Moving guide
How to choose a removal company
A good removal company quotes for your actual move, is properly insured and has reviews you can trust. Here's what to check before you book - and how MoveFinder helps.
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Get quotes for the same move
Quotes are only comparable if every company is pricing the same job. Give each one the same details: every item, which rooms they're in, stairs and lifts, how far the van can park from the door, and anything to dismantle or pack.
On MoveFinder you make one online inventory, and every company you compare quotes from it - so you're comparing like with like, without arranging survey visits.
Check the insurance
Ask about two kinds of cover: goods in transit, for your belongings while they're being moved, and public liability, for damage to property or injury to people during the move. Ask what the limits are, what's excluded - some cover treats items you pack yourself differently - and how to make a claim.
On MoveFinder, the Verified Partner badge means our team has checked that company's public liability and goods in transit insurance documents. It isn't a guarantee of the company's work. If a company has no badge, ask to see its cover before you book.
Read reviews, and check where they come from
Look for recent reviews from real customers, and read the low ratings as well as the high ones - how a company handles a problem tells you a lot.
On MoveFinder every review says where it came from. 'Booked through MoveFinder' reviews are from customers who booked that company here; earlier customers' reviews appear only once we've confirmed them with the reviewer.
Know what the quote includes
Before you book, check whether each quote covers:
- Packing materials, and packing if you want it done for you
- Dismantling and reassembling furniture
- Stairs, lifts and the carrying distance from the van
- Parking, tolls and any charging or low emission zones on the route
- Storage, if you need it between homes
- What happens if your keys are late on the day
Prices can change until you book. On MoveFinder each company's latest quote is saved in your account, and if a price has changed we show you before you pay.
Check the company itself
- A business name, address and contact details you can check
- A written quote and written terms, including what happens if you cancel or change the date
- If they say they belong to a trade body such as the British Association of Removers, check its member list
- How they handle damage claims, and the time limit for reporting damage
Warning signs
- A price given without asking what you're moving or about access
- Pressure to book on the spot
- Payment asked for into a personal bank account
- No written terms, or vague answers about insurance
How MoveFinder helps
- One online inventory instead of a home survey visit
- Companies that cover your postcode, side by side
- Verified Partner badge: insurance documents checked by our team
- 'ID & address checked' shown only on companies whose documents our team has checked
- Reviews labelled with where they came from
- WhatsApp-verified customer numbers: you confirm your mobile with a code, so companies know your enquiry is real
Related guides
Compare removal companies - start with your postcode, then list what you're moving online. Prices can change until you book.