Removal questions, answered straight

You fill in one short form about your move: when, from where, to where, the size of the property and any extras such as packing or storage. We pass your request to our lead partner, PIN Local (PinLocal Ltd), which matches it with up to 5 removal companies that cover your move^[16]. They contact you with quotes. You compare them, ask questions, and book the one you like, or none at all.

Neither we nor PIN Local are the remover. Your contract is with the removal company you choose.

Yes. Requesting quotes costs you nothing, and there's no obligation to book. The service is paid for by the industry: PIN Local pays us for each quote request we pass to it, and the removal companies pay PIN Local for each request they receive^[14]. You never pay us or PIN Local anything. The price for your move is agreed between you and the removal company.

Your request is passed to up to 5 removal companies that cover your move^[16]. PIN Local sends requests to firms as they come in, and its partner terms require firms to contact you as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours^[14]. In remote postcodes, on the islands or at very short notice, fewer firms may be available, so you may hear from fewer than five.

Remover's tip: answer the first call properly with your loft, shed, garage, stairs and parking details. The quotes that follow will be far more accurate, and easier to compare.

Matching is done by PIN Local, using the postcode areas each firm covers and the details of your move such as size and date^[14]. Under PIN Local's partner terms, firms agree to:

• provide copies of their insurance, including public liability and goods cover
• provide evidence of any relevant trade association membership
• send written quotes free of charge
• not pass your details on to anyone else

PIN Local can refuse or remove firms that don't keep to its terms^[14]. We check every request for obvious errors and repeats before passing it on^[16].

To be straight with you: we don't audit each removal company ourselves, and PIN Local doesn't publish how often it re-checks firms. So before you book, ask for the insurance certificate, check BAR membership on bar.co.uk and read independent reviews (see Choosing a remover).

Compare Removal Companies is run by Adgenius Ltd (ICO registration ZA313386). When you send the form, we pass your request (what you entered and the IP address it came from) to our lead partner PIN Local (PinLocal Ltd, Derwent Business Centre, Clarke Street, Derby DE1 2BU; ICO registration Z1726192)^[13]. PIN Local pays us for each request, and passes it to up to 5 removal companies that cover your move, who pay PIN Local in turn. PIN Local and each removal company are then responsible for their own use of your details under their own privacy policies^[16]. PIN Local's partner terms forbid firms from passing your details to anyone else^[14].

How long it's kept: we delete everything that identifies you from your request after 2 months^[16]. PIN Local's published privacy policy doesn't give a fixed period. It says data is kept as long as needed for its stated purposes and legal obligations^[13]. Removal companies keep what they receive for as long as their own policies say.

Full details are in our privacy policy. We are not told which removal companies PIN Local passes a request to: to find out, ask PIN Local (its contact details are in the next answer).

Tell each firm directly that you've booked elsewhere and don't want further contact. That's usually the quickest fix. We are not told which firms received your request: PIN Local passes it on. To find out which they were, or to stop PIN Local using your details, email [email protected] or its Data Protection Officer at [email protected], or write to PinLocal Ltd, Derwent Business Centre, Clarke Street, Derby DE1 2BU^[13]. To have us delete the copy we hold before its two months are up, write to us through our contact page with the email address or phone number you used^[16].

Under UK data protection law you have an absolute right to object to direct marketing. Organisations can't refuse, though they may keep your details on a suppression list so they don't contact you again^[9]. If you're unhappy with how anyone has handled your data, you can complain to the ICO.

Because nobody can honestly price your move from a postcode and a bedroom count. Two 3-bed houses can be hundreds of pounds apart once you add a packed loft, a third-floor flat with no lift, or a 40-metre carry from the nearest legal parking space. A short conversation, or better still a survey, gets you a price that won't change on the day.

