-winded way of saying make enquiries as early as you can. The summer holidays is a particularly busy time for removals. I think the removals companies are increasingly familiar with short timescales between exchange and completion and will do their best to accommodate, but the sooner you get a tentative arrangement with them, the easier it will be to give them the nod when you have a definite date. None of the companies I have spoken to have required a deposit.

Can you tell I am a little bit anxious about this at the mo?