"Moving on the busiest day of the year isn’t for the faint-hearted, especially with the August bank holiday also happening that week, pushing more moves onto the remaining four days"
The most popular day to move home this year will be Friday 25th August, according to HomeOwners Alliance and reallymoving. Analysis of more than 600,000 removal quotes collected by reallymoving found August has been the most popular month to move home for the last 11 years.
There were over half a million (514,000) owner-occupier moves or approximately 1,400 moves per day according to the latest data from the English Housing Survey (2020-21). On the most popular day of the year, Friday 25th August, 1.08% of all moves are expected on this day - equating to 5,500 moves or four times more than the daily average.
Looking at the most popular month and days to move, this translates into 60,000 homeowners moving in the month of August alone and 154,000 homeowners moving on Fridays over the course of the year.
However, a survey of removal firms by reallymoving also found that 1 in 5 removal companies are willing to offer mid-week deals and negotiate on price to encourage movers to move at a less busy time.
Top tips to avoid delays on your moving day:
1: Suggest an alternative day of the week, avoiding the August bank holiday weekend. Savings are possible, as we know 1 in 5 removal firms are willing to negotiate on price. See our guide to house removal costs.
2: If you have to move on a Friday, ask your conveyancer to order the mortgage money from your lender the day before completion so it can be transferred first thing on the day of the move.
3: Tell your conveyancer and insist that it is written in the contract that you should receive the keys by 1 pm. Otherwise, you could be stranded without keys to your new abode until Monday.
4: If you're going to be moving this August bank holiday, remember things are busier. Get quotes for removal firms as soon as possible and appoint them after exchanging contracts. Here are more tips on how to find the right removal company.
5: Choose a removal firm you trust and have a rapport with. Talk through what would happen if a delay occurred. For example, do they have emergency storage? Be aware of the different things that may impact the cost of your move, like access or extra services.
Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, says: “With the long summer bank holiday weekend it’s no surprise Friday 25th August is set to be the busiest day to move. A long weekend gives movers the opportunity to get settled and sorted before families return to school and work.
"But, in a cost of living crisis, we wanted to point out to homebuyers that there are savings to be had by avoiding the busiest day. With the average 2-bedroom house move costing over £500, it would be wise for households to consider moving at a less busy time so they can negotiate a discount on their removals quote.
"For those fixed on moving over the bank holiday weekend, prepare for delays as removals firms are put under added strain. And most importantly book removals firms early, check in with conveyancers as the move date approaches to ensure everything is lined up and read up on property fraud and how to avoid it.”
Rob Houghton, CEO of reallymoving, adds: “Moving on the busiest day of the year isn’t for the faint-hearted, especially with the August bank holiday also happening that week, pushing more moves onto the remaining four days.
"Ensure your conveyancer and everyone in the chain knows you’re working towards that date and book your removals firm well in advance, so you only need to confirm as soon as you exchange. It’s best to ask them to come to your house to assess the volume of your belongings. This ensures you have the right sized van and number of team members on the day of your move.”
