Record the problem promptly, protect the item from further damage and follow the contract’s reporting process. Do not discard packaging or authorise repair until the mover or insurer explains the evidence required.

Build the evidence file

• booking confirmation, quote and terms;
• final inventory and box/item number;
• pre-move condition photos;
• photos at discovery and of packaging;
• date, time and who was present;
• written description of loss/damage;
• declared value and purchase/valuation records;
• delivery notes and any crew annotation; and
• costs reasonably incurred to prevent further loss.

Report facts without guessing how the event occurred.

Evidence timeline

Evidence is strongest when it follows the move in order. Use this as a chronological checklist:

Four separate questions

A removal damage dispute often mixes four different things. Keep them apart in your notes and letters:

• Liability: is the mover responsible under the contract and the law? That depends on the terms, what happened and, for a consumer service, whether it was carried out with reasonable care and skill. See what reasonable care and skill means for removals.
• Policy cover: does an insurance policy (the mover's, or your own home insurance) cover this loss after limits, exclusions and any excess? A mover can be responsible while a policy excludes the item, or the reverse. See what standard cover excludes.
• Offer acceptance: accepting an offer may settle the matter for good. Before accepting, read the wording for phrases such as “full and final settlement” and ask what you would be giving up.
• Payment settlement: an accepted offer is not money received. Record the agreed amount, who pays, how and by when, and keep proof of payment.

Follow the right route

Write to the contracting business using its complaint process. Identify the remedy requested, but do not assume compensation. If an insurer or trade scheme is involved, check whether notice must also go there.

Complaint routes by nation

Free consumer advice and the court process both depend on where you live in the UK. Courts are a last resort: GOV.UK and nidirect both point to mediation as an option to try first.

Two further routes depend on who the complaint is about rather than where you live. If the mover is a BAR member, BAR's process is to complain to the mover first and then, if it stays unresolved, to the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman (FHIO). BAR's guidance says FHIO cannot help with insurance matters, including claims for loss or damage that should be dealt with by insurance. If your complaint is about how an insurer handled a claim, complain to the insurer first; its final response should explain how to take the complaint further, which can include the Financial Ombudsman Service, a free service set up by Parliament for complaints about financial businesses. See how removals dispute resolution works.

Deadlines

The applicable deadline comes from contract, policy and law; do not rely on a generic number. Report as soon as possible, ask the business to confirm the deadline and retain proof of delivery.

Citizens Advice notes that the general period for asking a trader to put right a poorly performed service is different in Scotland from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. That general period is separate from any reporting deadline in the contract or insurance policy, so report promptly whatever the nation.

Mitigate safely

Move a wet item from continuing water exposure or secure a broken object where safe, but photograph first and avoid irreversible repair/disposal unless necessary. Keep receipts.

FAQs

What photos and records should I keep?

Before/after condition, packaging, inventory, delivery note, quote, terms, correspondence and value evidence.

Which reporting deadline applies?

The one in the governing contract/policy and applicable law. Check immediately and report promptly.

Who do I complain to if an insurer turns down my claim?

The insurer first, using its complaints process. If you remain unhappy with its final response, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to look at it.

Sources

• British Association of Removers, “Moving Company Complaints: What to do if something goes wrong”
• Citizens Advice, “Contact the consumer service”
• Citizens Advice, “If you're unhappy about poor service”
• Citizens Advice, “Get advice in Northern Ireland”
• Citizens Advice Scotland, “Reporting to Trading Standards”
• Financial Ombudsman Service, “How to complain”
• GOV.UK, “Make a court claim for money”
• mygov.scot, “Make a court claim for money”
• nidirect, “Recover debts owed to you”

A neutral complaint outline

Keep the first letter or email factual and short. This structure suits most removal complaints:

1. The booking: your name, both addresses, the move date and the quote or booking reference.
2. What happened: what you found, when and where, without guessing how it occurred.
3. The evidence: a numbered list of the photos, inventory entries, delivery notes and value records you are attaching.
4. What you are asking for: a repair, a replacement cost, a price reduction or something else, and why. Ask; do not state an entitlement you have not confirmed.
5. Next step: ask the business to confirm receipt, its complaint process and any deadline, and to reply in writing.

