Moving House in Leeds: Week by Week Checklist

Most moving day problems in Leeds are booked weeks earlier. The van that cannot park, the freezer that leaks in transit and the box of kettle and chargers buried at the back of the load are all avoidable with a bit of order. This is the checklist we use with our own removals customers, laid out week by week.

Six weeks out: book the essentials

• Confirm your completion or tenancy date, then book your removals in Leeds straight away. Fridays and month ends go first.
• Renting? Check your notice period and give it in writing.
• Book the day off work, and childcare or pet care if you need it.
• Start a declutter pile. Every box you do not move is money saved, and a pre-move clearout with a man and van rubbish collection costs far less than paying to transport things you will bin at the other end.

Four weeks out: paperwork and packing

• Set up Royal Mail redirection, it takes about a week to start.
• Update your address with your bank, employer, GP, dentist and DVLA.
• Order boxes, tape and paper, or let our packing team supply materials and do it for you.
• Pack the rooms you rarely use first, loft, spare room and garage.
• Label every box with the room it is going TO, not the room it came from.

Two weeks out: the Leeds specific jobs

• Check parking at both addresses. On permit streets and tight terraces ask about a parking suspension early, and warn neighbours a van is coming either way.
• Book your broadband move, most providers need two weeks notice.
• Tell your energy and water suppliers your move date.
• Moving schools? Notify both schools and transfer records now.
• Clear the garden and shed. Compost, pots and half bags of cement are the things people abandon on the day.

Moving week

• Defrost and dry the freezer at least 48 hours before the move.
• Pack an essentials box that travels with you, kettle, mugs, chargers, medication, toilet roll, bulbs and the tools to rebuild the beds.
• Photograph your meter readings at both properties on the day.
• Agree the key handover time with your solicitor or agent so the crew is never stood waiting.

What moving day costs in Leeds

Our removals are priced by the hour, a van and driver is £75 for the first hour then £40 per hour after that, and a two person crew is £100 then £55. As a guide a one bed move typically lands around £210, a two bed around £320 and a three bed around £430. Part hours round up and the first hour is the minimum. The full breakdown, and what makes the price rise or fall, is in our Leeds removals cost guide.

After the move

• Unpack the kitchen and beds first, everything else can wait a day.
• Register on the electoral roll at your new address and find your new GP.
• Send your final meter photos to both suppliers.
• Break down the boxes as you empty them. If you end up with a garage full of packaging and furniture that does not fit the new place, one collection clears the lot.