Over the years I’ve probably seen most things that can happen on moving day. We’ve moved families around the corner, across London, around the UK and overseas. We’ve dealt with pianos, antiques, fine art, awkward staircases, impossible parking, completion delays and sofas that apparently managed to get into a house despite there being no obvious way of getting them back out again. But whatever the size of the move, the same things tend to matter.
Choose a remover you can trust
A removals company will potentially be handling almost everything you own. So, while price obviously matters, I don’t think it should ever be the only consideration.
Ask friends, family and your estate agent who they recommend. Read reviews properly rather than simply looking at the star rating. Find out how long the company has been operating, where it is based and who is going to be carrying out your move.
I’d also strongly recommend checking whether your remover is a member of the British Association of Removers (BAR).
Redpath is a BAR member and a Which? Trusted Trader. Those things matter to me because anyone can buy a van and build a website and there are no real barriers to entry to this industry. Professional standards, proper insurance and accountability are rather harder to manufacture.
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Local knowledge really does help
North London can be a wonderful place to live. It can also be a challenging place to manoeuvre a removals vehicle.
We regularly work in Hampstead, Highgate, Finchley, Golders Green, Barnet, Whetstone, Totteridge, Mill Hill, St John’s Wood and across North West London. Knowing the area makes a difference.
Parking restrictions, narrow streets, mansion blocks, difficult access and London traffic all need to be considered before moving day. A good move should be planned properly beforehand, which is why we always carry out a survey, either in person or by video. It also allows us to understand what is important to the family we are moving.
For some people that might be valuable artwork or antique furniture. For somebody else it might be the dining table the whole family gathers around every Friday evening.
Financial value and personal value aren’t always the same thing, and a good removals crew understands that.
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Experience is difficult to replace
One of the things I’m proudest of at Redpath is the experience within our team.
Some of the people working alongside me today are people I’ve known and worked with for many years. That continuity matters enormously.
Experienced movers notice things before they become problems. They know how to protect a property, how to pack something fragile properly and, importantly, how to keep things calm when plans suddenly change. And plans do change.
Keys get delayed. Solicitors take longer than expected. A piece of furniture turns out to be rather larger than everyone remembered. That’s moving.
The secret isn’t pretending that nothing unexpected will happen. It’s having people around you who know what to do when it does.
I still enjoy seeing an empty removals van at the end of the day and a family beginning to settle into their new home.
A bit about the author
Dennis Rogers has completed an estimated 50,000 moves over a 30-year period in removals and is the founder of Redpath Moving & Storage, based in Whetstone and serving North and North West London.
Redpath’s hugely experienced team provide home removals, professional packing and secure storage. They are members of the British Association of Removers and a Which? Trusted Trader.
To arrange a quote for household or office, removals and storage, contact Redpath on 020 3432 2340 or visit our website.
