Moving Home Before the New Stamp Duty Allowance Ends

By Peter Langley

Updated: Sep 1, 2020

5 min read

Fact-checked by Martin Panayotov

Reviewer & editor

The rise in stamp duty allowance ends in March 2021 so it is inevitable that there will be a rush of people looking to move home before that deadline.

That means that the generally quiet winter months will likely be exceptionally busy for removal companies. In fact we are already seeing a big rise in the number of requests for home moving quotes for late autumn and early winter.

That trend is expected to continue into early next year with an unusually busy January and February.

Traditionally the summertime is when everyone chooses to move home. The kids are off school, the days are longer, and generally, the weather is better.

However, it is also the most expensive time of the year to move as demand for the services of good removal companies is at a peak.

2020 has certainly been a year of firsts, and for those looking to move home, as well as for the removal companies themselves, this winter is going to be exceptional, a first, when demand matches or exceeds the traditional home moving season.

You may be interested to read: Why is Autumn the Best Time to Move Home?

What does that mean to you as someone about to move home though?

You could likely see home removal costs rise as the best removal firms get booked up.
Van hire companies may also become busier and vehicles will become harder to hire.
In the summer months, some removal firms hire casual labour as they are so busy. Generally, in the winter months, the moving team you get are full-time, fully trained staff members.
If you have particularly valuable or fragile items to move be aware that some removal companies may be using hired labour in the coming months as they hire extra staff to accommodate the rise in demand.

So to help you have a stress-free and easy move in the next few months we have collated all our winter home moving tips into this one guide.

4 Top Tips for Moving Home During the Winter

Book your Removal Company as soon as you can
Thoroughly research any removal firm you are considering hiring
Plan for every eventuality
Prepare your home, car, and yourself for a winter move

#1 Book Your Removal Company As Soon As You Can

With the expected high demand for quality removal services reaching a peak in the next few months, our number one winter home moving tip has to be to book your removal company as soon as you possibly can.

Our data shows that already people are booking removal firms into October and November and many removal firms are telling us that their books are getting full, which is unheard of for this time of year.

So if you have a moving date then get your removal firm booked as soon as possible.

But that does not mean book the first available removal firm you find. There can be a huge difference in the service that you receive from different companies. Which brings us onto tip number 2.

Must do: Get up to 4 free quotes for your home move

#2 Thoroughly Research the Removal Companies

Don’t forget to prepare all the family for a winter home move

You should take extreme caution when hiring anyone to move your possessions. Whilst the majority of removal firms are professional and will take great care of your things, it is not difficult for any untrained person with a van to advertise themselves as removals.

But how do you choose a good removal company? There are probably dozens of removal companies in your area and knowing how to choose the best one for your home move is the first stage in having a stress-free home move.

You can use the listings page for your area to read the reviews of your local removal companies but you may waste time ringing round only to find that they do not move people to your new area or that they are fully booked.

By using the quote form, you will only be contacted by legally registered removal companies, who can move you on the date you want to move, and have the necessary skills and equipment to move your precious things.

Having received up to 4 quotes, it is now time to research each of those companies. This is where customer reviews are invaluable.

A word of caution though, not all review sites are trustworthy and it is not uncommon for disreputable removal firms to post good reviews about themselves. The best review sites will offer you the ability to contact the reviewer if you so wish.

Look for recent reviews that are of a similar size and move distance as yourself. If you have a specific item such as a piano that you are worried about moving, then look for reviews where it mentions a piano move.

Just as importantly look at how the removal firm responds to both good and bad reviews, this will tell you a lot about how highly they regard customer service and their reputation.

If the removal firm only has a mobile telephone number listed then ask for a landline number too.

Go and check out the address where the firm is registered. You can check that a company is legally registered at Companies House.

Are the moving trucks liveried or the staff uniformed? Not a deal-breaker but just another indication that they are a professional company.

And always ask people you know for recommendations as they may have first-hand experience of using that removal company.

Once you have satisfied yourself that they are a legitimate company then invite them to do an in-home survey of the things you are going to move.

This is often carried out via video or an online app these days, but a survey of the things you are moving will ensure that the removal company can give you an accurate price for your removal.

Must read:

#3 Plan for Every Eventuality

Have a plan B for each stage of your home move

To help prevent home moving stress have a plan for everything, including what to do if things do not go according to plan.

Hiring a full-service removal company will take the burden of most tasks off of you, but there are still things to be mindful of and that you will be responsible for completing in time for moving day.

If your home move date is close to Christmas then that will add extra stress and work to an already hectic time of year, so planning well ahead and being exceptionally well organised will be vitally important.

#4 11 Tips on How to Prepare for Moving Home in Bad Weather

Protect your floors with weatherproof coverings
Clear pathways and drives of wet leaves or ice and snow
Protect your moving boxes with industrial cling film
Have hot drinks available
Wear layers to regulate your body temperature
Keep weather appropriate clothing with you, not in the removal van
Have torches and spare light bulbs to hand
Schedule an early move to make use of limited daylight hours
Get your car serviced
Check you have supplies of heating fuel at the new home
Have alternative routes mapped to your home in case of road closures

This is the last thing you need on moving day

The chances of you moving home in wet weather during an autumn or winter move are quite high and so there are a few precautions you can take to help make moving day more bearable.

Most professional removal companies will provide floor covering to protect your floors as your things are loaded and unloaded. Confirm that they will provide such coverings and if not plan on having cardboard or plastic sheeting available to stop mud being traipsed into your old and new home.

Keep the path or driveway well-swept as wet leaves can cause a slipping hazard.

If heavy rain is forecast a professional packing company will usually cover your moving boxes in industrial cling film to keep them dry. If you are moving home yourself you may want to consider wrapping your boxes in plastic sacks to prevent them from getting wet.

There is also the possibility that it may snow on moving day so be prepared for that scenario too.

Have hot drinks readily available, and keep paths and access points swept of snow and ice-free.

Remember not to pack your wet weather wear into boxes that will go on the removal van. Make sure they are easily to hand as the weather has a habit of changing quickly.

Have weather appropriate clothes available, and dress in layers as you can shed and add layers to regulate your temperature.

Get your car serviced and prepared for bad driving conditions. Have a blanket, snow shovel, torch and spare batteries, high visibility vests and spare jumpers or coats for each person travelling in the car, spare light bulbs and fuses, and a good first aid kit packed into the car.

Check your tyre pressures, tyre tread, that all lights work, and check engine fluids as a minimum, the last thing you need is your car breaking down on moving day.

Also bear in mind that it gets darker earlier in autumn and winter so have plenty of spare light bulbs, torches and spare batteries readily available.

It is also worth scheduling your move earlier in the day to make the best use of the daylight hours that are available.

Many people are currently moving from the cities to the countryside and this may mean that your new home is heated by oil or solid fuel. Ensure that you have adequate stocks of winter fuel to get you through the first couple of weeks at least.

Don’t forget to stock up on heating fuel

Also bear in mind that many country roads flood or become inaccessible during winter so check whether that is often the case in your new village and what the alternative routes into the village are so that you can advise the removal company.

Bad weather is unlikely to be a show stopper on moving day but it is worth keeping an eye on the weather forecast and being prepared for any bad weather that comes your way.