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What’s the delay on moving day? - Claire Hose, MoveMinder

What’s the delay on moving day?

One of the most frustrating things about moving day is the waiting time. Despite the huge amounts of excitement, hard work and effort that go into the day, waiting to make the big move is inevitable for some (or if you’re very unlucky, all) of the following reasons:

Last minute packing
Really, by moving day, you should have everything packed up and ready to go. But nobody does, whether it’s just your overnight bag and a few plates, or the entire house, running around collecting the odds and sods left behind can add hours onto the day.

Loading up
Physically lifting and moving the entire contents of a house into a van always takes longer then you expect. If you’ve done it yourself you’ll know how tiring it is. Removal men can be forgiven for taking frequent, but time consuming, recovery tea breaks.

The weather
Drenched belongings are not good. Holding heavy items while being soaked isn’t particularly appealing either, and there are health and safety considerations to bear in mind. The elements can add limitless time onto the day; all you can do is frustratingly watch and wait while conditions improve. Similarly, a scorching hot day makes hard work even harder; plenty of icy drinks are recommended on days like these!

Parking
There are a few ways to reserve parking outside your property to make sure the van can get close: obtain a parking suspension from the council; place a few strategic cones outside; or park there yourself and move just before the van gets there. There’s no 100% fool proof plan to make sure it all goes to plan though: people ignore or don’t see the suspension sign; your cones are removed overnight by a few rogue students looking for decorations for their digs; or someone parks so close to you that you can’t get out, let alone fit a van back in. You either have to wait for the car to move/be moved or walk that little bit further down the road with your belongings.

Cleaning
There’s no rule that says you have to clean before you leave (unless you’re renting where there is a rule that says this, especially if you want your deposit back). Chances are you’ll want to clean before you unpack at the very least. The more thorough you are, the longer it will take.

The chain
Everything is packed and loaded into the van, you’re waiting outside your new house but you’re not allowed in because legally, it’s not yours yet because funds haven’t been transferred. Waiting for the solicitor to call to say the sale is complete and you can leave the house that no longer belongs to you and collect the keys to the one that does. Transferring money from one account to another should be simple but it isn’t. Buyers at the end of a chain can wait for a whole day before it’s their turn.

Last minute change of heart
You’re not safe until you’ve completed. My grandparents were all packed up and ready to go but the people they were buying from changed their mind. It’s every mover’s worst nightmare.

Traffic
It’s OK if you’re just moving a few streets over, but if you’re moving cross country and meeting your movers at the new place, there could be a delay. HGV drivers are subject to strict driving regulations. As well as having to take regular breaks, they have to stick to the two slower lanes, so the chance of seeing them disappearing in the rear view mirror soon after you’ve set off are high.

Date/time mix-up
It’s not common, but it has been done.

“Unforeseen circumstances”
There are a whole host of other reasons that your move could be delayed: death, illness, stroppy removal men, the list goes on. Everyone knows someone who has a nightmare moving story don’t they!

Whatever the reason for your delay, keep calm, there’s nothing you can do about it! If you’re using professional movers there could be a penalty for extra time so remember to check the small print. Some movers offer insurance to cover any unexpected occurrences, but fingers crossed you won’t be one of the unlucky ones!

Claire Hose

‘Expert mover’ Claire Hose is Managing Director of MoveMinder Limited. MoveMinder Limited is a move management company which specialises in assisting individuals with all the additional tasks associated with moving house.

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