tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37076041000417265772024-03-13T00:37:36.926-07:00A J Stephenson Removals | Essex Removal CompanyMoving Home in Essex? Award Winning Highly Established Essex Removal Company with over 26 years of Quality Service, full accreditation and Insurance. Removal and Storage services covering all Essex including Billericay,Basildon,Chelmsford,Thurrock,Brentwood,Wickford,Southend.
Top quality service guaranteed.A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-23462151699838926112018-10-23T07:11:00.001-07:002018-10-23T07:11:00.986-07:00Better Moves Than Ashley Banjo?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hg_6lQdV6gA" width="459"></iframe><br />A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-58810496231346120622012-05-02T11:01:00.000-07:002012-05-02T11:01:40.650-07:00News Blog on award winning Removal companies Website!Ive recently added a news blog to my website, see it here <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/news-blog">http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/news-blog</a> Now I'm no expert on these things but I wasn`t sure if I could duplicate posts both on here my Blogger site and on my website? I didn't want to upset any robots or spiders so I decided to keep the new posts on my website only and just do the odd random post on here, like this one. Maybe someone can tell me differently?<br />
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Anyway since my last published post from my blogger site on 15th March I have posted 2 new blogs from my news blog. The first was to celebrate <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/news-blog/item/jos-10-years-of-service-at-a-j-stephenson-removals?category_id=1">Jo`s 10 years of service with A J Stephenson Removals</a> the other was also staff related and was titled <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/news-blog/item/can-you-deliver-a-quality-removal-service-with-unskilled-removal-men?category_id=1">Can you deliver a quality removal service with unskilled removal men?</a><br />
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Both these posts are in recognition to the staff I employ and their hard work and dedication to me and my company. As any business owner knows you are only as good as the promise you make and you need quality people to deliver and in my case they give a bit more. Failure to deliver on what you say you will do, is a road to ruin. In my case I am confident promising the world as I know my staff will deliver it time and time again. <br />
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This is underlined by the fact that we have not only won the <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/news-blog/item/who-is-the-most-loved-removal-company-in-the-uk?category_id=1">Most Loved removal business in the UK</a> award, (and made it to page 8 of the Gazette as a result!), but we are regularly on the top ten list of the Guild of Removers website for most recommended removals companies. This top ten list accounts for the top 3% of the Guilds membership, understandably prime real estate. We are currently at number 10 but hope to creep up for April. We were number 8 in February. See the current positions from this link- <a href="http://www.ngrs.co.uk/index.php?id=28">National Guild of Removers and Storers Mover of the Month</a><br />
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That's enough drum banging for now! its all well and good putting it all down to the staff who deliver your service but the thanks must also go to our customers who kindly fill out the feedback cards for return to the Guild. You can see them on our <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/testimonials">removal testimonials</a> page, aswell as some talking reviews on our new <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/testimonials/video-testimonials">Video Testimonials</a> page for both removals and <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/essex-storage">storage services</a>.<br />
I am very lucky to have such great staff and customers. I am very grateful to them all.<br />
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So whats next? Well Summer is just behind those clouds! There`s loads of exiting things ahead for the year, the Queens Jubilee the Olympics (Ive got tickets for the synchronised swimming!) and of coarse the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflowers anual <a href="http://www.billericaysummerfest.co.uk/">Summerfest</a> event on the 17th July 2012. Last year we ran a competition to guess the number of tapes in a crate, and we raised over £100 for Rotary. This year we will have an equally fascinating competition the details of which are yet to be decided. So why not pop down and see what were up to and hopefully we will have good weather this year!A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-11433259222423344322012-03-15T13:47:00.000-07:002012-03-15T13:47:34.568-07:00Who is the most Loved Removal Company in the UK?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tgFYBa7p-UM/T2IEBScbh8I/AAAAAAAAAH0/tF_8MbXPGy8/s1600/Most+Loved+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tgFYBa7p-UM/T2IEBScbh8I/AAAAAAAAAH0/tF_8MbXPGy8/s320/Most+Loved+awards.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><strong>Its official! We were voted the most loved removal business in the UK</strong> according to the Best of`s National 14 days of Love competition in February. I know we deliver outstanding service and our staff are fantastic, but this was really a pleasant surprise. Most of our clients have either been recommended to us or have moved with us before and I am so grateful to them for giving the feedback that has made this a reality.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EoVMDe1Jt3o/T2IIrn9vp_I/AAAAAAAAAH8/qgrYgn67GsI/s1600/Confirmation+certificate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EoVMDe1Jt3o/T2IIrn9vp_I/AAAAAAAAAH8/qgrYgn67GsI/s320/Confirmation+certificate.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Andrew Hurrell Owner of the Best Of Billericay said-<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>"Billericay’s premier removal and storage business has been officially revealed as the Most Loved Business in Billericay. If this wasn’t enough, </em></span><a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/" target="_blank" title="For more info on AJ Stephenson Removals..."><span style="font-size: small;"><em>AJ Stephenson</em></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><em> has also taken the national title, receiving the most on line testimonials in the country for a removal business in our national Valentine’s campaign to find Britain’s favourite local businesses."</em></span></span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Having been <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/about-us-essex-removal-storage-company">moving people for nearly 30 years</a> in Billericay and the surrounding areas, its a real honour to receive this award. My staff are not only trained in Removal skills they are also customer service trained and I think this is the key. We make sure that our customers are guided through the process from start to finish and I know we often go beyond the call of duty. I cant remember the last time we had an unhappy customer.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proudly receiving the Award</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The combined trophy</td></tr>
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Id like to thank Andrew and the Best of for providing the forum for us to achieve this award, and also for his help and support. This all comes in the week where we found out that our unique moving report "<a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/articles">The Top Ten Removal and Storage Disasters to Avoid"</a> has been adopted by the <a href="http://www.ngrs.co.uk/">National Guild of Removers and Storers Limited</a>, in their current training seminars.<br />
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</div>If you want to be part of our attempt to win next years title, I would be delighted to pop round to see you and provide you with a quote for either removals or <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/essex-storage">storage</a> where you too will have the opportunity to put your comments down for others to see on either our customer feedback forms or direct onto the Best Ofs website. You can see all the reviews that contributed to this title on our <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/testimonials">removal testimonials</a> page and many from before that.<br />
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A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-59341361331574119752012-02-20T07:01:00.001-08:002012-02-20T07:40:09.219-08:00What kind of mover are you?Moving home is not as straight forward as you may think, or not as the case may be! There are many variations and considerations when moving. Listed below are some of the various types of moves and any potential problems associated with them.<br />
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<u>Completion Day Moves </u><br />
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Moving locally- This is the most common type of move. On the moving day the funds will come up through the chain starting with the first time buyer and depending on the length of the chain and the length of solicitors lunch! could mean you don't get yours keys until late in the day. Your remover will need to have you packed and loaded by about 1pm but may not be able to unload until later in the afternoon for this reason most will charge waiting time charges and some will offer a <a href="http://ajstephensonremovals.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-waiting-time-charges-waiver-and.html">waiting time charges waiver</a>, we offer this and it is usually around £35 + VAT. This will cover these costs should they arise.<br />
The other problem we come across on completion day is waiting for the new property to vacate. Not everyone books a <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">professional remover</a> some opt for a man and van or even worse decide to move themselves. This usually involves a delay as the workload is usually underestimated and can severely delay the move, causing one of our major frustrations. There is a more detailed account of this happening in my report on Removals & Storage, called "The top Ten removals and Storage disasters to Avoid" Chapter 7 "<a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118774.html">True Stories</a>"<br />
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Moving Long distance- All the above are still true but as there are implications regarding driving hours and nights out we try to avoid the unexpected. If your move is roughly between 40-200 miles away we will usually load on completion day and park the vehicle inside our warehouse for security and set off early the following day. This will involve the client finding accommodation for one night or just roughing it with a pump up mattress! this is a very popular option because it avoids the delays associated with completion day and most clients of ours that have done this have felt that it is much more relaxed and allows them to give the property a really good clean ahead of all the furniture & effects arriving.<br />
