Moving home is exciting, but it can also be a stressful experience. Naturally, many people want to get organised well in advance, often booking removals early to secure a reliable company and avoid last-minute hassle.
However, the reality of the UK property market is that completion dates are far from guaranteed. New research from Santander reveals that nearly one in four buyers (23%) will experience a failed property chain. Half a million property transactions fail each year in England and Wales, resulting in direct costs of £560 million to UK consumers.
These figures highlight just how unpredictable moving dates can be. Even a date that seems confirmed one week can change the next, particularly if you’re part of a large chain where your move depends on several people completing transactions.
This leaves many people wondering: can you book a removal company before exchange of contracts, or should you hold off?
The short answer is no. Until contracts are exchanged, your completion date isn’t legally guaranteed, and booking too early can result in cancellations, unexpected charges, and wasted money.
We’ll explore the risks of booking removals before exchange of contracts below, so you feel prepared to plan your move with confidence.
Why You Should Wait Until Exchange of Contracts
During the conveyancing process, buyers and sellers may agree on a proposed completion date, but this is only provisional.
All enquiries must be satisfied, including any requirements from lenders, before a date can be formally agreed. Until contracts are exchanged, there is no certainty that the move will go ahead on the planned date.
You might be given a specific date for your moving day, but if someone in your chain changes their mind, your move can fall through, leaving you with a removals booking you cannot use.
A property chain is a series of linked transactions where each buyer and seller depends on the others completing their moves.
For instance:
- Mr A is selling his property to Ms B.
- Ms B is buying Mr A’s property, while also selling her own property to Mr C.
In this chain, all completion dates need to align with each other. If any one person pulls out or delays, it affects everyone else. That’s why proposed moving dates are never guaranteed until contracts have been exchanged. Until then, anyone in the chain can legally withdraw, without penalty.
You might be given a specific date for your moving day, but if someone in your chain changes their mind, your move can fall through, leaving you with a removals booking you cannot use.
The Risk of Booking Removals Too Early
To secure your removal date, most companies (including us) require two things:
- A signed contract confirming your move date
- Full payment up front
This is because once a removals team is booked, the company often has to turn down other jobs for those dates. If the move is then cancelled or postponed, it isn’t just a lost booking; it can also result in lost income, as removals staff need to be paid for the scheduled day.
This is why cancellation charges often apply. Exact terms vary between removal companies, but typical fees are:
- Around 30% of the fee if you cancel within two weeks of the move.
- Up to 70% if you cancel within 5-7 working days.
Some removal companies may still secure a booking before exchange, but this is a deliberate exception, rather than standard practice. This is only if the customer fully understands the cancellation charges and provides a signed contract with the proposed move date and full payment. Even then, it carries risk and should be approached with caution.
For these reasons, it’s much safer to wait until contracts have been exchanged before booking your removals, avoiding unnecessary financial risk for you and your removals company.
Booking a removals team reserves their time for you, so last-minute changes may incur cancellation fees to cover staffing and scheduling commitments.
Why People Still Book Before the Exchange of Contracts
We understand why some customers take the risk. End-of-month dates and Fridays are particularly popular moving dates, and many people want to secure their preferred removals company well in advance.
Good removal companies are often fully booked during these peak times, which adds to the pressure to arrange a move early. If you have expensive or sentimental items, it’s also natural to want a trusted team handling your belongings, instead of leaving them to chance.
However, even if your solicitor or others in your chain indicate a completion date, the reality is that without exchanged contracts, there is no guarantee your move will go ahead on the proposed date.
On average, people only move every 23 years, so they are often unfamiliar with the legal process and jargon used by solicitors. Conveyancing can be complex, and many of the legal requirements, steps, and terms change over time.
Misunderstandings are common as solicitors can use confusing technical language, or they may give advice that makes buyers think they are ‘100% set’ when they are not.
For example, some buyers assume they are ‘100% set’ once they’ve returned their signed contract, not realising that the move isn’t legally binding until all parties in the chain have exchanged contracts and agreed on a completion date.
This can lead to situations where removals are booked too early, only to be cancelled at the last minute, creating stress for both the customer and the removals company.
Many book early to secure popular dates or trusted removals companies, but moves aren’t guaranteed until contracts are exchanged.
How Can We Help
Planning a move can be stressful, especially when you have to handle property chains and coordinate dates. Hiring professional movers ensures your belongings are handled safely and efficiently, giving you peace of mind throughout the process.
At Falconer Removals, we aim to make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible. Our experienced team can advise on the best times to book, provide a detailed, fixed-price quote, and handle your goods with care, from start to finish.
Contact us today to get a quote, or explore our blog for more expert advice on packing, moving house, and storing belongings..
