How to choose a removal company in the UK

Is it a broker or an actual removal company?

Many "removal companies" online are brokers, not carriers — they take your booking and sell it to whichever firm bids, then step back. That isn't automatically bad, but you need to know which you're dealing with, because the broker isn't the one who turns up, insures your goods, or answers when something breaks.

We'll be straight about this: Removly is a comparison service too. We introduce you to removal firms; we don't own vans or move your furniture. The difference is we say so — and we cap each enquiry at five firms and tell you the count. (Run a removal firm yourself? That's our partnersside.) The test that matters isn't broker-or-not — it's whether you can see who actually does the move.

On the website, look for a real depot address, photos of their own fleet, and a BAR membership number — brokers rarely have all three, and their terms often mention "introductions" or "third-party carriers". On the phone, ask one question: "Do your own crews and vans do the move, or do you subcontract it?" A carrier answers straight away; a broker hedges.

Two more red flags, both about money. A firm that demands a large cash deposit up front, or won't take a card, is one to walk away from — paying by card gives you a route to your money back if the move goes wrong (Section 75 on a credit card, chargeback on a debit card), so "will you take a card?" is a question with a right answer.Check: ask the broker-or-carrier question, ask to pay by card, and look for a real fleet and depot before you book.

How do I check a removal company is properly insured?

Ask for two certificates: goods-in-transit and public liability. Goods-in-transit covers your belongings while they're on the van; public liability covers damage to property — a scraped wall, a dropped banister. Basic goods-in-transit cover is usually capped per item, so if you own anything valuable, check the per-item limit, not just the headline figure.

A legitimate firm produces both on request — current, and in the company's own name. If a certificate is expired, in a different trading name, or "being renewed", treat it as absent. Check: ask for both certificates in writing before you book, and read the per-item limit.

What does BAR or Which? Trusted Trader membership guarantee?

BAR — the British Association of Removers — membership means a code of practice, an Advance Payment Guarantee that protects your deposit if the firm folds, and access to free dispute resolution. Which? Trusted Trader means the firm has passed an assessment and is monitored. Neither guarantees a perfect day, but both give you somewhere to go if it isn't one.

Plenty of good independent firms belong to neither, so absence isn't a red flag on its own. Presence, though, is a verifiable plus — and you can confirm it in a minute rather than trust a badge on a website. Check: search the firm's name on the BAR register and the Which? Trusted Trader directory; the logo on the site is not proof of membership.

How can I check a removal company's trading history?

Every UK limited company is on the public Companies House register, free to search. Look the firm up by name to see how long it's traded, whether it files accounts on time, its registered address, and its directors. A company formed last month — or one dissolved and re-registered under a new name — is worth a second look.

Longevity isn't everything; good new firms exist. But a run of short-lived companies with the same directors is the classic shape of an operator outrunning its own history.Check: look the company up on Companies House (gov.uk) before you commit — note the incorporation date and the filing history.

What should a legitimate removals quote contain?

A real quote follows a survey — in person or by video — not a guess over the phone. It should itemise the inventory, the volume, the access at both ends, the insurance level, whether VAT is included, and the deposit and cancellation terms. A price without a survey is a placeholder, and a headline far below the going rate usually has the survey, or the insurance, missing.

For scale, a local 3-bed move is typically £870–£1,300 — a quote well under that is either missing something or too good to be true. Sanity-check your own move with the removal costs calculator, and see cheap removal companies for paying less without cutting the corners that matter.Check: compare quotes like-for-like — same insurance, same packing, same access notes.

Does the size of the removal company matter?

Bigger isn't automatically better. UK removals splits three ways: national brands with depots across the country, regional firms covering a few counties, and man-and-van operators for small local moves. A national name suits a long-distance or corporate move; a good regional firm often beats it on price and care for a standard house move; aman and van wins for a studio or single items.

Match the firm to the job, not the logo. The biggest removal companies aren't the right call for a one-bed across town, and a solo operator isn't right for a five-bed going 300 miles. Check: size the firm to your move — and if it's a small one, compare man-and-van rates too.

What if they damage something or don't turn up?

It depends what went wrong, because the routes are different. Damage to your belongings is an insurance claim — report it to the firm in writing fast, and it's settled through goods-in-transit cover. A service failure — a no-show, an overcharge — is a complaint, and if the firm is a BAR member you can escalate it to an ombudsman. Paying by credit card adds a third route on top of both.

If your goods are damaged or lost

Tell the firm in writing straight away. BAR's standard terms require notice within7 days of delivery — that's a contract term, not the law, but miss it and you hand the firm a reason to refuse. It's then handled as a goods-in-transit insurance claim. Note the ombudsman route below does not cover damage in transit, so if the insurer won't pay, the next step is court.

If the service failed (no-show, overcharge, poor job)

Use the firm's own complaints procedure first, in writing. If it stalls and the firm is a BAR member, escalate — free — to the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman, for disputes up to £10,000, within 12 months of the move. (Firms outside BAR may belong to another approved scheme, such as the Removals Industry Ombudsman Scheme — ask which.)

However you paid

Paid by credit card and the price was over £100? Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act makes the card provider jointly liable for the whole transaction — even if only the deposit went on the card. Paid by debit card? Ask your bank about chargeback — a card-scheme rule, not a legal right, and time-limited, so don't sit on it. Small claims is the last resort: up to £10,000 in England & Wales, £5,000 in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Check: photograph any damage before the crew leaves and complain in writing the same day — and pay by credit card where you can, so Section 75 is there if you need it.

Choosing a removal company: FAQs