Compare House Movers is building Move Planner, an app that keeps a room-by-room inventory with photos and a record of damage reports and offers; contact us for pricing and availability.

Related guides

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Read what the mover is liable for and what any insurance policy covers; they are not automatically the same. Check limits, valuation method, packing conditions, exclusions, excess and reporting deadlines before moving day.

Ask for the documents

Request the full terms, insurer/policy information where relevant and a written explanation of the mover’s contractual liability. Marketing phrases such as “fully insured” do not state your protection.

Liability and insurance are different

Liability is what the mover accepts responsibility for under its contract, alongside what the law expects of a business providing a service. Insurance is a separate contract between a policyholder and an insurer, with its own limits, exclusions and excess. The mover's own cover and your home insurance are each governed by their own wording, and terms differ between firms, so do not assume one firm's limits apply to another.

• Declared values: some terms limit what is paid unless you declare a value for the whole move or for named items beforehand. Ask whether a declaration changes the price and how it is recorded.
• Excess: ask how much is deducted from a valid claim, and whether it applies per claim or per item.
• Owner packing: ask how boxes you packed yourself are treated if the contents break but the box looks undamaged.
• Storage stages: collection, time in a warehouse and redelivery may be covered on different terms, or handled by a different business. Ask which wording applies at each stage.
• High-value items: list them separately with value evidence, and ask about any per-item limit. See common removal insurance exclusions.

Two scenarios: questions to ask before the move

These are hypothetical examples. They show what to ask, not what any firm or insurer would pay.

Get the answers in writing. For planning the stone item itself, see moving a marble or stone table; for screens and computers, see packing electronics for a move.

Home insurance

Some policies include moving-home cover subject to conditions; others do not. Ask your insurer about professional mover, packing, storage, valuables and territorial limits. Obtain the answer in policy terms or writing.

Declare unusual or high-value items before the move. Do not hide them in a generic inventory.

Evidence checklist before moving day

If something does go wrong, these records make a claim or complaint far easier to support:

• the mover's terms and any policy wording or summary, saved as files;
• written answers to the questions above;
• an inventory showing who packed each box;
• dated photos of valuable, fragile and previously repaired items;
• value evidence such as receipts or valuations; and
• your home insurer's written answer on moving cover.

If something is damaged or lost, follow how to document a removal complaint. Compare House Movers is building Move Planner, an app that keeps a room-by-room inventory with condition photos you can refer back to; contact us for pricing and availability.

FAQs

Are owner-packed boxes treated differently?

They can be. Terms may limit claims for breakage where the mover did not pack or inspect contents. Check before choosing who packs.

Does home insurance cover transit?

Possibly, subject to your exact policy. Confirm mover, packing, storage and item conditions directly with the insurer.

What if an insurer declines a claim and I disagree?

Complain to the insurer first, using its complaints process. If you remain unhappy with its final response, the Financial Ombudsman Service, a free service for complaints about financial businesses including insurers, may be able to look at it.

Sources

• British Association of Removers, “Moving House in the UK”
• Financial Ombudsman Service, “Insurance”
• Financial Ombudsman Service, “How to complain”

Related guides

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Choose storage by handling method, access, environment, security and redelivery, not floor area alone. A cheap unit can cost more if goods are handled twice or access does not suit the gap.

Estimate volume

Start from the removal inventory and allow for safe stacking, fragile/non-stackable items and access aisles if you need individual items. Ask whether the quote uses floor area, cubic volume, container count or a surveyed load.

Compare service models

Confirm climate/moisture controls, prohibited goods, insurance, CCTV/access policy, minimum term, notice, collection and redelivery.

