Many ‘man with a van’ people are very professional. If they are priced competitively, as opposed to cheaply, and are fully booked for weeks ahead, you can probably assume they do their job very well.
The cheaper they are though, it is less likely they will be fully insured. And might even let you down at the last minute if they get a better offer.
Therefore, for a regular house move we recommend professional removers like ourselves.
DPH Removals Professional Man With A Van
Our man with a van hire service is ideal when you just need a suitable removal van for a few hours and may work out more cost effective than hiring just an ordinary van for a whole day. A professional van comes with furniture blankets, straps etc.
We can offer an hourly rate for one or two men and a van.
Rather than guessing the volume of furniture and belongings to be moved, it may be more prudent for us to give you an hourly rate. This way you are only paying for the actual time taken.
Another situation could possibly be that you have bought something large locally and just need a van large enough and a man to assist both ends to provide a lift.
Using a professional removal man and van or even two men and a van will give you full peace of mind knowing that your item or items will be professionally secured in the vehicle and not damaged during transit.
Other examples include:
- Death of a family member where a man with a van is needed to help clear the contents that are not being kept or that may have been sold and require collection and delivery
- Need to move a specialist item such as a large antique piece of furniture or a grand piano
Hiring DPH Removals man with a van hire service is an ideal solution, as we are used to handling goods and furniture every day and will be far quicker at loading and unloading than you and your friends.
We are also insured for carrying your goods and are used to being behind the wheel of a van.
Organising to move furniture or white goods yourself can be stressful, time consuming and costly.
Our professional man and van hire service ensures you have the very best tools and manpower for moving and will often work out to be the cheaper option all-round, especially when trying to manoeuvre large, heavy items up and down flights of stairs.
We can ensure you get the right size van and the right amount of manpower needed for the job in hand, instead of hiring a van that could be too big or too small for the job and not having enough people, or too many people needed to help out.
When To Book A Standard Man With A Van
With online marketplaces and local auction houses abounding, it can be very sensible to buy second hand items.
eBay has been around for a long time now.
Facebook Marketplace has grown drastically in the last few years.
For example then, let us say you bought a great sofa on eBay or Facebook Marketplace for only £20. Your car is not big enough and you need someone else to pick it up and deliver it for you.
A man with a van is absolutely perfect for this type of job:
- You do not want the bargain sofa ending up costing you a fortune in removal fees
- If the item is relatively low in value
- He or she will help with any lifting to get the item into your home
- They will often liaise with the seller of the item to set the perfect time for collection
Cost Savings?
Although the price of hiring a man with a van will be tempting, we believe that, for a full house removal, you will not save in the long run. Our belief comes from our years of experience.
Do not get us wrong, the ‘man with a van’ (or woman) option is a great choice in certain circumstances. See above.
The Potential Pitfalls
The potential pitfalls are varied, and not even necessarily the fault of the man with a van:
- Everyone has more belongings than they think they do
- A van can only carry one small load at a time
- The man may only be able to bring himself, with no help for any heavy lifting
- If he damages your items he may not be insured
- He may let you down if he gets a better offer
- He may not be available if your moving date gets held up, as they often do
- He is unlikely to help with packing or supply packing materials
- If he injures himself by accident then your moving ‘team’ is gone
- If his van breaks down there goes your moving team as well
- Fuel costs as often van hire companies want you to replace the fuel you have used
- A van can easily be overloaded which can result in fines and problems at the roadside
Vacant Possession Is Legally Binding
When you move out of your house, either by selling it or ending a rental agreement, it is usual legal practice for the new owners or landlords to receive the property with ‘vacant possession’.
Vacant possession means that the property must be completely empty of all your belongings.
In the case of a house sale vacant possession is expected on completion. If you have not moved out in time this can leave you open to your buyer seeking recompense.
In the case of a rental property you may find yourself with continuing obligations under your lease, such as still needing to pay rent.
Moving Day Consequences
Come moving day there may be some unpleasant consequences, such as:
- An extra level of stress for all concerned
- Your solicitors having to get involved and charging you more
- Your possessions being removed by others
- Your possessions being left outside the property and at the mercy of the weather; the image below was taken by us on such an occasion
- Confusion between the sellers and buyers possessions if the removals coincide
- The buyer, landlord or tenant having to pay DPH Removals for our time when waiting
- The buyer etc. then claiming this extra cost from you
To help the process run as smoothly as possible make sure that you can move out in time by using a full removals service such as ourselves.
Hiring A Van Yourself
You may think that hiring a van for removals from a van rental company, and persuading some friends or family to help us out, is the cheapest way to move home, office or large and bulky items.
But you need consider the following potential negative consequences:
- The cost of the van hire and collision damage waiver fees
- The up front deposit for the van hire
- Fuel costs, as van hire companies contract you to replace the fuel you have used
- The risk of paying a large excess fee if you have an accident in the van because you are not used to driving a van
- Insurance excesses for the items you are moving if they get damaged during the move, due to lack of experience packing and moving items
- Increases to policy premiums can often by a consequence if you need to claim on your insurance