As a guide, Konnect You (formerly Compare My Move) reports average 2026 UK prices of about £466 for a 1-bed, £834 for a 2-bed, £1,252 for a 3-bed, £1,803 for a 4-bed and £2,661 for a 5-bed^[1]. Location, access, distance and extras move those figures a lot. See our removal costs guide for prices by region and the hidden extras to watch for.

Each firm prices what it thinks the job involves. One allows for three porters, a parking suspension, dismantling the beds and a long carry. Another quotes two men and a van and hopes for the best. Lay quotes side by side and check:

• crew size and estimated hours
• whether packing materials, dismantling and parking are included
• insurance limits (per item and in total)
• VAT, and whether the price is fixed or hourly

The cheapest-looking quote is often the one that left things out.

Hourly can suit a small, local move with easy access, where you're ready to go. For anything bigger, with stairs or a long distance, a fixed price is usually safer because the risk of overrunning sits with the remover, not you. If you do go hourly, ask when the clock starts (often when the lorry leaves the depot), the minimum hours, and the rate for waiting time.

Many good firms take a deposit to secure the date, and that's fine if it's reasonable, paid by card or bank transfer to a business account, and backed by written terms. Be wary of large upfront cash payments. With a BAR member, prepayments for home moves are protected by the BAR Advance Payment Guarantee if the firm fails^[3]. Paying by credit card may also give you extra protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for amounts over £100^[12].

For anything bigger than a small flat, yes. A survey is how a firm prices volume, crew and access properly. Video surveys are quick and work well, if you show everything. In my experience the surprises on moving day nearly always come from what nobody filmed: the loft, the shed, the garage, under the stairs, the garden furniture, the stuff "at Mum's". Open the wardrobes, film the staircase and walk outside to show the road and parking. For big or complicated houses, ask for a home visit. Which? recommends getting at least three quotes, preferably from firms that visit the property^[2].

Not on price alone. Compare what's included, the insurance cover, trade association membership and reviews. A firm that invests in trained staff, proper equipment and decent insurance may cost a bit more, but a cheap quote that becomes an extra £300 on the day, or a second trip, isn't cheap.

• Is the price fixed? What exactly is included and excluded?
• How many crew, what size vehicle, how many trips?
• What's your liability per item, and can I increase it?
• What happens, and what does it cost, if our keys are late?
• Who arranges parking permits or suspensions?
• Are you a BAR member? What happens if there's a dispute?
• What are your cancellation and postponement charges?

The British Association of Removers (BAR) is the UK trade association for removal firms. Members must pass an external audit every year, follow a Code of Practice approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), and give home movers payment protection and access to a free independent ombudsman^[3]. You can check whether a firm really is a member on bar.co.uk. Don't just trust a logo on a van.

Always complain to the firm first, in writing. If it's a BAR member and you can't agree, you can take it to the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman (FHIO) free of charge. You need to have gone through the firm's complaints process (or waited 8 weeks) and refer it within 12 months of the move^[4].

Whether or not they're a member, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says a service must be performed with reasonable care and skill^[5]. If it isn't, you may be entitled to have it put right or a price reduction. Citizens Advice can help, and the small claims court is the last resort.

• A big deposit demanded in cash, or no written terms
• A firm price for a house they haven't surveyed or asked questions about
• A quote hundreds below everyone else, with no explanation
• No proof of insurance, or vague answers about it
• Only a mobile number, no trading address, and reviews only on their own website
• Pressure to book today, or "we'll sort the extras on the day"

Check independent reviews, ask for the insurance certificate, and look the company up on Companies House if it's a limited company.

As early as you can. Four to six weeks is sensible, and longer for summer, school holidays and month-ends. Fridays and bank holidays are the busiest days of the week because that's when most completions land, so midweek is easier to get and often cheaper. Once you've confirmed, keep the firm updated. They've turned other work away to hold your date.

Get your surveys and quotes done now, so you're ready to book the moment the date is fixed. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the completion date usually only becomes binding at exchange of contracts, which can be just days before. Tell the remover your likely window and ask how they handle short-notice bookings. In Scotland the date of entry is fixed once missives are concluded, which usually gives more notice.