Total-cost checklist

The weekly or monthly storage charge is only one line. Compare the total for the whole gap, from collection to redelivery, and ask each provider to quote every line below in writing.

If the completion date may slip, ask how extra weeks are charged and whether redelivery can move at short notice. Comparing these lines side by side works the same way as comparing removal quotes. If the goods are travelling a long way, a shared load may be offered for the second leg; check the delivery window against your move-in date.

Keep your own record of payments and dates, but a spreadsheet or moving app is not warehouse or storage-management software. The provider’s inventory, contract and receipts are the records that count if something goes missing.

Plan the retrieval

Keep essential items out of storage. Label and inventory by container, and state whether partial retrieval is possible and charged. Record who has keys or seals. For storage arranged by a removal firm, see the storage solutions overview.

FAQs

Can I access individual items?

Only if the storage model and contract allow it. Container or warehouse storage may require notice and handling fees.

How much extra space is needed?

It depends on stacking and access. Use the provider’s surveyed method and add aisles only where retrieval requires them.

Suggested component

Use a Storage Space and Access Planner with inventory volume, non-stackable items and retrieval requirements.

Related guides

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Treat an office move as a business-continuity project with named owners, cutover tests and rollback plans. Furniture transport is only one workstream.

Governance

Set decision owner, move manager, IT lead, facilities lead, people/communications lead and suppliers. Maintain inventory, dependencies, risks, budget, schedule and escalation contacts.

Before cutover

• Confirm lease/building access and loading.
• Map internet, telephony, power and security.
• Back up data and test restoration.
• Label equipment to user/location without exposing sensitive data.
• Arrange secure records and media handling.
• Plan staff accessibility and remote-work continuity.
• Notify clients, suppliers and relevant authorities.

Moving IT

IT should control shutdown, chain of custody, transport, reconnection and testing. Photograph connections where appropriate, encrypt devices, separate backups and agree how failed hardware is handled.

Opening checks

Test network, phones, access control, alarms, critical applications, printers, meeting systems and emergency procedures before staff depend on them. Keep a rollback or temporary-working option.

FAQs

Who coordinates IT?

A named internal or contracted IT owner with authority over shutdown, custody, reconnection, security and acceptance testing.

What must be agreed before staff arrive?

Access, safety, connectivity, critical systems, support contacts, seating/accessibility and fallback arrangements.

Suggested component

Use an Office Move Cutover Board with dependencies, owners, test evidence and rollback status.

Related guides

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Start with the destination country’s official customs, immigration, biosecurity and import sources before packing. Rules depend on origin, destination, status, item and timing; a shipping quote does not itself confirm admissibility.

Build a destination evidence file

Record the official authority, scheme/form, eligibility, required documents, deadlines, restricted items, tax/duty treatment and last-check date. Separate customs information from carrier prohibitions.

Create the inventory

Use clear item descriptions, quantities, values, ownership period, serial numbers where relevant and box numbers. Avoid vague labels such as “miscellaneous”. The owner supplies accurate information even if an agent submits forms.

Compare transport

Ask about collection, export handling, destination charges, inspection, storage, delivery and customs-agent responsibility.

Avoid country clones

Create a separate destination article only where official rules materially change. This page owns the planning framework.

FAQs

Who prepares the customs inventory?

You remain responsible for accurate contents even when the mover or broker formats/submits it.

How should I compare timelines?

Use door-to-door ranges including collection, consolidation, transit, clearance, inspection, storage and final delivery.

Suggested component

Use an International Move Research Ledger with official-source links and last-checked dates, not automated eligibility.

Related guides

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Long-distance quotes need collection and delivery windows, load arrangement, overnight custody and delay terms in writing. Mileage alone does not describe the service.

Dedicated or shared load

A dedicated vehicle normally carries one customer’s move on the planned route. Groupage or shared-load services combine consignments and may use wider windows or transfers. Ask how items are separated, inventoried, secured and tracked.

