The 'Man and Van' : a Warning about Rogue Removals

In every industry there are cowboys; in the removals industry we call them 'Man and Van' (MAV for short). They may offer a temptingly cheap hourly or half-hourly rate; this is because they don't have any of the following:

7.5 Tonne Lorries

Removal lorries weighing 7.5 tonnes and above require a licence to operate and run. You have to be registered and have an official base to operate a removal lorry from. Regular checks are also made on the safety of your vehicles.

You don't need to be registered to own a ‘Luton’ van or smaller. Although a man and van company will tell you they can do your move in more than one trip, this means you'll either have to trust them with your keys or go with them on every trip. Will it still be cheap if it takes three times as long?

PAYE Staff

If the business involved doesn't have any permanent, trained staff then who will be moving you or your family? They can be dragged off the street or even out of pubs!

Registration for VAT and Income Tax

If they are not registered for tax or VAT this could save you money - but with no registered address how do you find them if it all goes wrong?

A registered office with a landline telephone number

We all use mobile phones, 0800 and 0845 numbers, but a genuine company will also be able to supply you with a fixed landline number. A lot of businesses these days just have an 0800 number which can be easily directed to a Pay-As-You-Go mobile phone. How will you track them down if something goes wrong?

Insurance

If something valuable goes missing or your TV gets damaged will you be covered? What if the van driver knocks down your neighbour’s wall or fence during the move? The Man with a Van almost certainly will NOT be covered. If you're not covered, your move could end up costing you a lot more than you thought.

SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF

1) Ask for a landline number and call them to make sure it is a genuine number.
2) Ask for references - they should be happy to supply these.
3) Ask how many permanent staff they employ.
4) Remember that paying an hourly rate is only great if you know how long the move will take.
5) If they charge per load, ask how big their van is.

Booking a MAV outfit may seem cheap at the time; but these aren’t professional removal companies. Even if you are moving one or two items, do get a quote from a professional removal company - you will be surprised at the prices we can offer for the smallest of moves.