Removals in London: parking suspensions, ULEZ and local costs

Quick answer: there is no London-wide permit for a removal van. Each borough sets its own parking suspension rules and fees. Of the five boroughs we checked in September 2026, Hackney charges £100 for a one-day home-move suspension of up to three bays and Camden waives the first-day space charge for home moves, leaving a £66.66 admin fee. On top of that, a van that does not meet ULEZ standards pays £12.50 a day, and the £18 Congestion Charge applies in central London.

Parking for a removal van in London

London has 32 boroughs plus the City of London, and parking is controlled borough by borough. That means the rules at your old address and your new one may be different, even if you are only moving a mile. A parking suspension reserves bays for the van on the day. Without one, the crew may have to park further away, which adds carrying time and cost, or risk a parking ticket. Our general guide covers how suspensions and dispensations work.

Suspension charges in five London boroughs

We read each borough’s own suspension page in September 2026. The other boroughs may charge quite differently, so treat this as a sample, not a London price list.

Borough	What it costs	Notice and late fees	Home-move concession
Camden	£79.63 per space for a 1-day suspension (rising to £119.49 per space per day for 15 to 42 days), plus £66.66 admin per suspension	Book at least 17 days ahead or pay a £349.81 short-notice charge; the minimum is 3 days	No space charge on the first day for up to 3 consecutive spaces, and no short-notice charge. Admin still applies
Hackney	£44 per bay per day, plus a £100 admin fee	At least 7 working days; an extra £161 admin fee if you apply late	Bay fee waived for up to 3 bays on the first day, so 3 bays for 1 day costs £100
Islington	Residents: £164.80 for day 1 (any number of spaces), £62.25 per space on day 2, £67.50 per space per day after that	£100 extra admin if you do not give enough notice; warning notices go up about 10 days ahead where possible	The council says that for most domestic removals you can park near your Islington home for free
Lambeth	£57.55 per space per day (half day £34.57), plus £98.83 admin (2026/27 charges)	£68.77 extra for 6 to 9 days’ notice; £156.31 for 2 to 5 days	None listed on the costs page
Wandsworth	Domestic suspension: £43.40 per 5m space on the first day, £35.20 per space on each extra day, plus a booking fee	Booking fee £82.20 with 10 working days’ notice or £93.20 with 7; at least 5 clear working days needed	Domestic moves have their own, lower rate

For a typical one-day, one-van move, that works out at roughly £66.66 in Camden, £100 in Hackney, about £125.60 for one space in Wandsworth (bay plus the 10-day booking fee) and about £156.38 for one space in Lambeth (bay plus admin). Hackney also allows loading on single and double yellow lines for domestic removals, but it must be continuous and for no more than 40 minutes.

ULEZ and the Congestion Charge

Transport for London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone now covers all London boroughs and runs 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. A van up to and including 3.5 tonnes that does not meet the ULEZ emissions standards and is not exempt pays £12.50 a day. Heavier removal lorries (over 3.5 tonnes) do not pay ULEZ, but they fall under the separate Low Emission Zone if they do not meet its standard.

The Congestion Charge is £18 a day if paid in advance or on the day, or £21 if paid by midnight on the third day after travel. It applies from 7:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays, with no charge between Christmas Day and the New Year’s Day bank holiday. So a Saturday move is not automatically free of it. Ask each firm whether its van is ULEZ compliant and whether either charge is in the quote. More on what clean air zones add to a move.

Typical removal prices in London

For the national picture, see our UK removal costs guide. As a starting point, Checkatrade puts a standard local move at around £500–£700 and a two-person crew with a van at £50–£80 an hour, and Sirelo puts a local three-bedroom move at about £985 if you pack yourself (all checked September 2026).

Konnect You, a removals comparison site, puts the average London removal at £952 in its September 2026 update, slightly below its UK average, and says this is largely because London homes tend to be smaller: its research gives 551 sq ft for a typical London flat against 656 sq ft nationwide. It found north London the cheapest area, at around £660 on average. Access matters more than distance here: stairs without a lift, no parking outside and long carries all add labour time. Our guide to moving from a flat covers what to check with the building.

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How to choose a removal company in London

The useful checks on a removal firm come down to memberships, vehicles and paperwork. Ask each firm the same questions so the quotes are comparable:

BAR membership. The British Association of Removers says its members follow a Chartered Trading Standards Institute Code of Practice, are audited annually, and that money paid in advance is covered by its Advanced Payment Guarantee. If a firm says it is a member, check the BAR directory yourself rather than relying on a logo. Our guide explains what the BAR badge checks.
Operator licence for bigger lorries. GOV.UK says you need a goods vehicle operator licence for vehicles with a gross plated weight over 3,500kg. A firm using full-size removal lorries should have one, so ask for the licence number. A man-and-van service using a van at or under that weight does not need one.
Who arranges the parking. Ask whether the quote includes the council suspension or dispensation, and who applies. Some firms handle it, others leave it to you.
Clean air and congestion charges. Ask whether any zone charge for the van is included or added on the day.
What the price covers. Packing, dismantling, stairs, long carries and waiting time are the usual extras. See how to compare removal quotes.
Cover for your belongings. Ask what the firm’s goods-in-transit cover pays out and what it excludes, and get the answer in writing.

Removal companies in London

These firms appear in public business listings for London. We have not checked their work, prices, insurance or memberships, and they have not paid to appear. Check any firm yourself before you book.