A shared load can make sense when you have a small to medium inventory, flexible dates and somewhere to stay while you wait. It suits less well when you need goods on a fixed day, have a tight completion date or are moving fragile, high-value or awkward items that you would rather were handled once. Before choosing, ask:

• How long is the collection window, and how long is the delivery window?
• Will the goods be unloaded at a depot or moved to another vehicle on the way?
• How are your items labelled and kept apart from other customers’ goods?
• Is the price fixed if the run is delayed, or can storage or waiting be added?
• Does the firm’s cover apply at every stage, including any time in a depot?

Our guide to shared-load removals and their trade-offs goes through these questions in more detail.

Timing questions

• Is delivery same-day, next-day or a window?
• Where is the vehicle kept overnight?
• Who has custody and keys?
• Can the load transfer vehicles or depots?
• What happens if keys or completion are delayed?
• Are driver-hour, ferry or weather changes built in?

Moves to or from Northern Ireland or the Scottish islands involve a sea crossing, so ask who books the ferry, what happens if a sailing is cancelled and where the goods wait. If the delivery address is rural, check that a large vehicle can reach it and whether a smaller shuttle vehicle may be needed; see vehicle access for rural house moves.

If completion at the new home may slip, agree in advance what the crew will do if keys are late. Our guide to completion delays on moving day lists the waiting and storage questions to settle before the day.

Overnight essentials

Keep documents, medicines, valuables, chargers, clothing and bedding with you if delivery is later. Plan pet/child care and accommodation without relying on an optimistic arrival time.

If anyone in the household relies on mobility equipment, a special bed or powered medical devices, make sure those items either travel with you or are loaded last and delivered first, and agree this with the firm in writing. A short list of what stays in the car avoids repacking at the roadside.

Compare prices

Include fuel/tolls, accommodation, additional crew, storage, waiting and redelivery. A shared load may reduce price but provides less timing control; a dedicated load may still face lawful driving and disruption limits.

If the goods may sit between collection and delivery, compare the storage terms as well; our guide to storage between house moves sets out what to check. You can also read more about long-distance and national removals.

FAQs

Will my belongings travel alone?

Only if the contract says dedicated service. Ask about co-loading, transfers and separation.

What if delivery is another day?

Confirm custody, security, access window, insurance and which essentials remain with you.

Long-distance move timeline

Use this as a checklist when you compare quotes, and get each answer in writing.

Related guides

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Book the building and street access as carefully as the removal crew. Lift restrictions, loading windows, concierge rules, stairs and walking distance can change crew, vehicle and price.

Ask building management

• Must the move be booked?
• Are there permitted hours or deposits?
• Is lift protection or a designated service lift required?
• What are lift dimensions and weight limit?
• Can doors be held open?
• Are corridors, floors or walls to be protected?
• Where may a vehicle load?

Obtain written confirmation for both addresses. Rules differ between buildings, so ask the building manager or managing agent for its own rules rather than relying on general figures, including any lift weight limit.

Flat access form

Fill this in for the collection and the delivery address and give the same copy to every firm that quotes. A missing line is a common reason for extra crew, a second vehicle trip or a revised price on the day.

Measure the largest items too and compare them with the lift and stair figures. If something will not fit, read what to do when furniture will not fit through the door before moving day. Ask the firm how it will protect floors, doorframes and staircases, as many buildings expect communal areas to be covered.

Survey the route

Count floors and steps, measure tight turns and doors, note distance from vehicle, check low ceilings and identify items that do not fit the lift. Photographs help, but a complex move may need an in-person survey. See what happens in a removal survey for how to prepare.

Parking

Check local restrictions, bay suspension or permit lead times at collection and delivery. Agree who applies and pays. A resident permit may not authorise a removal vehicle.

Arrangements are set by each local council and differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. For local detail, see the city guides for London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds.

FAQs

Can a building require a lift booking or covers?

