Guidance

Removals (updated April 2020)

Updated 16 September 2020

This guidance was withdrawn on 8 March 2023

This publication is withdrawn as it is no longer current.

Please access Information and guidance on civilian housing

• Serial No: JSHAO/14
• Date: March 2020
• Review Date: April 2021

Removals

JSP 752 (Pt 2) contains full guidance on the circumstances that would warrant removals to be paid at public expense and undertaken be the authorised MOD contractor. Unit admin staff can provide advice on the regulations within JSP 752.

What if I am a Medical Discharge?

SP who are medically discharged will be entitled to Movement and Storage of Personal Effects (MSPE) if they have been awarded a Joint Medical Employment Standard (JMES) of Permanent, Medically Non-Deployable by their Service Employment Board with a Medical Employment Standard of A5/L6/M6/E5.

What can I do if I have to arrange my own removals?

The MOD will not help with removals costs for all moves. Examples of non-entitled moves would be setting up home for the first time and moving from SFA to private accommodation.

For personnel who do not qualify for a move at public expense there are a number of options to consider, they include:

• self-move – load up your car/van and shuttle between locations
• hire a van and self-move (maybe get family or friends to help)
• hire a van and a man or men
• hire a professional removals company but self-pack
• hire a professional company for a full pack and deliver

The first two options will be cheapest but don’t forget to factor the number of journeys you will need to make if you just use the car. The cost of fuel may make it more cost effective to hire a van and do the move in one go rather than make multiple trips. It will depend how far you are moving and the size of items to be moved.

Small firms or a ‘man and van’ very often don’t directly employ their staff and simply hire in casual labour when they need. This means they can keep costs down but be aware that if the crew are not professionals then your possessions may not be treated with respect and packed well for the journey. Neither might they be insured for any damage caused.

In a perfect world, a verbal agreement and shake of hands would be nice, but when it comes to your worldly possessions and valuable items, not having a contract leaves you open and unprotected. At a minimum, you should get signed agreement which sets out the service that will be provided in clear English with clear contact details of who you’re dealing with.

Using a removal firm that is not a member of a removals/storage or haulage trade association or any other trade organisation with equivalent measures in place, means you may have no route of redress or complaint other than the civil courts or local trading standards offices.

Association members have standards in place which will be in your interests such as legal, licensed vehicles, protection for your deposit and arbitration or free conciliation and in the unlikely event something goes wrong.

Firms that don’t invest in holding themselves to high standards probably also lack the funds to invest in their vehicles. Poorly maintained, unlicensed or unsuitable vans are not only a hazard on the road but may very well be in breach of their insurance conditions (assuming they actually are insured). Meaning if there’s an accident or your goods are damaged in loading or transit, you may not be covered.

What questions should I ask a potential removal company?

• what level and type of insurance cover is offered?
• are they members of a Removal Trade Association? If not why not?
• how long has the company been trading and can they supply references?
• how will the move be carried out? e.g. number of days, time of arrival, crew size etc.
• what will security be like if your goods are on a vehicle overnight?
• do you have an office or depot I can visit?

Use your common sense as well: Liveried vehicles, smartly dressed, competent estimators who feel reassuring and expert to talk to, open about their reputation and references are all good signs.

How much should I pay?

If you only have a few rooms of effects to move you might be thinking of doing it yourself by hiring a van for a few £100 or using a small ‘man and van’ type firm and applying some elbow grease. Small removals firms might move you for cash no questions asked but it’s worth thinking about what your possessions are worth and what you could be risking to replace everything if the worst happened.

Once you start adding up the value of everything in your home, it’s surprising how much your effects could be worth - indeed many contents insurance policies use figures around £30,000 to £50,000.

You might decide it is worth paying a few percent of the value of your contents to have everything protected, insured and professionally transported.

How much do removal companies charge?

Factors affecting the price of a move include:

• how much stuff you have: more stuff equals higher volume or more weight equals bigger or multiple vehicles
• more stuff also means larger number in the removal crew to get it all packed and loaded
• if you want the convenience and protection of the crew packing for you
• if you need strong packing materials provided
• how far the van(s) must travel; further equals more fuel costs
• the possibility of overnight stays to comply with long distance driving regulations.In the UK drivers must have a 45-minute break every 4.5 hours
• if you have high value special items for example pianos or artworks that need extra care and specialist attention
• how fast you want the move to happen. If you want to be done and dusted inside a day, the only way to do it is have more crew members to help
• if you are moving during peak seasons (school holidays) or weekends at times of high demand.

There’s a lot to consider which is why a good removal company will ask to visit your property to ensure their price is accurate and all the factors have been considered. Prices can range roughly from around £500 for a small 2 bed house up to several thousand for large houses and complicated long distance moves. Be wary of anyone giving rough estimates of the phone, until an expert estimator sees your property there’s just no way of factoring everything in.

When evaluating removals companies, beware of buying on price alone. The lowest rate does not necessarily mean that you will achieve best value for money. What matters most is a successful result. You should expect a range of +/- 20% in the prices quoted, otherwise you may not be getting a ‘like for like’ quotation.

What days of the week should I avoid moving home?

Understandably many movers try and move over the weekend to minimise time off work. This also means it’s a premium time to move and prices will shift accordingly. If you can move mid-week do so as you’ll get more time and competitive prices.

How should I prepare for the move?

If you have a floor plan available (the estate agent may have made one up in the marketing of the property) make a list for the rooms indicating what goes where. Removers often provide stickers or colour coding to help with this.

If possible, give the company an idea about access for both the property being moved from and to. Let them know if you have a top floor flat which will require specialist lifting equipment or a cottage at the far end of a winding narrow lane that lorry will have difficulty reversing down.

Use the move as an opportunity to tidy up and throw stuff away that you really don’t need. There is no sense paying to transport stuff you’ll never use.

If you’ve opted for the protection and convenience of having the team pack for you, help them out by getting organised. The faster your team can pack up, the quicker you can be on the way and the faster you can be ready to unpack at the other end.

Don’t put all your stuff in a big heap. Leave things in rooms so the crew have room to work and plan the loading efficiently.

Eat the contents of your freezer in the weeks before the move!

Don’t forget the loft and the shed - all sorts of horrors might be lurking for the unwary there.

Should I tip the removal crew?

That’s down to you. Most crews appreciate a cup of tea and a biscuit at the least. Whilst professional removal companies will always provide a good minimum standard of service, getting on well with your crew will go a long way towards a smooth relationship and making it easy for them to deliver great service. If they’re doing a great job, don’t hold back in showing your appreciation whether that’s bacon sandwiches at the beginning of the day or a crate of beer at the end.

Joint Service Housing Advice Office Civ: 01252 787574 Mil: 94222 7574 RC-PERS-JSHAO-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk