Category Archives: Kiwi Services

If you’re moving house and not going far, such as the short hop from Wandsworth to Kensington, you don’t necessarily need a full removals service. In fact, it could end up being far more expensive than you actually need. A man and van Wandsworth to Kensington service could be far more convenient and cost-effective.

Why consider man and van for your move?

The journey from Wandsworth to Kensington is only around 4.2 miles if you take the Wandsworth Bridge Road. A professional, reliable man and van team could complete this journey in under half an hour. For such a short journey, you simply don’t need to pay for unused space in a large moving truck or for a full team of movers to bubble-wrap every single piece of property you own.

This kind of service is really flexible, as you only pay for the time you use for your move. Our man and van Wandsworth to Kensington service here at Kiwi Movers charges by the hour – which includes a fast, efficient and ultra-professional team.

There are many circumstances in which man and van is clearly a winning choice, but here are just a few:

• You don’t have very much to move, so it’ll all easily fit into a small to medium van
• You don’t have far to travel, but no transport of your own
• You’re moving out of (or into) a furnished flat, so you don’t have a lot of stuff
• You’re a university student moving in or out of halls
• You need to move but don’t fancy hauling your stuff on public transport!

How much does it cost for man and van Wandsworth to Kensington?

The great thing about this particular journey for house movers is that it’s short. Man and van services charge by the hour, so you won’t be paying very much at all for your move. Choose Kiwi Movers and move at an off-peak time, and you could pay as little as £75 an hour plus VAT. This gets you two strong, professional movers and a reliable, fully serviced van with plenty of space for your stuff. It also covers loading, unloading and comprehensive insurance, so that you can feel confident that all your belongings are covered during the move.

What man and van really buys you though is peace of mind and a stress-free move, provided of course that you choose the right company.

Watch out for man and van cowboys!

The internet is stuffed full of ads for man and van services, especially on social networks. You need to be extremely careful when choosing a company for your move, as not everyone with a van is able to provide a reliable, secure moving service. Be wary of ‘too good to be true’ rates, as this could mean:

• A clapped-out van
• No insurance
• An unreliable service – they may not even turn up!
• Damage to your stuff.

When moving house, you need to keep stress to a minimum. You don’t want to be worrying about whether the team will actually turn up, or if your belongings will survive the journey. This is why we would always recommend choosing a quality, reliable service which offers complete peace of mind. Get in touch with the highly rated Kiwi Movers team for an immediate quote for Wandsworth to Kensington man and van services.

Moving to Merton soon? If you’re moving from a nearby London borough like Wandsworth, a man and van service could be a cost-effective option. So, hold fire before you call in a full removal crew and take a moment to consider your options.

When man and van is a smarter choice

If you aren’t moving far or don’t have very much to move, you don’t necessarily need a full removals service. A far more flexible and cheaper option is man and van. A couple of moving professionals (who won’t damage your stuff and will always turn up on time) in a handy-sized van to help you move for a couple of hours. These services charge by the hour, so you’re not paying for time you don’t use.

If you’re moving out of a furnished tenancy, for example, you aren’t likely to have very much stuff. It would be a huge waste of money to use a full removals service. However, you also don’t want to be cramming everything in your car or schlepping it across town on public transport. The solution – man and van.

Man and van Wandsworth to Merton – how long should it take?

It doesn’t take very long to travel between these two neighbouring London boroughs. The drive takes roughly around 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on your starting point, destination and of course traffic.

Man and van Wandsworth to Merton – how much should it cost?

If you use Kiwi Movers’ man and van Wandsworth to Merton service for around 2 hours (to cover loading, unloading and any traffic you may run into), this could cost you just £150 plus VAT.

This gets you two moving experts, who have extensive experience between them of moving quickly, efficiently and safely. They’ll move everything from door to door, providing you with a convenient, stress-free service. Our movers know that your time is money, so there’s no hanging around.

If you move during peak hours, this cost will be higher – so a good tip to save money is to move at quieter times. For example, avoiding bank holidays and weekends when everyone else is trying to move house.

Why it’s important to choose man and van services carefully

You may see man and van services advertised cheaply on sites like Gumtree. In our experience though – you need to be very careful when choosing who to use. Many of these ads are posted by people with no experience of moving, with no insurance and with no testimonials or reviews from customers who have actually used them.

Moving day can be stressful enough, so the last thing you need is worries over the van being late or not turning up at all. In the worst cases, some of these man and van ads are posted by con artists who happily take the money and are never heard of again. Yikes!

How Kiwi Movers can help

What the Kiwi Movers service ultimately guarantees is complete peace of mind. We’re fully insured, so your property is completely covered at all times. You don’t have to worry about anything getting damaged during the move, and we could even save you money due to our speedy, efficient service.

We promise to always turn up right on time and will never leave you hanging around on moving day. Kiwi is known for reliability, honesty and top-notch customer service. Our man and van service is one you can trust, which unfortunately can’t be said about some of the questionable ads you see posted online.

Give us a call on 020 8877 9682* to see how our man and van service could help make your move from Wandsworth to Merton a piece of cake.

Choosing a moving service is not always as simple a decision as you may think. Not just any man and van in London will do. If  you choose the wrong one, it could make moving day incredibly stressful.

Man and van services – what could go wrong?

Unfortunately, a lot can go wrong when you choose a man and van service out of the local paper or from a listing on your local Facebook group.

Unfortunately, some people start ‘man and van’ businesses simply because they happen to have a van at their disposal. What they don’t have is the attention to detail and experience needed to complete a house move smoothly. These services may be fine for shifting a few boxes, but not for full moves. You should always approach with caution if you’re moving house or have anything valuable to move.

But just how bad could it be? The Kiwi Movers team has heard all kinds of horror stories from people following a bad experience with a man and van service. Common problems included:

• Failure to turn up at all, leaving movers standing on the doorstep with their belongings. If you’re part of a chain, this could cause major problems. Someone may be waiting to move into your property and you lack the transport to move out!
• A van that is too small, leading to many more trips back and forward. Even worse, you could be charged for these extra journeys
• A van that is far too large and can’t fit down the street or driveway. This means a long walk back and forward to the van for each load
• Careless loading or driving. If you fancy having your belongings arrive at your new home in one piece, it’s recommended to choose your moving service carefully.
• No insurance. If something gets broken, your man and van service should have insurance in place to cover it. If they don’t, there’s no way for you to claim back the costs of repairing or replacing the item. This can leave you out of pocket.
• No door-to-door service. To some movers, this is a chargeable extra, but many movers expect their stuff to be delivered into the property itself. Unfortunately, without checking this in advance, you could find your belongings simply left by the roadside. Or, you’ll have to pay extra to have everything brought inside.
• Missing items. It’s easy to put your trust in your movers. After all, this is what they do for a living, right? However, man and van services aren’t always professional movers. You may even be their very first job after buying a van. This means that they aren’t experts at what they do, and they may not even be trustworthy. Sadly, we’ve heard lots of stories about property going missing, as well as whole van loads of stuff simply being driven away by unscrupulous conmen.
• Damage to your home. If you’ve spent all that time cleaning your old home ready for moving out, the last thing you want is a mishandled box taking a big chunk out of the paintwork. If a company isn’t insured for damage to property, you could end up paying for that damage yourself.
• A completely rubbish van. The picture with the ad may show a pristine white moving van with lots of clean space for your belongings. What turns up on the day may be not much more than an old banger. You absolutely do not want your perfectly packed possessions inside a dirty, tatty van that looks as if it may break down at any moment. But if you’ve no other options on moving day, you may have to go ahead. Fingers crossed!

If a service seems a bit too cheap, it’s worth trying to find reviews or recommendations from previous customers to see if it really is too good to be true.

Not all man and van in London companies are the same…

The good news is that there are man and van services out there in London that will save you money compared to a full-scale removals service. Crucially, they can also be trusted to do an exceptional job. There are five key things to look for when choosing a company for your house move:

• Quality
• Training
• Insurance
• Reputation

Consider these in priority order, remembering that a cheap service is not really good value if the service isn’t good quality. A shoddy service can make moving day a real nightmare, raising your stress levels through the roof. If you’re stressed out, exhausted and behind schedule, surely this undermines the whole point of using a moving service in the first place?

Kiwi Movers have an extremely handy man and van in London service that comes highly recommended by our happy movers. It’s essentially a scaled down removal service for smaller moves, or for those who aren’t moving far. You may not need the full belts-and-braces removals service complete with packing, unpacking and all those extras. You simply need a trustworthy couple of professionals with transport to move your belongings safely.

The key message in here is to always look for a professional setup. A person may buy a van and think they can offer the same level service as a company that specialises in house moves. This rarely happens. Approach man and van in London services with caution, making sure to ask lots of questions and get an assurance of quality before agreeing to go ahead. And never hand over any money unless you’re sure!

To find out more about our affordable man and van in London services and to get an immediate quote for your move, simply call the Kiwi Movers team on 020 366 89726.

No matter where you’re moving or how much stuff you have, we’re confident we can find an affordable, great quality service to suit you. Above all, we’re fully trained, fully insured and have the best vans in the business.

Moving overseas is no small undertaking. Unless you have no possessions and are planning to start afresh, you’ll need to arrange for a house-load of items to be shipped overseas. There are quite a few things to consider with overseas removals. For example, the cost of shipping and protecting property from damage. There’s also the potential loss of items and the condition everything will arrive in on the other side to worry about.

Using an overseas removals company vs DIY

You may be tempted to arrange the shipping of your possessions overseas yourself. However, you’ll quickly find that this can be both complicated and expensive. You may be fine to move house in the UK by yourself and may even save money in the process, but for an overseas move it’s usually best to call in a specialist. A firm of international movers can handle everything for you, including:

• Packing and wrapping to ensure no damage to your items
• Door-to-door shipment of your stuff between transport hubs
• Transit of your shipment by road, sea or air
• Clearing customs, paying fees and other necessary paperwork and procedures related to international shipment.

When you get a quote from an overseas removals specialist like Kiwi Movers, it’s all in. Every part of the process is included in the quoted cost, so all you need to do is sign up and pay the fee. Moving overseas will inevitably have a cost, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be stressful. Using a moving firm can take the hassle of arranging everything off your plate, so that you can focus on your other plans – and there’s likely to be lots to do if you’re moving abroad!

How to choose an overseas removals company

It’s important to select the right international movers to handle your job. After all, it’s pretty much your whole life that they’ll be packing up and shipping hundreds or thousands of miles! Here are some essential features and services to look out for:

• Tracking – letting you check in on the progress of your shipment, which can offer great peace of mind
• A dedicated project manager – to oversee every aspect of the move and to be there when you need to ask a question
• A strong global network of trusted handlers
• Flexible collection times that work for you
• Ability to handle shipments of any size
• Affordability – even when factoring in the convenience of using a comprehensive international removals service, it still needs to be affordable.
• Full insurance to cover all of your belongings while in transit.
• A door-to-door service at both the point of departure and the destination. It’s not a convenient service if you have to handle the final stage of the journey yourself.

For a quick quote on your move and to speak to a specialist international shipping project manager, call Kiwi Movers on 020 8877 9682*. We’re an experienced overseas removals company with the expertise to handle moves of all kinds and sizes. No matter where you’re moving to, we can help.

If you’ve ever tried to ship excess baggage with an airline, you’ll know just how much hassle and expense it can be – especially if shipping long distances such as the UK to New Zealand.

Using an airline’s excess baggage service is very much not the cheapest or most convenient way to send your belongings over to New Zealand – nor is it always the quickest. If you’re moving house, working away or travelling for a few months, you should know that there is a far better way to ship excess baggage.

Looking to ship your stuff internationally? Kiwi Movers are typically cheaper and easier than using an excess baggage service.

Get a quick, no obligation quote now.

Door-to-door services

If you make use of an excess baggage service from a removals and shipping specialist such as Kiwi Movers (also a New Zealand specialist), you can say goodbye to lugging all of your boxes and belongings to a delivery office or airport terminal.

Just like it can be much easier (and less physically exhausting) to use a removals company to move house, a dedicated excess baggage service can make the process as simple as answering the door. If you have your stuff ready, all you need to do is to arrange a pickup from your home or another location. Simple! This is how easy everything in life should be.

How much does it cost?

The cost of excess shipping to New Zealand is nearly always cheaper than using an airline’s baggage service, but how much it will cost all depends on what you want to ship. Pretty much everything can be shipped via an excess baggage service, from sports equipment to a whole home’s worth of boxes, furniture and possessions. It is all covered by a reassuring guarantee, so you can sleep easy knowing that all of your bits and pieces will be safe on their long journey.

The good news is that it is simple and quick to get a personalised quote, and you can even do it online. Simply use Kiwi Movers’ shipping slider to indicate how many of each baggage type you wish to ship, then just choose your destination city. The quote you receive includes doorstep pickup of your belongings, shipping and even customs and quarantine clearance.

Shipping even just one accompanied item can be extremely affordable, while for larger removals – you can get a bespoke quote to suit your budget.

How long does it take?

You no longer need to wait months and months for your items to be shipped, or be left in the dark as to when it will arrive. Kiwi Movers can guarantee the safe delivery of your belongings and baggage within just 10-12 weeks, plus you can track the shipment at every stage of its journey.

For an instant quote on excess shipping to New Zealand or another international destination, head here to use the shipping slider and quote calculator. If you have a lot of items to ship or a more unusual request, please feel free to give the Kiwi Movers team a call on 020 8877 9682* to see how we can help.

We’ve already looked at how to find long-term storage solutions, but what about those occasions when you need flexible, short-term storage in West London?

Short-term storage can be hugely useful for anyone who is:

• Moving house and in need of a mid-point solution while waiting for a sale to go through
• Renovating a property and looking for a clean, dry, safe space to keep possessions and furniture out of the way
• Downsizing and planning to gradually sell possessions they don’t need anymore
• Going travelling for a few months and after a safe space to store everything until you get back and move into somewhere new
• Starting a new business and in need of somewhere to keep furniture and other items until you get office space sorted.

Flexibility is king

Short-term storage in West London or anywhere else in the country is only useful if it’s flexible, convenient and affordable. The last thing you want is to be locked into an expensive contract for longer than you need. A pay-as-you-go solution is much more convenient, allowing you to plan your storage around what’s going on in your life. If something changes, your storage solution needs to be able to adapt to keep up.

With this in mind, make sure to look for storage solutions that have no minimum stay – just like at Kiwi Movers. We don’t need you to commit to a unit for a certain amount of time, so you can stay for as little or as long as you need. It’s all geared around making things as easy and as flexible as possible for you. If your situation changes though and you need a more long-term solution, you’ll be happy to know that Kiwi can offer discounts for longer stays.

You will also need to look for:

• 24/7 secure access – so that you can access your property at any time of the day or night. This access should be secure but straightforward for authorised persons, using state-of-the-art security such as CCTV and access codes.
• Convenient, central locations – so that you don’t need to drive for hours just to access something in your unit or pop an extra box in.
• A choice of unit sizes – if you’re only storing stuff for a short while, you may not always need a lot of space. If you don’t have a large amount to store, you shouldn’t have to pay more for a unit that’s too big for what you need. Similarly, you need somewhere with lots of different options in case you have more stuff to add. This is where container storage and a range of different unit sizes can come in handy.

Last but not least – price!

Short-term storage should always be affordable, and shouldn’t require a big financial commitment at the start. After all, you don’t always know how long you’ll need to store your stuff. At Kiwi Movers, our short-term storage in West London starts from just £15 a week – a great value option for as long as you need it.

Please call the team here at Kiwi Movers on 020 8877 9682* to discuss your needs.

There’s no shortage of choice when it comes to long-term storage in West London, but not all will be right for your needs. So, how do you make the right choice? Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t all come down to cost.

How to compare long-term storage in West London

The last thing you want is to be locked into a long-term storage contract when it doesn’t work for you. This is why it’s important to do a little homework and weigh up a few important points before making your decision. Run through this checklist when comparing storage facilities:

• Location. Is it near to where you live? If you don’t need it to be close to your home, consider whether the facility has good transport links so you can pop in if you need to.

• Access. Some storage facilities are only open 9-5pm, or otherwise have restricted hours. If you should need access at short notice or outside of these hours, you won’t be able to access your own property. This is why it’s always a good idea to look for facilities which offer 24/7 secure access, just in case.

• Security. When you leave the facility, you need to be 100% reassured that your property is completely safe. With this in mind, choose the option with as many levels of security as possible. For example, at Kiwi Movers storage, we offer individually alarmed units which also have full CCTV protection.

• Clean and dry facilities. Not just any old empty space in a warehouse will do when it comes to storing your personal property, which may include valuables and items with great sentimental or family value. A leaky, dirty unit is simply not good enough. Look for modern, clean and dry facilities and make sure you visit before signing on the dotted line to check out the space for yourself.

• Space. You shouldn’t have to pay for space that you don’t need or use, nor should you have to cram your belongings into too small a space – which inevitably means that you’ll never be able to find anything in the crush. Look for facilities which offer a range of different sizes and price options.

Why choose long-term over short-term?

Most people choose long-term storage over short-term because of their circumstances. Long-term suits people who are embarking on a long renovation project, are going travelling or working away or are moving house. If you simply don’t know when you’ll be ready to take your property back, long-term can help to take the pressure off. It can also be better value, especially if there is a discount for longer stays.

Considering Kiwi? What to expect from our storage service

Kiwi Movers is one of the top choices for long-term storage in West London because of our clean, modern facilities, available in a whopping 2,000+ units in handy locations across Chelsea, Battersea, Fulham, Twickenham, West Molesey, Wandsworth and Richmond. We have a storage solution to suit everyone, with flexible perks such as no minimum stay, discounts for long-term stays and units in all shapes and sizes. With Kiwi, your property is completely secure, safe and available to access 24/7. Give us a call on 020 8877 9682* to discuss what you need.

Kiwi Movers provide a range of support services to businesses in London and the south east. One particularly interesting area we specialise in is supporting concierge service providers in delivering their service, but what exactly is a concierge service?

London Concierge Jobs and Duties

Concierge services and lifestyle managers take care of the important tasks that their clients simply don’t have time to do. They are here to help busy individuals make more of their time and run their life as efficiently as possible.

London Concierge services are typically used by busy professionals, those who do a lot of travelling and people who split their time between two locations. The concierge service providers will manage many aspects of their client’s life, from organising travel, arranging deliveries and even booking dinner and making hotel reservations.

Do you require or provide concierge services in the London area? To find out more about how we assist concierge service providers and how we might be able to help you, give us a call on 020 8877 9682*.

Removals and Related Services for Concierge Professionals

You might wonder how a luxury service such as a concierge and a no-fuss service like a removals firm would work together. But it’s actually quite obvious when you think about it. We’re experts at moving stuff carefully and safely. We work quickly and we’re flexible. These qualities are exactly the same as those required to fulfil a comprehensive concierge service. Clients need things doing quickly, without fuss and with discretion. We’re not the people to go to for exclusive dinner reservations, but if you’ve got a piece of antique furniture that needs moving, give us a shout.

We come into our own when our concierge client requires removals, shipping, excess baggage delivery, cleaning or logistical support. Our reputation as trusted, professional and no-nonsense movers means our colleagues in the concierge industry know we can deliver.

On the Job with a London Concierge

Friend of Kiwi Movers Vicky Silverthorn owns You Need a Vicky, a London concierge service specialising in servicing high profile individuals, including a number of celebrities. Here she explains what she does and how she does it:

Vicky and Kiwi Movers work together on various concierge accounts.

“We offer high level professional organisation services for people who have busy lives and need a hand to implement practical systems and process into their lives. We help create streamlined and efficient homes and we declutter and organise in order for people to enjoy their homes again.

“We help people move home, we pack personal effects with discretion, we unpack homes after a move, methodically, aesthetically but with practicality at the forefront of our thinking. We help families get organised when they are having a baby. We declutter homes and rooms which simply have too much stuff. We juggle kitchens to make them efficient. We design furniture and advise on storage.

“Our typical clients are busy families, whether it’s because they work or just have hectic lives. Anyone who likes to be organised and wants that feeling of calm in their home but hasn’t got the time or inclination to do it themselves.

“We work with Kiwi to ensure our clients get a smooth move from start to finish. It means we are all on the same side and can literally take the stress away from a move. The client could potentially leave their home for a couple of days and come back to a completed and unpacked, (organised) home that not only looks good but actually makes sense.

“With my sister company You Need A PA we can also cover every aspect of the admin side also. It’s the whole package.

Run Your Next House Move like a Concierge

Concierge services don’t match every budget and many people simply don’t need a full service concierge. But almost everyone we know would love to inject a bit more organisation and efficiency into their lives and live as if they had an extra pair of hands helping out. While we can’t magic up that pair of extra hands, we can offer some of our experience and knowledge earned from working alongside a number of London’s top concierge service providers to help you live like you’ve got your own concierge, especially when it comes to moving house.

1. De-clutter

Vicky has one piece of advice for anyone moving home in the near future.

“If you are decluttering yourself then start early and do little by little. Work on a small area of the home each week and start a few months before your estimated move date – almost as soon as you know. You don’t want to take belongings you don’t need with you and you don’t want to pay to move things unnecessarily.

2.Get Good Quality Boxes

Once you’ve de-cluttered, you need some decent boxes. It may be tempting to nip to your local Tesco for some spare cardboard boxes, but these won’t do for everything. Electrical equipment, breakables and anything you wouldn’t happily pack in a suitcase to take on holiday deserves a good quality box. Check out our guide to moving boxes for more information.

3. Clean as You Go

Cleaning just isn’t fun, especially when you’ve got other jobs to do, but if you clean your stuff before you pack it, you’ll save a lot of hassle when you come to unpack. The last thing you want to do is to bring dust and dirt from one house into your next one.

4.Pack Like a Pro

We always recommend letting the professionals do the packing and indeed, we offer a comprehensive and flexible packing service. This can save time, cut costs and more importantly, ensures that everything is insured during the move. Self-packed boxes are often uninsured. If you do elect to pack your own stuff, try to pack as logically as you can to save time at the other end. Use newspaper to protect anything breakable and avoid over-filling boxes, especially the big ones. You often don’t know how heavy a box is going to be until you realise you can’t pick it up, or worse, the bottom falls out (see tip 2).

5. Keep a Checklist

There’s no denying it, moving house can be very stressful, even if you’re super organised. Minimise that stress by working to a checklist. There are plenty of jobs that need doing aside from the physical moving of your stuff. These are the sort of things the concierge in you will enjoy taking care of, provided you’re organised; council tax, broadband, phone, insurance – these things all need updating when you move house. Our end-of-tenancy checklist has some great tips for moving out of a rented house, but is also applicable to people selling their own place.