Word of mouth
The most reliable way to find a good firm to help make your house move as easy as possible is via friends and family. Plumb this invaluable resource to try and seek out companies that you know have done a good job for someone you trust. However, it’s important to remember that things that may not have annoyed your trusted friends might annoy you immensely. So be sure to ask the right questions that matter to you, as sometimes people don’t like being rude about a local business even if their experience was not completely positive.
Online reviews
The world of online reviews can be quite murky when you aren’t really sure what is relevant or not. Without becoming a digital expert you can always get a sense of how a firm operates, their size and reputation, through browsing reviews. You’ll know what is important to you, whether it be price, reliability or professionalism. Online reviews can provide an insight into how others feel about a certain firm and allow you to see regular issues cropping up.
Pricing
You always want to get a handful of quotes before picking a business to work with. It can be quite staggering to see the difference in the price and service levels that you’ll be offered. It can be tempting to choose the lowest offer, but this is frequently not the right course of action. There will more often than not be a consensus and middle ground of prices and you’ll want to pick one of these options. Often, going for a slightly higher quote can leave you feeling assured that you are picking a reputable business that values your possessions and has adequate insurance to cover any unavoidable mishaps.
Research
Alongside reviews, the online world gives you a wealth of information at your fingertips to dive into when you have a shortlist of firms to pick from. Companies House can help provide you with details on how big or small a business is, despite how they sell themselves. A good way to seek out the most trustworthy businesses can be to look for accreditations and links back to the business from industry bodies. Take our business, for example, firms using our products can be assured of using the best removals equipment in the business, so that gives a good indication of a reputable supplier. The British Association of Removers (BAR) and Move Assured are two of the biggest removals industry accreditation bodies, membership of which depends on achieving and maintaining stringent levels of customer service, staff training, vehicle maintenance, and insurance, to name but a few. Both publish lists of members on their websites. Check that the removals companies you contact are comprehensively insured. And ask as many questions as necessary to ensure that they are as professional and reliable as you require. Are their team members neatly uniformed? Do they offer a packing service? Is floor protection offered? Will they be using specialist covers and containers for your TV, computers, mattresses and other furniture? Are their vehicles kept clean and in good repair? Is their furniture moving equipment suited to the types of homes you are moving from and to? Can they provide overnight storage in the event of something going wrong on the day – for example a delay in obtaining keys to your new property?
Taking your time to research all of the above will provide a good foundation to finding the right removal firm for you, and one that will be able to relieve much of the stress you are feeling around your move.