Chains stall. Money moves late in the day and keys can be released mid-afternoon. If the crew is kept waiting, most firms charge waiting time by the hour. If you can't get in at all, your goods may stay on the lorry overnight or go into store, usually at extra cost. Before you book, ask:

• the hourly waiting-time rate
• the overnight or storage charge if you can't get in
• whether they offer a late-key or delayed-completion waiver

And ask your conveyancer for a realistic key-release time. Don't plan a 9am unload at the new house.

Often not, for removals. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 exclude contracts for the "transport of goods" with a specific date of performance from the usual 14-day cancellation right^[6]. Your cancellation rights therefore depend on the firm's terms, so read them before paying. As an example, BAR's model terms (October 2025) charge nothing with more than 10 working days' notice, 30% with 6–10 days, 60% with 2–5 days, 75% within one working day and 100% on the day^[7].

Packing yourself saves money, but there's an insurance catch. Removers' liability for "owner-packed" boxes is usually very limited. Under BAR's model terms, for example, the firm isn't liable for the contents of boxes it didn't both pack and unpack, unless it was negligent^[7]. My advice: pack the books, linen and clothes yourself, and let the professionals pack the china, glass, pictures and TVs. Label every box by the room it's going to, on two sides plus the top.

Expect firms to refuse hazardous items: gas bottles, fuel, paint, chemicals and other flammables. BAR's model terms also list lithium-ion batteries and e-cigarettes, and exclude liability for jewellery, watches, money, deeds and documents, mobile phones and similar valuables^[7]. Carry valuables, passports, medication, keys and paperwork in your own car, along with an "open first" box of kettle, mugs, loo roll, chargers and bedding.

• Fridge-freezer: run it down, then switch off, empty, defrost and dry it about 24 hours before the move. Under BAR's model terms that's the customer's job^[7].
• Washing machine: drain it and refit the transit bolts if you still have them.
• Disconnecting and reconnecting appliances isn't normally included in a removal quote unless it's listed^[7]. Gas appliances must be disconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer^[8].

Many removers move upright pianos routinely. Tell them at quote stage, with the make and model if you know it, and mention any steps or stairs. Grand pianos, and pianos going up or down stairs, often need specialist movers, extra crew or equipment. Let a piano settle for a few weeks in its new home before you get it tuned.

Measure first. An American fridge-freezer may need its doors removed to get through a doorway, so check the doors, hallways and turns at both properties. Range cookers are very heavy and usually need extra hands. If they run on gas, they must be disconnected and reconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer^[8]. Book that separately, unless your remover arranges it.

Declare them. Standard removal liability is usually capped per item. BAR's model terms set £40 per item unless you agree a higher limit in writing, and an "item" can mean the entire contents of a box^[7]. List anything valuable, ask for increased cover or specialist packing (crates for paintings, mirrors and marble), and check what your own contents insurance covers in transit.

Only if it's in the quote. Model terms commonly exclude moving goods from a loft that isn't properly lit, floored and safely accessible, and dismantling sheds, greenhouses, play equipment and similar^[7]. Show all of it at the survey, clear what you can beforehand, and wash and dry garden tools and mowers. Drain the fuel from petrol mowers. It's also a good moment to declutter: you pay for every cubic foot.

At minimum, goods-in-transit insurance (for your belongings while they're in the firm's care) and public liability insurance (for damage to property or people). Ask to see the certificate and check the limits. Removers usually cap their liability per item unless you pay for more. BAR's model terms, for example, cap it at £40 per item and advise customers to arrange their own adequate insurance^[7]. Ask your contents insurer whether you're covered during the move, too.

Act fast and put it in writing.

• Note any damage on the delivery sheet before the crew leaves, if you can.
• Take photos, keep the packaging, and don't throw damaged items away.
• Notify the firm in writing straight away. Many contracts set short time limits: BAR's model terms require details within 7 days of delivery, and damage to your premises should be noted on the day or the next working day^[7].