Yes. Management rules may set times, protection and deposits. Confirm before fixing the crew schedule.

Who checks parking?

Allocate responsibility in writing. The customer often knows the address, but the mover must confirm vehicle requirements.

Suggested component

Use a Flat Access Survey with lift, steps, distance, management and parking fields.

Related guides

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Plan uninterrupted access to mobility, communication, medication and personal support before planning ordinary boxes. Record needs in the removal survey without requiring unnecessary medical disclosure.

Map each stage

Review access at the old home, journey, any overnight stop and new home. Note step-free routes, lifts, door widths, parking, rest areas, toilets, lighting and safe transfer points.

Essential equipment

List equipment that must travel with the person, equipment that needs specialist dismantling and items that can go on the removal vehicle. Confirm who isolates, packs, transports, installs and tests powered or clinical equipment.

Keep critical aids, chargers, medicines and contacts accessible. Arrange a backup for delays or failure.

Briefing the mover

Ask the survey to record extra time, route protection, communication preferences, seating/rest needs, assistance boundaries and the named coordinator. The person moving decides what support is acceptable.

FAQs

How should I plan access to essential equipment?

Create a stage-by-stage handover with named responsibility, transport method, power/charging and backup.

What should the survey record?

Physical access, equipment dimensions, time, parking, communication and any agreed assistance, not irrelevant diagnosis.

Suggested component

Use an Accessible Move Continuity Plan with privacy-minimised needs and responsibility fields.

Related guides

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Start early, measure the new home and let the person moving retain control over decisions. The useful goal is a manageable transition, not clearing the largest volume fastest.

Map the new space

Measure rooms, storage, doors and circulation routes. Prioritise furniture needed for sleeping, eating, seating, mobility and treasured daily routines. Test large pieces against the plan before arranging disposal.

Sort in short sessions

Use keep, family, sell, donate, archive and dispose categories. Work one area at a time and pause before irreversible decisions. Photograph stories or collections where that helps, but do not use a photo as pressure to discard.

How relatives can help

Offer specific tasks: measurements, labels, charity research, document scanning, transport or refreshments. Ask permission before moving, gifting or selling anything. Record decisions and who receives family items.

Continuity

Plan medication, mobility equipment, healthcare contacts, keys, utilities, pets, support visits and first-night setup. If the move involves care or legal/financial decisions, use appropriate independent advice and confirm authority.

FAQs

How can relatives help without taking over?

Ask what role is wanted, offer bounded tasks and obtain consent before irreversible action.

Which belongings should be measured first?

Essential furniture, mobility equipment and the largest sentimental or functional pieces.

Suggested component

Use a Downsizing Space and Decision Planner with consent, measurements and destination fields.

Related guides

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Keep pets secured away from open doors and vehicle movement, plan species-appropriate transport, and update identification through the relevant register. Ask a vet about health, medication or travel concerns; do not improvise sedation.

Before moving day

Check carrier/crate suitability, vehicle restraint, temperature, breaks, food/water and destination restrictions. Update the vet and prepare medication, records, bedding, cleaning supplies and a recent photograph.

Microchip and registration rules vary by species and country. Change the keeper/address details through the correct database rather than assuming a vet visit updates them automatically.

During loading

Use a closed, quiet room, trusted carer, boarding arrangement or another secure location. Put a clear sign on the door and tell the crew. Collars and verbal instructions are not enough when external doors stay open.

Travel and arrival

Follow veterinary and transport guidance for the species. At the new home, start with one secure area, check fences/windows and introduce space gradually. Keep familiar bedding and routine.

FAQs

Where should pets stay while doors are open?

In a secure closed area away from the work or with a trusted carer/boarding provider. Confirm responsibility.

When should identification details be updated?

As soon as the move changes the registered address/contact, using the correct database and local rules.

Suggested component

Use a Pet Move Safety Planner with species, supervision, travel and ID-update prompts. It must not recommend medication.

Related guides

Compare House Movers is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write.