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For moves over 200 miles we will generally load on completion day and travel up staying overnight usually outside the property. The crew will usually stay with the vehicle in the special sleeping area of the lorry ready to unload the following morning. Essential items can be unloaded when they get there such as beds & essential supplies. Its very important that you make arrangements for the keys to be made available should you have a delay on your journey and very important that you don't wait around at the old address waiting for the money to transfer, instead once you have cleaned the property, drop off the keys to your estate agent and get on the road. If you don't you may be too late to collect the keys for the new property and your remover may have to wait until the following morning when the Estate Agent opens possibly adding additional costs.<br />
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<u>Moving from or to Rented</u><br />
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This type of move is becoming more common as people find they are unable to get mortgages and so rent while they save for deposits etc, by definition this type of move is better for removers as there is no delay for the completion and release of keys, however there are still potential delays. The main one is the delay caused when the handover is done on the moving day, this can be up to 3 hours long and some agents will not allow any items moved in until they have completed the hand over. It is always a good idea if possible to get an overlap between properties, this will allow time to get the handover done the day before moving and also if it is a big move will allow removal of goods over a longer period of time which could reduce your moving costs and will certainly reduce your stress. By arranging an overlap and maximising the flexibility of your move you are more likely to get the remover you want.<br />
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<u>Moving into or out of store</u><br />
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Loading into containerised store involves more work than the usual completion day or rented move as the removal company will have to wrap the furniture and complete an inventory both of which add time to the process. We offer <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/essex-storage">containerised storage</a> and it is very convenient as the storage containers are brought to your property on a specialist vehicle and are lifted off with a forklift. This method reduces the handling as when the items are returned the forklift loads the containers back on to the lorry. So in effect your goods are handled twice instead of 4 times like you would if you went into a self store site. Loading containers also takes longer than loading loose into a lorry. For theses reasons we always try to load most if not all of the goods the day before completion. When delivering from store we very rarely deliver on completion day as there are potential delays, we often deliver days or even weeks after completion as many clients take the opportunity to carry out work on the new property without all the furniture in the way.<br />
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Whatever your type of removal we will be happy to assist and offer advice to make your move as smooth as possible. Either call 01277 653268 or email <a href="mailto:info@ajstephenson.com">info@ajstephenson.com</a> or visit <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/</a>A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-8425276076327868222011-12-12T10:26:00.000-08:002011-12-12T15:15:17.324-08:00Late Exchange. Have you got a `LEG` to stand on?Late exchange of contracts is probably the most frustrating part of moving house, for both customer and <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">removal company</a>- The whole home removal process takes months of planning, involves a huge amount of stress and yet in the final week and even the last few days there often seems to be a delay in contracts being exchanged. There is no point trying to work out why this happens but it does seem to happen on an all too often basis.<br />
For the removal company they usually need to confirm provisional bookings seven days before moving day by taking full payment. This enables them to plan the resources they require for the week ahead in an efficient and professional way. <br />
(The danger of paying in full without having exchanged is running the risk of losing all or a percentage of the costs, if the date was to change or the move were to collapse. Some removal companies offer a <a href="http://ajstephensonremovals.blogspot.com/2011/04/do-you-want-to-pay-for-your-house.html">postponement/cancellation waiver</a> should something change in the last few days but only if the move has exchanged, we offer this service, along with other customer protection schemes.)<br />
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The customer needs to plan and arrange a whole host of things for moving day, so when the removal company calls for confirmation and payment the week before removal, if exchange hasn`t happened the stress levels are about to soar. So what happens next?<br />
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The remover in this event will either offer to wait an agreed period of time to give a chance to exchange contracts. Or offer a Late Exchange Guarantee `LEG`. (if they have it available) Without the `LEG` there is always a proviso that being- if another client that requires the same resources on the same day were to call and have exchanged contracts, then they would call their provisional client and give them the option to confirm by paying or to lose the date. This whole process benefits no-one, is messy and very stressful and so for that reason we have come up with the `LEG` this is how it works.<br />
