Van Hire

If you decide not to use a removal company, you'll need to hire a van or truck

Choosing the right van

You must ensure that the van you hire is big enough to do the job in one trip, this is especially true for long distance moves
Unless you live in a very small flat and have few possessions do not hire a panel (Transit) van, they are too small
The most used van for house removals is the box luton
If packed carefully box lutons are suitable for moving the average 3 bedroom house
Anything larger than a 3 bedroom house is probably going to need a 7.5 ton truck
Make sure the van you hire is fitted with a tail-lift

Luton Van

Other considerations

Check how close to the entrance you can park at both properties
Find out if there are any parking restrictions
If you need to obtain a parking permit do it in plenty of time
Do not book your van until you are absolutely sure the exchange will go ahead
Make sure you are able to drive the van you propose hiring, especially if you're under 25
Check the hire companies cancellation policy, you may lose your deposit if you cancel

Driving vans and trucks

Driving a box luton is not going to be the same as driving your car, you have extra width, height and weight to consider and there isn't a rear view mirror, you'll have wing mirrors only so make sure they are both properly adjusted before you set off.

It's also worth taking a few minutes once loaded to check that all lights are working properly, check the tyres too.

The van, especially when loaded will be slower to accelerate than a car and need a longer braking distance. Hills will slow it down considerably. Take it easy to start with until you get used to the characteristics of the van or truck.

Keep a close eye on the fuel gauge, you must not allow it to run out of diesel. Unlike petrol engines you can't simply re-fuel and use the starter until it fires up. If a diesel runs dry, you'll need a mechanic to bleed the fuel system before it will start again.

Top of page

At Under One Roof we work as a team to help you find your dream council house exchange.