Move Assured are an organisation that specialises in promoting professional independent removal companies. Like us here at wemove, most members are run by owner operators who have a daily ‘hands on’ involvement with each customer. They support and endorse the smaller professional removal companies that give a truly personal service. We have been members for over a year, and are proud to represent them for house removals across Bournemouth, Poole & Christchurch.

As members you can be confident we have been checked, accredited and are constantly monitored via our feedback.

Below we will share some moving advice as written by the team at Move Assured, who have over 20 years experience in the removals industry.

Moving Advice

Choosing a Removal Company to Move You

We would strongly recommend you get removal companies to visit you in person to assess your unique moving requirements. This will enable you to get a feel for them and will also give you a chance to ask any questions or advise them of any special requirements you have. Remember you will be inviting this company’s employees into your home, and entrusting your treasured possessions to them. You need to feel confident with your choice of mover.

What Company to Choose?

Choose the removal company that suits your needs and one that you feel confident with. Not always the cheapest will be the best choice. Everyone is different and ultimately the choice is yours. Think about what you require from the removal firm and which one meets your criteria the best. You might prefer to have a small family firm that pride themselves on their good name or a larger company that will be able to handle anything you throw at them. Your first choice should, of course, always be a member of Move Assured.

What to expect from a removal company 

As a member of Move Assured, wemove will…

• Supply the correct size vehicle/s for each move. If it is a ‘ sold ‘ property as opposed to ‘ rented ‘ then the move should be organised so that the property is vacated by the proposed key exchange time.
• Have unbroken cover of Goods in Transit and Public/ Employee liability insurance.
• Deal promptly and efficiently with any questions/queries/disputes.
• Provide a clear and concise quotation by either written form or e- mail.
• Have company T&C’s available.
• Ensure that all services offered are made clear and are fulfilled as agreed.
• Maintain good communications at all times.
• Offer references of recent moves if requested.
• Answer and handle any moving queries you may have.
• Politeness and ability to make your move as stress free as possible.
• Provide contact numbers for office and porters on moving day.
• Maintain all vehicles to an acceptable roadworthy condition.
• Ensure all vehicles are correctly taxed and Insured with a current MOT certificate.

What removal companies will expect from the customer

Confirmation of the moving day. Confusion can occur with a misunderstanding about this where a date has been penciled in but not confirmed.

Being organised and packed up if a company is not offering this service.

However you find your removal company be honest with them. They are able to give you a more accurate quotation, allocate the right sized vehicle and enough men to do the move if they know exactly what the removal entails. Even the smallest thing can have a bearing on the time spent on the move. If you already know that the wardrobes and beds had to be taken into the house through the bedroom window or that you have altered the stairs since the furniture was taken up, tell them and they will be happy to bring along tools, ladders, extra men etc. Also remember that the amount of furniture and belongings you write down onto an inventory form will dictate the size of the removal lorry allocated to your move.

If you are having various company representatives to come and visit make sure you are prepared. They will want to look everywhere, under the stairs, inside cupboards and even under your beds. Anything that needs to go with you must be put on your inventory form or shown to the company representatives. It you do call up and ask several removal companies to give you a quote it is very important that you ask them all the same questions and request the same services, if not then you will receive quotes that not only vary widely, but are for completely different jobs. Don’t forget the garage or the things outside, some plant pots/troughs can be extremely heavy, but again if you point these out they will be all taken into account. Any flammable substances like tins of paint, creosote, paraffin, matches, gas bottles and similar things will not be allowed to go on the van as this will invalidate any insurance cover.

Anything that you are planning to dispose of, try and do so before any representatives visit.

If however you suddenly wanted any unwanted items e.g. if you couldn’t sell or just changed your mind then you must let the removal company know. This will allow them to work out whether they will need a larger vehicle . The van and staff (porters) assigned to your move is calculated on the basis of what the representative has been shown or what you have stated on an inventory form.

The most common items missed when showing a removal company representative around are outside plants, these actually take up the most room in the removal van as you are unable to stack anything on top of them, so don’t forget to show them and the loft, shed and the garage.

Declutter

You will have to go through everything, decide what you would like to keep, throw out, sell or give away. If you separate everything into various piles it is easier to see what you have. The loft is always a good place to start, as nothing is in constant use and therefore can be boxed up well in advance. Books and videos are other items that are often not used frequently and could be sorted out and boxed.

Keep writing down questions

Keep a list of questions to ask your removal company, for example: In the bedrooms, who is going to dismantle the wardrobes and the beds if indeed they need to be?

Now is the chance to sort through your wardrobes and cupboards and have a good clear out. Take a moment to think about where they are going to go, remember you are the only one who has seen the property to which you are moving to. Remember to warn your removal company if you expect any difficulties, they will then be able to organise extra men etc.

If you have any questions about our membership with Move Assured or would like a quote please give us a call on 01202 287 587