Compare Removal Companies in Edinburgh
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House removals & removal companies in Edinburgh
Edinburgh removals are measured in stairs: a top-floor tenement flat with no lift changes a quote more than an extra mile ever will. From Old Town closes to Leith new-builds, compare Edinburgh removal companies who ask about the stair count before they price.
Covering all EH postcodes, Leith to the Pentlands
What Edinburgh books
Removal services in Edinburgh
Man with a van and small removals in Edinburgh
Tenement living keeps loads small — a one-bed's worth of boxes, a sofa that needs two people and a plan — and an hourly man with a van team suits that perfectly. Two people is the minimum worth booking here; nobody solo-carries a washing machine down three flights.
The same goes for small and flat removals: a studio, a student room, or a few pieces of furniture across town. Give the floor, the stair and where the van can stop, and you'll get a fixed price rather than an open-ended hourly rate.
House clearance in Edinburgh
Clearing a flat at the top of a shared stair is its own discipline — steady carrying, neighbours' access respected, the close left clean. Licensed house clearance firms handle full and partial clear-outs, probate included, through the same quote form.
Home removals across the city
For full home removals in Edinburgh — a Marchmont flat to a Corstorphine semi, say — a surveyed fixed price from a house removals crew beats hourly maths. Video surveys work well here precisely because the stairwell can be shown, not described.
Edinburgh to London and long-distance removals
Edinburgh to London is about 400 miles by road. A 2-bed typically costs £1,200–£1,680 and a 3-bed £1,570–£2,200, based on published data from major UK comparison platforms (2025–26). For a smaller load, a part load shares the lorry with other moves heading south and costs less if your dates can flex. See long-distance removals for how firms price the miles.
Across the EH postcodes
Removals in Leith and around Edinburgh
Firms quote the whole city, but each area brings its own questions. Mention yours when you ask for quotes.
- Leith (EH6) — tenement flats on the older streets and newer blocks by the waterfront. Say whether there's a lift, and where a van can stop near the stair door.
- Old Town and New Town (EH1–EH3) — steep, narrow and cobbled in the Old Town, busy in the New Town. The Old Town and the New Town south of Queen Street are inside the Low Emission Zone, so ask which van the firm will send.
- Marchmont, Bruntsfield and Morningside (EH9–EH10) — classic tenement territory. The floor number and the stair matter more than the distance.
- Portobello (EH15) and Corstorphine (EH12) — further out, you're more likely to have a house with a drive. Say so: a bigger van that can park close saves time.
- Granton (EH5) — new homes are going up at Granton Waterfront. If you're buying off-plan, keep your date flexible until completion is fixed.
Before you book
Dispensation or suspension: parking for an Edinburgh move
Not always. The City of Edinburgh Council names furniture and home removals as a reason for a parking dispensation. It costs £16 per vehicle and location and needs 24 hours' notice.
To reserve the bay itself, you need a suspension. Apply on the council's form at least 2 working days ahead for a public bay, or 3 for a resident permit bay. You pay the street's normal parking rate for the time suspended, in full and up front. The council also puts up a notice board three working days before, so in practice apply earlier than the minimum.
Timing matters in the centre. Central controlled zones run Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 6.30pm, and on Sunday afternoons from 12.30pm. Rules as of October 2026 — check with the council before you book.
Source: City of Edinburgh Council (dispensations and suspensions) (2026)
The Low Emission Zone: £60, then doubling
The zone covers the city centre 24 hours a day, and fines have applied since 1 June 2024. Vans need Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol. The boundary roads — Tollcross, Palmerston Place, Queen Street, Picardy Place, Abbeyhill, Holyrood Road, the Pleasance and the Meadows — are outside it.
A non-compliant van pays £60 the first time, then the fine doubles with each repeat, up to £480. It's halved if paid within 14 days and resets after 90 days clear. Ask which van the firm is sending if either address is inside the zone.
Source: City of Edinburgh Council (Low Emission Zone penalties) (2026)
Local knowledge
Moving in Edinburgh: what to know
The council's Census 2022 summary puts 56% of Edinburgh residents in a flat, twice the Scottish rate of 28%. So the floor and the stair often matter as much as the mileage.
The Old Town is beautiful and van-hostile: narrow, steep and cobbled. Crews stage from the nearest workable street and carry the rest — a longer carry they'll price calmly if they know in advance.
New homes are going up too. Granton Waterfront is planned for around 3,500 homes, with nearly 900 due by 2033. If you're buying off-plan, keep your removal date flexible until the completion date is fixed.
Festival and Hogmanay dates
The Fringe runs 6–30 August 2027, its 80th year. Then there's Hogmanay: the Torchlight Procession on 29 December and the Street Party on 31 December bring road closures and parking limits in the centre. Plan a central move around them if you can.
Moving west instead? Glasgow has its own tenement and parking rules — see removal companies in Glasgow. Want a ballpark first? The removals cost calculator takes a minute.
Budgeting it
What Edinburgh moves actually cost
Postcode is close to irrelevant to a removal quote. Volume, distance and access do almost all the work. Real UK price bands by property size are in the removal costs guide, and the cost calculator turns your details into an estimate straight away.
Good to know
Moving in Edinburgh: FAQs
How much do removals cost in Edinburgh?
For a move within the city, a 2-bed usually lands between £600–£880 and a 3-bed £870–£1,300, based on published data from major UK comparison platforms (2025–26). In Edinburgh the floor number moves the price most: a top-floor tenement with no lift takes a crew far longer than the same flat at street level.
What's the cheapest way to move house in Edinburgh?
For a small flat, an hourly two-person van is usually the cheapest option. Beyond that, avoid August and the last days of the month, give the exact floor and stair up front so nobody prices in a margin for surprises, and compare several quotes for the same inventory.
Can I get a parking dispensation for a removal in Edinburgh?
Yes. The council names furniture and home removals as a reason for a dispensation, charges £16 per vehicle and location, and wants 24 hours' notice. To reserve the bay itself, apply for a suspension at least 2 working days ahead (3 for resident permit bays), as of October 2026.
Will a removal van be fined in Edinburgh's Low Emission Zone?
Only if it misses the standard — Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol — and enters the city-centre zone. The first fine is £60, then it doubles for each repeat, up to £480 for a van. The boundary roads themselves are outside the zone.
How much does a removal from Edinburgh to London cost?
It's about 400 miles by road, so a 2-bed usually lands between £1,200–£1,680 and a 3-bed £1,570–£2,200, based on published data from major UK comparison platforms (2025–26). For a few rooms' worth, a part load that shares the lorry with other households costs less if your dates are flexible.
Is moving during the Festival a bad idea?
Not a bad idea, but it's the hardest month to cross the centre. The Fringe runs 6–30 August 2027, the city fills and parking gets tighter still. Moves still happen every day — they just need more lead time and a crew that plans the route. If your dates can avoid August, let them.
Somewhere else in mind?
Get your stairs priced properly
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