HIRING A MOVER7 MIN READ
Booking a removals company is a five-minute conversation that decides how the biggest day of your year unfolds. Ask these fifteen questions of every mover you shortlist. The good ones welcome them. The rogues squirm.
Company & credentials
- Are you a limited company registered at Companies House? Ask for the number.
- Do you have your own crews or do you subcontract? "Own directly-employed crews" is the only right answer.
- Can you email your public liability and goods-in-transit certificates now? Apex carries £2m public liability and £50k goods-in-transit. See our insurance FAQ.
The quote
- Is this a fixed price or hourly? Fixed only.
- What's included and what's extra? Fuel, congestion, tolls, permits, dismantling, packing materials, storage.
- What happens to the price if I move more or less than quoted? A real firm has a clear volume-variance clause.
- Can I have the quote in writing before I pay a deposit?
The move itself
- Which lorry and how many crew? See our 7.5-tonne, 12-tonne and 18-tonne options.
- Will you dismantle and reassemble beds and wardrobes?
- Do you supply wardrobe cartons, dish barrels, TV boxes and mattress covers?
- Who is my named coordinator, and who's the crew leader on the day?
If something goes wrong
- What's your cancellation and rebooking policy? Written, not verbal.
- What happens if my completion slips? Overnight storage in the lorry, or into a container?
- How do I make a damage claim? Timeframe, forms, timelines to payment.
- How do you handle complaints? A regulated firm publishes a written complaints procedure.
What the answers tell you
A confident, directly-employed British removals firm answers all fifteen in one call, follows up in writing within the hour, and never pressures you to book on the spot. Anything less is a warning sign. See our red flags guide for the ten worst signals.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most important question to ask a removal company?
- "Is this a fixed written price or an hourly rate?" Fixed prices are the only way to eliminate day-of-move padding. Everything else — insurance, crew size, dismantling — is negotiable, but hourly quotes almost always cost more on the day.
- Should a removal company give me a written quote?
- Yes. Reputable UK removals firms send a fully itemised written quote by email before any deposit. If a firm refuses to put the total figure in writing, do not book them.
- What insurance should a removal company have?
- Public liability of at least £2 million, and goods-in-transit cover of at least £10,000 (Apex carries £50,000). Ask for both certificates by email — a real firm sends them within minutes.
Planning a move? Get a fixed price today.
Twenty years of British families trusted. One honest number, in writing, before we lift a box.