How to achieve a hassle-free move to London

Moving is always stressful, but relocating to London is enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure. The city’s busy roads, frequent traffic, vast scale and complicated routes make moving in the capital a daunting prospect.

But it doesn’t have to be a nightmare.

Just a few steps could be the difference between the move from hell and stress-free relocation.

Renting a moving van in London

Renting your own moving van can be a good option. If you’re fit and strong enough to lug and load your stuff into the van, before unloading and re-lugging at the other side, the DIY approach may be the one for you.

There are considerations to take into account if you’re thinking about going it alone. For one thing, after picking the van up from a potentially awkward location, you’ll have to make your way down narrow, busy streets. Navigating London’s infamous, bustling roads in a large, unfamiliar vehicle requires skill and confidence. Even if you manage to reach your destination without complications, parking poses yet another challenge: you’ll have to be able to station this hefty van outside your new property (a difficult task in the crowded capital).

If you are confident behind the wheel, renting your own van can be convenient. But it’s important to remember that, if you’re not quite sure how much stuff you have to move, and therefore how much space you’ll need, it’s easy to end up with a van that’s too small. If you’re sure you’ll be going the manual route but don’t know what van to use, the logistics experts at AnyVan have published a helpful guide on what size van you may need. If you’re still not entirely sure, it can be simpler to just hire a professional service who’ll be able to size-up your load.

Hiring your own van can be a relatively cheap option. But certain unforeseen costs can end up hiking up an initially low price:

• Mileage. Some rental companies might make an offer based on limited mileage. This means that, if you exceed a certain distance, you’ll have to pay extra.
• Petrol Consumption. Similarly, if your offer doesn’t include unlimited fuel, you might have to cover the excess.
• Congestion Charge. Renting a van might mean you’ll have to pay congestion charge yourself, but a good London service provider will include such costs within their offer.
• Charge per Hour. Whilst a professional moving service will offer you a fixed-price option, renting your own van is always going to cost you on an hourly basis. If moving ends up taking longer than you thought, the price could end up being higher than you’d like.
  

Renting man and van services in London

Renting a van can be a great solution when moving house. But, some companies will provide a man and van service, offering a low-stress alternative to doing it yourself. With AnyVan, you’ll get a free man with every van. This way, you don’t have to do the heavy lifting or the tricky driving.

But this service doesn’t only save you effort - it’s also time and cost-effective. A trained professional will know the best routes; ensuring a timely journey through London and reducing hourly costs.

A man and van service provide security. Renting a van yourself runs the risk of leaving your possessions unattended during the loading and unloading process. In London, where passers-by are frequent, an unattended van can open you up to the opportunistic crime. A man and van service will make sure that your van is never abandoned.Cost

If you’re less sure of how much help you need, or how much stuff you have, moving services like ours at AnyVan have an encompassing pricing policy. This option guarantees flexibility, accommodating to excess time or baggage.

Using a London-based removal company

London, the most populous city in the UK, requires a company with urban know-how. Heavy congestion and limited parking are just two of the hurdles that could affect your move. A London based removal company needs to be able to navigate the metropolis, so it’s important that you check out exactly what you’re being offered.

The things to look out for are:

1. Insurance policy. Does your offer include compensation cover? If not, make sure you find out how much extra you’ll have to pay for this service - it’s vital that you’re reimbursed for any damage to your property.
2. Congestion charges. Has your removal company taken London’s congestion charge into account in their price? If they haven’t, you might be expected to cover this cost at a later point.
3. Online reviews. Reading other customers’ reviews is one of the best ways to route out hidden costs before it’s too late. If a company’s upfront charge is just a fraction of what you’ll eventually have to pay, you might want to consider going elsewhere.

The difficulties of moving in London makes relocating in the capital more expensive than anywhere else in the UK. This means it’s vital to compare quotes. As well as assessing what a removals company can do for you, find out at what price. Once you know the exact breakdown of removalists’ cost, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about which company to choose. AnyVan and Zoopla have created this handy removals cost estimator to get an idea of how much it will cost to get your items from A to B.

Moving with London’s public transport

London’s underground is world-renowned, and getting through the city by tube is incredibly effective. If you’ve got some willing friends and not too much stuff, taking it on the tube is an option. If you’re careful to avoid rush hour, a small-scale tube move can be convenient.

Or if like many Londoners, you’d always hail a cab or get an uber before whipping out your oyster card, London’s unofficial forms of public transport are always an option for a small-mover. A taxi will undoubtedly have a limited capacity but could be a great plan if you’ve packed light.

Taking the underground is pretty cheap. But you can end up having to make multiple trips - yoyoing around London for much longer than intended. Moving by tube might be inexpensive, but it’ll cost you in terms of your time.

Similar problems arise with ubers and taxis. If you can take all your stuff in a single journey, the price might be relatively low. But if you end up having to shuttle back and forth, the costs will start to mount (particularly if you’ve travelled by black cab - Sherlock Holmes-style).

Beating busy traffic, congestion and parking charges

All the obstacles that might obstruct a London based move make planning ahead very important. Make sure you check when traffic is busiest and which areas require a congestion charge. You’ll also need to budget for potential parking charges at your new and old property.

Plan travel dates and times

Research has revealed that the least popular day to move house is a Sunday. Weekends are going to be very busy, particularly in London, so it’s best to relocate on a weekday. The most popular moving day is Friday - it leaves time to unpack, have a rest and get settled into your new home before the working week begins.

But there are several factors to consider with a Friday move:

• Completing can be difficult on the last day of the week as bank transfer systems can become overloaded.
• If there’s a problem with your new property it can be difficult to hire a tradesman to fix it over the weekend.
• If you run into any legal issues whilst moving or completing, most solicitors won’t be available until after the weekend.
• Because Friday seems to be everyone’s favourite day to relocate, removal companies can have limited availability, so you’ll need to get in there early.

If these considerations fill you with dread, moving on another weekday might be preferable. But remember, whilst moving during the week is definitely savvy, you should make sure that your journey doesn’t coincide with rush hour. Just a little planning could save you a lot of time.

Prepare for congestion charges

Make sure you’re aware of the times and zones in which congestion charge applies if your move takes you into or across central London. Travelling within a congestion charge zone between 07:00 and 18:00 on a weekday and between 12:00 and 18:00 on a weekend or bank holiday will demand a daily charge of £15. The only time of year that there is no charge is between Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank holiday (inclusive).

Organise parking arrangements

Regardless of who’s driving the moving van, it’s important to park as near to your property as possible. Find out in advance whether you’ll be expected to reserve/pay for parking outside your current and future home.

Professional assistance will make your move manageable. Get in touch with the AnyVan team and let them relieve the stress of relocating to London.