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Subject to availability a `LEG` will be offered from the date of payment due, to an agreed date and time and will be subject to a charge of between 4%-5% of the removal fees plus VAT per day. Once agreed and accepted the payment would be taken for the `LEG` and a confirmation certificate would be sent by email to confirm the arrangement. See a typical example below<br />
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<em>Mrs. Smith is due to pay for her £800 + VAT removal & <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/buy-removal-boxes/packing-services">packing service</a> but has not exchanged contracts. She was told by her solicitor that exchange would happen the next day at about 11am. She doesn't want to pay for her move in full just in case she loses some or all of this money should she not exchange contracts. A `LEG` is agreed for 1 day to expire at 12noon the following day, this costs her £38.40 inc VAT and buys her time and more importantly removes the stress of potentially losing the date to someone else.</em><br />
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The risk for the remover is that if after the `LEG` is issued another booking comes in for that day that has exchanged contracts and needs to know immediately if it can be done. The remover would have to say that that slot is held and may only become available when the `LEG` has expired. This may not be acceptable to them and they may go elsewhere. In the meantime the client with the `LEG` may come back the next day and say the exchange has not happened and the move needs to go back a week. The remover will end up with nothing.<br />
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Unless legislation can be improved to lengthen the exchange and completion gap the `LEG` seems to be for now the best alternative.<br />
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<br />A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-8925533140797107362011-11-10T03:24:00.000-08:002011-11-11T06:20:34.015-08:00Im Moving House, do I pack the drawers?One of the most common questions we get in the office is "do I need to empty the drawers?" This question is asked almost on a daily basis. So I have put together below the different cases for and against packing the drawers. There is of course a way to avoid this dilemma and that is to get your <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">removal company</a> to pack for you, this will pass the dilemma back to them (along with many other issues), leaving you to focus on the more important things! Our <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/buy-removal-boxes/packing-services">packing service</a> is unique in the area, our packing girls & boys will either just pack the fragile items or will carry out a full service where they finish off by making the beds and hoovering up. You can tailor make the service you require.<br />
The other advantage of having the packing done for you is that we generally do it the day before you move so your not surrounded by boxes for weeks before, your fully insured and you havn`t got to worry that you have done it correctly. I have written an industry unique report on removals and storage called "<a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/Essex-Removal-Company.html">The Top Ten Removals and Storage Disasters to avoid</a>" which has a chapter all about the pros and cons of packing, follow this link to read it- Chapter 5 "<a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118522.html">packing and packing materials</a>"<br />
Back to drawers- The most common drawers are Chest of drawers, however there are lots of other drawer types with different methods of moving. listed below are the main types.<br />
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<strong>Solid chest of drawers</strong>- generally you can leave the drawers loaded as long as its just clothes or bedding etc, if the chest is too heavy the crew can take out drawers if they need to.<br />
<strong>Chipboard chest of drawers</strong> - Generally you will need to pack the drawer contents as the weight may put pressure on the cabinet joints and may collapse.<br />
<strong>Dressing tables</strong>- Generally the same as above however there needs to be extra care required especially if the two sides of the dressing table are poorly bridged. A tip for carrying dressing tables that are weak is to carry them upside down with the drawers taken out.<br />
<strong>Divan Beds-</strong> you need to pack the contents of the bed drawers as the bed will be stored on its end on the lorry and smaller items will fall out, also it will be to heavy. The only exception to this rule is for large bulky items such as duvets.<br />
<strong>Desks</strong>- By definition the drawer contents will be paperwork and stationary and therefore need to be packed. You can if you really want leave the contents in, if the drawer can be removed during transit. If you know in advance that you want to leave the drawers packed due to a filing system etc, you could put a carrier bag over the drawer and then tape the contents in.<br />
<strong>Filing cabinets</strong>- If the cabinet is being moved from ground floor to ground floor you can generally leave the contents in as the cabinet can be put on a sack barrow. If the cabinet is being moved up steps you will need to pack the contents, unless the drawers come out. <br />
<strong>Wall units/Sideboards-</strong> Unless the contents are fragile you can usually leave the drawers packed.<br />
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As with all the above there are 2 important issues to remember, firstly if you unpack drawers unnecessarily you will be increasing the volume of the load and this may have a bearing on moving and <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/essex-storage">storage costs</a>, and secondly you may be making work for yourself.<br />