If the firm won't resolve it and it's a BAR member, the free ombudsman route is available^[4].

If the lorry can't legally park outside, very possibly. Councils issue bay suspensions or dispensations, each with its own fees and notice periods. Lewisham, for example, charges £62 admin plus £56 per pay-and-display bay per day, and asks for at least five working days' notice^[10]. Agree with your remover who applies for it. The vehicle registration often has to match, so don't leave it to the last minute. And do it at both ends.

Hugely. Stairs, no lift and a long carry from the nearest parking spot are the biggest swing factors in any quote, because they add time and may need extra porters. Tell every firm which floor you're on, whether there's a lift (and whether it needs booking), how far the van will be from the door, and send a photo of the street. Managed blocks often require booked goods-lift slots and loading-bay times.

Measure before moving day: door widths, hall turns, stair width and ceiling height at the new place. If it won't go, the options are to dismantle it (some sofas have removable feet or arms), take it through a window with a furniture hoist (book it for the same day as your move), or sell it and buy new. All of those are cheaper decided in advance than discovered at 4pm.

With containerised storage, the remover packs your goods into sealed wooden containers at your old home, stores them in their warehouse and delivers them later. It's one handling, and ideal for chain gaps. Self-storage gives you access whenever you want, but you (or the remover) load and unload a unit. As a guide, Konnect You puts storage at around £122 a month for up to 50 sq ft^[1]. Check the notice period to end the contract (BAR's model terms say 10 working days^[7]), access charges, and what the insurance in store covers.

Long moves are usually priced as a fixed job on crew time, mileage, fuel, tolls and sometimes an overnight stay. Two ways to save: get a quote from a firm based at your destination, who may be glad of a return load, and if your dates are flexible, ask about a part-load, where you share a lorry with another customer's goods.

Mainland moves within Great Britain work the same way, though the Highlands and rural Wales are often priced on driving time rather than miles. Island moves and Northern Ireland crossings add ferry fares for the vehicle and crew, and sailing times can turn a one-day job into two. Make sure the ferry is included in your quote, and book summer sailings early. In Scotland the date of entry is fixed at conclusion of missives, which makes booking easier.

For a move abroad, use our international quote form, which asks for the country you are moving to. PIN Local does supply international removal requests to firms that choose to take them^[15], but we can't promise every international request will be matched.

If you're moving to the UK, you may be able to claim Transfer of Residence relief from customs duty and VAT on your belongings. You apply to HMRC on form ToR1 before shipping. Broadly, you must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 months, have owned the goods for at least 6 months, and import them within 12 months of arriving^[11]. Use a remover with international experience who can handle the customs paperwork.

Our form is built around home moves, but PIN Local's panel includes firms that take commercial and office work^[15]. Describe the move clearly in the special instructions (office size, number of desks, IT, timing), and contact us if you don't hear back. Whoever you use:

• get surveys early
• plan IT disconnection and reconnection
• label by desk or floor plan
• book lifts and loading bays with the building managers at both ends
• ask about evening or weekend moves to avoid downtime

Check the remover's public liability limits meet your landlord's or building's requirements.

We don't sign up removal companies directly. Every request from this site goes to our lead partner, PIN Local. To receive them, register as a PIN Local partner at pinlocal.com/register/type/removals, or call its panel team on 0203 514 9004 (Monday to Friday)^[15].

PIN Local charges per lead, with no set-up fee or minimum contract, and offers free leads to new partners^[17][14]. Its published partner terms list £9.99 + VAT for a domestic removals lead and £15 + VAT for international or commercial^[14]. Its removals page now describes pricing as "per vetted lead, with bulk discounts"^[15], so confirm current prices with PIN Local. Partners agree to provide copies of their insurance and evidence of trade association membership, to contact customers within 24 hours, and to send written quotes free of charge^[14].