“Choose a removal company on the written scope, not on a headline price: the same inventory, addresses, access, date, included tasks and terms, compared like for like.”
A good choice is a company that explains what is included, what is not, and what happens if the day changes, before you book, in writing.
There is no single “best” removal company for every move. The right company for a one-bedroom flat with a lift is not necessarily the right company for a four-bedroom house with a garage, a loft and a completion-day chain. The useful question is not who is cheapest or loudest, but whose written offer matches your actual move.
This guide walks through the checks that matter: the written quote, insurance, access and timing, terms, deposits and cancellation, and the warning signs that should make you pause. Use it to compare companies on the same basis, and to ask questions before money changes hands.
Quick facts
Ask every company for the quote in writing, based on the same information: both full addresses, a room-by-room inventory, floor levels, stairs or lift access, the loading point at each property, the preferred date and any key handover timing, and the tasks you want included. A quote built on a bedroom count alone is a guess; a quote built on your inventory and access is a plan.
Give each company the same brief, and keep a copy of what you sent. If one company has not asked about access, packing, dismantling or storage, its quote may be missing work the others have priced. The cheapest offer is often the one with the most left out.
For a larger or awkward move, a survey or a detailed inventory with photographs or measurements of large items is worth arranging. It reduces the chance of a vehicle that is too small, a crew that is too small, or a price that changes on the day. See also our guide to how much removals cost and the frequently asked questions.
A useful written quote names the addresses, the date, the inventory or volume it is based on, the crew and vehicle, and the tasks included. It should also state the charges clearly, including how additional time, extra trips, waiting or additional labour would be charged if the scope changes.
If the quote does not say whether packing or dismantling is included, assume it is not. Ask for each task to be listed explicitly, and keep the written scope with your booking confirmation.
Ask for the current goods-in-transit and public-liability terms before booking, including the limits, the exclusions and the claims process. Insurance wording varies, and a vague assurance that goods are “fully covered” is not a substitute for the actual terms.
Disclose high-value, fragile or specialist items before loading, such as artwork, antiques, musical instruments, glass or sensitive equipment, and confirm any applicable terms in writing. Keep photographs of valuable items and their condition before the move, and check what you must do, and by when, if you need to report a concern after delivery.
Also ask who is responsible if something is damaged: the company, a subcontractor, or you, for items you packed yourself. The answer should be in the written terms, not left to moving day.
London moves are shaped by access: controlled-parking streets, red routes, estate roads, shared entrances, stairs, lifts and loading bays. Tell each company about the floor, the stair or lift route, the doorway widths and the distance from the loading point at both properties, and check parking or loading arrangements with the relevant council or building manager.
Agree the timing honestly. If keys are released late, a lift is booked for a fixed slot, or the destination cannot receive the vehicle before a certain time, say so early. A company that plans around the real constraints is more useful than one that promises an arrival time it cannot control. Our guide to how long a house move takes explains the London friction that affects timing.
Read the terms before booking, not after. Check the deposit amount and when it is due, how it is paid, and what happens to it if you reschedule or cancel. Check the rescheduling and cancellation notice periods and any charges, and check how changes to the inventory, addresses or date are handled.
Also check the terms on waiting time, additional labour, extra trips and excluded items. If completion or key release could slip, ask in advance how a delay is handled and what it could cost. You can read our terms and conditions to see how we set ours out.
Keep the quote, the written scope and the terms together. If a promise was made on the phone, ask for it in writing before you rely on it.
Pause, and ask more questions, if a company:
One red flag on its own may have an innocent explanation. Several together usually mean the offer is not properly scoped, and the price or the plan is likely to change.
Use these questions with every company you compare, and keep the answers with the written quote:
The best answer is a specific one, tied to your inventory and addresses. Vague answers to specific questions are a reason to keep comparing.
Not automatically. Compare the same scope first: the inventory, both addresses, access, date, included tasks, exclusions and terms. A lower quote that leaves out packing, waiting, dismantling or storage is not the same offer as a fuller one.
The addresses, the inventory or volume, the date, the crew and vehicle, the tasks included, the charges, any additional charges that could apply, exclusions, and the applicable terms. If any of those are missing, ask for them before booking.
Ask for the current goods-in-transit and public-liability terms, including limits, exclusions and the claims process. Disclose high-value, fragile or specialist items before loading and confirm any applicable terms in writing.
Not always, but a survey or a detailed inventory helps for larger or awkward moves. A room-by-room list with photographs or measurements of large items gives a more reliable basis for a quote than a bedroom count alone.
Deposit arrangements vary by company. Ask for the deposit amount, when it is due, how it is paid, and what happens to it if you reschedule or cancel. Get the answer in writing with the rest of the terms.
Book as soon as the date is reasonably firm, especially for end-of-month, weekend or peak-period moves. Earlier booking also leaves time to arrange parking, building access, keys and packing.
Ask who will actually carry out the work, whether subcontractors are used, and who is responsible if something goes wrong. The answer should be clear before you book, not discovered on moving day.
It depends on the company’s terms. Ask about rescheduling and cancellation before booking, including notice periods and any charges, and keep the confirmed terms with your quote.
READY TO COMPARE?
Send both postcodes, the inventory, the access details and your preferred date, and we will set out the scope, charges and terms in writing.
About the author
Ahmer Faiz, Founder, Vano Removals
Ahmer runs the small London crew that carries out every Vano move, sets the published hourly rates on this website, and replies to every Google review personally. Every guide on this site is written from the moves the team actually does, and checked against the council and TfL pages it quotes.
Reviewed by Ahmer Faiz on 5 November 2026 · Next review: 5 May 2027 · More about Vano Removals
Confirm the agreed service, timing, price and any exclusions in writing before booking.
Customer Reviews
Real, unedited reviews from customers we’ve moved across London.
“Best house removal company around. The team at Vano Removals was punctual, hard-working, and handled our furniture with great care. If you need reliable, stress-free local movers or packing services, I highly recommend them.”
Muhammad Saad
Google review · October 2026
These are unedited reviews from our Google Business Profile. Moved with us recently? Your honest review helps other Londoners choose with confidence.