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If you have any questions or queries about any of your drawers or anything else for that matter, just give our friendly office a call on 01277 653268 or visit our website and read our <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/moving-guide">removal moving guide</a> which gives invaluable information for your removal preparation.A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-47803261429970581262011-07-12T07:02:00.000-07:002011-07-12T07:02:22.216-07:00What happens when the Removal lorry is too big?Horses for courses is a very good motto when it comes to the subject of access for large vehicles. We receintly carried out a <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">domestic removal</a> from Billericay to Chard in Somerset, which in itself is nothing out of the ordinary. However, on this occasion when the lorry arrived at the lane they needed to deliver in, there was no way it would fit! <br />
The crew found the house but it was about a quarter of a mile down the lane! What now?<br />
Under normal circumstances when the move is arranged these problems are discussed but our customer was renting and didn`t know the exact property. We quoted based on reasonable access, this was obviously not that. The other point is how does a customer know if the vehicle will fit or not?<br />
There was no point in playing the blame game there was a lorry to unload, and a big one at that!<br />
The first person to arrive at the scene said "you wont get up there with that!" -useful info! The second was a plumber in a van who after being questioned by the crew said he knew someone that may be able to help, someone who does removals and has a small van. He would give him a call and let us know.<br />
We were going to have to trans-ship the load! For this operation to be a success it needed to be just the right van, big enough so there are not too many shuttle runs, but not too big, for obvious reasons!<br />
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</div>The crew waited and pondered their dilemma. Shortly after the plumbers call, Matt called and said "this is your knight in shining armour!" Matt`s company (<a href="http://www.oandhremovals.co.uk/">O & H Removals of Chard-Somerset</a>) turned out to be a reputable remover in the area who knew the lane we were in, and said he was on his way. That's what you call a result! <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Not only was his van was perfect for the job, but he got there quick. The next problem was the trans-ship area, no problem, luckily there was a club/pub at the end of the lane and the owner agreed to us using the far side of his car park to use. I don't think we were the first to need it. He even came out with a cup of tea for the crew! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dg-9ZXymlMc/ThwtiRNBp6I/AAAAAAAAAGY/tt4GMOLLtmA/s1600/Perry+St+Club%252C+Chard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dg-9ZXymlMc/ThwtiRNBp6I/AAAAAAAAAGY/tt4GMOLLtmA/s200/Perry+St+Club%252C+Chard.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perry Street Club-Chard</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When you trans-ship it involves carefully unloading the host lorry into the shuttle van, using the care and attention you would in a standard move, this takes time, it also requires a clever strategy to ensure the van is being constantly used to shuttle. This was achieved and the move was completed albeit delayed by about 3 hours.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0zHxxgGPUaI/ThxFtNQ3I4I/AAAAAAAAAGk/oi0tXNn6fnQ/s1600/General+04+july++2011+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0zHxxgGPUaI/ThxFtNQ3I4I/AAAAAAAAAGk/oi0tXNn6fnQ/s200/General+04+july++2011+013.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZRbbHvQe44/ThxEvKDiRwI/AAAAAAAAAGg/_N41odsxSVM/s1600/General+04+july++2011+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZRbbHvQe44/ThxEvKDiRwI/AAAAAAAAAGg/_N41odsxSVM/s200/General+04+july++2011+012.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_0QJI0cUC4/ThxEfmOk8RI/AAAAAAAAAGc/OVZgHYysFWI/s1600/Trans-ship+Removal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_0QJI0cUC4/ThxEfmOk8RI/AAAAAAAAAGc/OVZgHYysFWI/s200/Trans-ship+Removal.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The trans-ship In progress.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">There were only 4 trips required, it could have been far worse, especially if he turned up in a panel van. Steve and Dan even got into the spirit by taking up a few items themselves-</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIIHdCf9Wfc/ThxHfpfr9DI/AAAAAAAAAGw/AVmi9Wf_D7w/s1600/Dan+taking+a+ladder+that+doesn%2560t+fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIIHdCf9Wfc/ThxHfpfr9DI/AAAAAAAAAGw/AVmi9Wf_D7w/s200/Dan+taking+a+ladder+that+doesn%2560t+fit.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L40xsahto6w/ThxHM7-8jtI/AAAAAAAAAGs/RQ1wS-ay2Ls/s1600/Steve+taking+a+bike+to+save+space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L40xsahto6w/ThxHM7-8jtI/AAAAAAAAAGs/RQ1wS-ay2Ls/s200/Steve+taking+a+bike+to+save+space.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally I would like to thank O & H removals and also the staff at the Perry Street Club for their help in our hour of need. I don't think the customer was aware of how bad the situation could have been if we hadn't had the help we received.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The story could have had a nasty twist as Matt's wife was due to give birth any time so he may have had to shoot off at any time! I'm sure the crew would have tried to persuade him to leave his van! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Hope it all went well Matt.