No matter where you live moving house is stressful. There’s just so much to consider:
• When do I need the removal company?
• Do I need one or two full sized removal vehicles or will a man-with-a-van do?
• What sort of insurance should I look for in my removal company?
• How do I know that they’ll turn up when they say they will?
• Will the company provide me with a fixed rate for the move or does the company employ a per-hourly rate?
• Do I have any fragile possessions which need special attention in terms of packing and transport?
• Do I have any bulky items (a grand piano for example) that will need specialised expertise to move?
• Do I have any high value items that may need additional insurance?
• How much do I want to spend on the removal costs?
• Do I need any items placed in storage or is it a straight one-for-one move?
• Do I want to pack my possessions myself or do I need the removal firm to undertake this task for me?
And here’s the rub; a move to the W9 (Paddington, Maida Vale, Maida Hill and parts of Little Venice) area may well have its own quite specific issues to consider:
• Will there be any congestion zone charges to consider in the W9 house removal? If, so can the removal company arrange for the necessary payments to be made? Are these fees included in the price or are they an additional charge?
• Are there any parking restrictions in place either at the collection address or at the delivery address? If so, does the removal company know how to arrange the necessary permissions to allow for the move to take place? Will they arrange parking facilities or do you need to sort this out?
• Traffic can be horrendous in the city so it is important to ensure that the removal team will allow sufficient time to move your possessions between addresses (this is an especially important issue when deciding whether to use a fixed fee removal firm or a company with an hourly rate payment policy).
The list is endless; but our advice to you is ‘make like a boy scout and be prepared!’ If you know what your requirements are before you even go online to start your search for W9 removal firms you will be well on your way to finding the removal company that is right for you.
There are certain things that you can do to ensure that moving house is as stress-free and easy as it can be. Here are some of our suggestions:
• One of the key things to look for when you start searching for your removal company is whether the firm is registered with the British Association of Removers (BAR). A company which is BAR registered will have certain minimum standards which are designed to give you peace of mind throughout the W9 moving process. I do not intend to run through all of their operating standards here but what you do get is an assurance that the company employs fully trained staff; has sufficient insurance; is using vehicles which are legal and appropriate for the type of possessions they are carrying and they all provide written quotations which are based on an actual visit to your premises to evaluate your needs and provide you with the peace of mind of knowing exactly how much your removal costs are going to be.
• Find out how long the company has been trading. Just because a company is a new one doesn’t necessarily mean that they are not reliable but there’s no harm in being cautious.
• Don’t be too impressed by a swanky website and over-enthusiastic testimonials – they’re very easy to produce these days and may not be entirely true.
• Look for removal companies which have fully liveried vehicles and uniformed or smartly dressed staff. These aren’t a guarantee that the company can be trusted but it’s not a bad indicator of reliability.
• Above all else be prepared – know what your wants and needs are before you start your search.