The busiest time to move house and why you should avoid it
Avoid moving house in this busy month… or altogether!
Image: HomeOwners Alliance
According to the Government’s annual English Housing survey, August has been revealed as the most popular month to move home for the last 12 years.
Within this month alone there are, on average, 75,000 moves in England. This is mainly put down to it being the school summer holidays, meaning kids will have enough time to settle in before school starts again in September.
While August is the most popular month, Fridays are the most popular day with an average of 175,000 homeowners moving on a Friday over the course of the year. The appeal of Fridays is more for the adults as that way they can get most of the unpacking done over the weekend and not have to use up any of that precious holiday allowance – because who wants to waste it on moving boxes?
With this in mind, the most popular day to move in 2019 is said to be August 30th, with 6500 moves predicted to happen that day – more than 3 times the 1700 average.
Commenting on the data, Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, Paula Higgins, says:
“Many homeowners like to move during the school summer holidays so their children can settle into their new place in time for the new academic year, which is the start of September across most of the UK. “It may appear sensible to move on a Friday, so you have time to unpack and settle in over the weekend before heading back to work.
But we advise people to be exceptionally careful if they move on a Friday. On this particular Friday, 30th August, with even more moves expected to be happening than usual, it’s paramount that people are as organised as possible.
Of course delays can occur at any time, but issues with transfers of funds are more likely to happen on a Friday when banks, conveyancers and removal firms are stretched to the limit as it’s the time when most housing deals tend to complete.
On the last Friday of the month bank money transfers can get overloaded and it’s peak time for conveyancing fraud. If there are delays in transferring funds, you may have to spend the weekend in a hotel or on friends’ and families’ sofas.”
So what does all this mean you ask? It means you should avoid moving on Fridays, espeically in August, and here’s why…
1. You may struggle to find an appropriate removal company as they will be in high demand. Removal firms are also aware that this is a popular time to move and so may charge more than normal. If you can’t avoid moving in August, or on a Friday, then you should at least try getting quotes and booking further in advance.
2. The HomeOwners Alliance say issues with transfers of funds are more likely to happen on a Friday when banks, conveyancersand removal firms are stretched to the limitas most housing deals tend to complete around this time.
So, if you have to move on a Friday, ask your solicitor 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, no later than 3pm. Otherwise you will likely be stranded without keys and will have to pay to stay in a hotel until Monday.
3. The last Friday of the month is particularly tricky as bank money transfers can get overloaded and it is also peak time for conveyancing fraud. Therefore, it’s best to avoid this day altogether.
As you can tell, moving is a lot of hassle so it’s no wonder some people choose to stay put and look into ways they can improve their current homes instead. If this is something you are considering, here are a few things you can do to add value to your home and avoid having to move:
Remove an internal wall
Image: Katie Lee
An averagely priced home in London can spend £3.5k and add up to £50k onto their property’s value just by removing a wall and creating an open plan layout. Builders typically take less than a week to complete a project like this, so it’ a quick turnaround!
Build a toilet under the stairs
Image: UK bathrooms
Utilising the space under your stairs by creating a downstairs toilet will instantly enhance the way you live and make your home more appealing to young families. This additional room would typically cost around £2,600 but would deliver a return of almost 10 times that!
See 5 more ways to add value to your property.
Proud of the interiors in your new home? We’d love to see! Upload a pic to Instagram and use #ThisGoodHome.