Although house moving is stressful, most moves go off without too many disasters. But you should be aware that a house move can make you vulnerable to theft.
Can you trust your removal company?
Almost all removals firms are trustworthy – particularly if you use a company that is a member of either the British Association of Removers or the National Guild of Removers and Storers (NGRS). But of course as in any industry there are a few bad apples. So when you search for a company to help you with your move, do your due diligence. We have a blogpost about spotting a dishonest removals company, and also a post about choosing a removals company.
Pack to protect against theft
There are occasional news stories about thefts in which a family’s belongings are driven off, never to be seen again. But such incidents are rare – which is why they end up as news headlines! Thieves are unlikely to want to waste time picking through a family’s personal belongings, as the vast majority of our household stuff has no re-sale value.
Thieves are more likely to go for individual items that are easy to carry and have a high value on the second-hand market. For example, laptops, jewellery boxes and games consoles.
Pack these items yourself, and label the boxes with the room you want them to go into, but do not identify the contents. Consider whether you would prefer to transport high-value, portable items in your own car so that you can be sure they travel safely.
Dude, where’s my car?
When loading or unloading your car it is tempting to leave it open and unattended while you carry items from and to your home. Don’t do this unless you are very sure the neighbourhood is safe. You will be distracted during your house move; so a car thief might take advantage of that. Either lock up, or have someone keeping an eye out. And at the very least, take your keys with you.
Who has access to your home on moving day?
During a move it is natural for helpers and removal staff to be going in and out of your home at either end, and you will be distracted, as mentioned before. This may make it easy for an opportunist thief to gain access. It is a particular problem in a block of flats with shared access, where a thief could cause problems for your neighbours. So consider how you’ll give access to right people while keeping the wrong people out. It may be as simple as keeping an eye on the door; or giving an access code or key to your removal team.
Also be aware of anyone taking an unwarranted interest in your moving activities – they could be scoping out your property for burglary potential. If you do see someone taking pictures or looking a bit too closely, call the police on the non-emergency number (101 in most parts of the country) and let them know.
Store your valuables so you can move them at your leisure
Rather than rushing to move an entire house in one day, why not make use of self-storage? By putting some of your boxes into storage, you can give yourself some breathing space on moving day, and then bring them to your new home at your leisure. If you are wondering how much monthly storage costs will add to your moving budget, we have a blogpost to help with that. Bear in mind that when you insure stored goods with us, you only need to pay for the time your goods are in store – so it’s ideal if you only need to store for a few days. Get a quick quote today.
Moving theft is a worry for some people, but there are simple precautions you can take to protect your possessions from thieves and put your mind at rest.
