Removals Question

ccfc1972

Hi
We are due to move some time in January but we won't have a completion date until the New Year. The date we're all aiming for is the 15th Jan, but who knows if that will happen, could be a week or so later.
How does it work with removal firms? Do we book a date now, what if we have to change it at a later date, surely they are not certain to have an available slot for the day it is changed to?
What is the general best practice here? Don't want to be left with a moving date and nobody to move our stuff.

pinkteapot

You get movers round to quote and tell them the likely completion date (but say it's not confirmed yet). They will hold that date provisionally. In normal times you then confirm the date and pay a deposit on exchange of contracts, because the date is set in stone at that point. However, with Covid most people are doing simultaneous exchange/completion so I guess you have to commit to a date for the movers before exchange and hope it doesn't get cancelled!

Given this, I'd be quizzing the movers on how they're handling this situation, how flexible they can be if it changes at the last minute, and what cancellation charges they apply. 

Mrsemmawright2010

It's really tricky at the moment as removals are so busy. I was due to complete on the 11th December (i didn't!) so got three firms round to give me quotes back in October.  All three wanted a deposit which was refundable if i cancelled 10 working days before the move.
We didn't exchange in time but i was promised we would the following week so i ended up being optimistic and keeping my booking but ultimately I lost £500 of the deposit.  I cancelled removals and am now due to complete on the 18th December (although still not exchanged - see previous threads) and consequently have been unable to secure decent removals. I have phoned over 30 companies and have now got a man and a van (who charged the same as the removal firm i had originally booked), and my husband will hire a van and it will be a nightmare.  And if we don't exchange today or tmrw i will lose another £250 deposit.

So my advice to you is phone around and see how busy they are in your area for that date and decide if you can afford to lose a deposit if the worst happens...insist on an exchange date two weeks before but that didn't work for me!
Apologies as this is not helpful at all!

ccfc1972

Thanks guys, all very helpful...and an absolute nightmare, as expected! 😂

pinkteapot

January won't be so bad - December is one of the busiest times for removals (and solicitors) because everyone gets obssessed with "I want to be in for Christmas". 

Incidentally, this is the barmiest decision in the world. For the last two years running, through no fault of my own, I've had to move house just before Christmas. It's a nightmare! Come Christmas you're exhausted and surrounded by packing boxes. Just enjoy Christmas in your old home and move in January when you're normally bored!!

badger09

Mrsemmawright2010 said:

It's really tricky at the moment as removals are so busy. I was due to complete on the 11th December (i didn't!) so got three firms round to give me quotes back in October.  All three wanted a deposit which was refundable if i cancelled 10 working days before the move.
We didn't exchange in time but i was promised we would the following week so i ended up being optimistic and keeping my booking but ultimately I lost £500 of the deposit.  I cancelled removals and am now due to complete on the 18th December (although still not exchanged - see previous threads) and consequently have been unable to secure decent removals. I have phoned over 30 companies and have now got a man and a van (who charged the same as the removal firm i had originally booked), and my husband will hire a van and it will be a nightmare.  And if we don't exchange today or tmrw i will lose another £250 deposit.

So my advice to you is phone around and see how busy they are in your area for that date and decide if you can afford to lose a deposit if the worst happens...insist on an exchange date two weeks before but that didn't work for me!
Apologies as this is not helpful at all!

OUCH
Very similar situation here, except that we have the added complication of a 2 day pack & remove into storage. Our target completion date is 8th Jan & everyone is hoping for pre Christmas exchange, but that's obviously not guaranteed. Our original removal coy came back to revise quote to include move into & out of storage + storage after our vendor pulled out. We verbally accepted his quote same evening & he had already pencilled in 8th. On the day we got written quote, with details where to pay £250 deposit, he emailed to say 8th now fully booked!

We can't risk same happening again so have paid deposit for 6th & 7th Jan instead. He's already really busy, as are other local companies. If we don't exchange on sale in time for completion on or soon after 8th, we'll have to think of a Plan B