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> </div>A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-1564771951815146852011-06-13T04:12:00.000-07:002011-06-13T04:12:47.462-07:00With so many packing options available when moving house, why consider packing yourself?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">moving house</a> many people will consider having professionals pack for them. This is a very sensible decision as it is an extremely hard and backbreaking job, that can often overwhelm you<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>especially towards the end. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s usually too late when people realise they have made a mistake.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Packing your house up into boxes is an extremely skilled job and very hard work, items will be <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>uninsured if you find there are a few breakages when you unpack.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> One of the main problems of packing yourself is that you will find that you need to leave large amounts of packing until the last few days such as kitchen and bedroom items. This poses a problem as you will invariably run out of time and possibly <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/removal-boxes">packing materials</a> as well. Your removers will not take kindly to being greeted by half filled boxes and a delay waiting for the last items to be packed. They may even charge you additional fees for any delays as a result. In our unique moving report “the top ten removals and storage disasters to avoid” <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118522.html">chapter 5 about packing</a> illustrates this in great detail. </span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ulm98oNdiSA/TfXuarWPz8I/AAAAAAAAAGI/K9PVcULIV6g/s1600/A+J+Stephenson+Packing+Crew.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ulm98oNdiSA/TfXuarWPz8I/AAAAAAAAAGI/K9PVcULIV6g/s320/A+J+Stephenson+Packing+Crew.bmp" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of our packers- Jane,Julie,Wendy & Lisa.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If on the other hand you opt for a <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/removal-boxes/packing-services">packing service</a>, you will usually be faced with 2 options- Full packing and glass and china packing. We are in an enviable position where we can offer a much wider range of options to suit most needs. Listed below are the packing options we provide and a brief summary of what’s included.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Standard Full Pack -</span></u></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Packing all household items into boxes & bags.<u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Premium Full pack -</span></u></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As above plus garage, shed and curtains if required.<u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Standard China & Glass Pack -</span></u></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All china Glass items including everyday china, cookware, lamps, pictures & mirrors. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Premium Glass & China<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-</span></u></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>above but with the kitchen and utility included.<u></u></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Standard Unpack -</span></u></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Boxes & bags unpacked onto surfaces or floor, and removal of old packing materials. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Premium Unpacking -</span></u></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As above but including placing of items to customer specification, making beds and hovering up!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So for example if you find that you are too busy to move you could book yourself into a hotel for a couple of days leaving instructions and a key with our head packer and leave the rest to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You won’t even have to make the bed when you go home to your new house!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is not everyone’s cup of tea but it is more common than you would think. Some people are just happy to have some help and choose to have a standard china & glass pack benefitting from the added insurance protection that’s is included.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For information on any of our packing services visit our website for information on our <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/removal-boxes/packing-services"><u>packing services</u>.</a></span></span></div>(If you think you have the right qualities to join our friendly packing crew please apply on our <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/jobs">removal jobs</a> page using our application form.)A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-55642860261663974122011-05-10T07:20:00.000-07:002011-05-10T07:20:42.249-07:00Where have the removal boxes gone?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For many years people moving themselves could find cardboard boxes at a number of places most commonly supermarkets. Due to environmental legislation these companies need to be seen to re-cycle more and as a result do not have as many cardboard boxes available for people to collect. This subject is explained in depth by storage.co.uk in their recent blog "<a href="http://www.storage.co.uk/blog/2011/05/should-you-pay-for-cardboard-boxes/">should you pay for removal boxes?</a> "</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are many box providers in the UK today and a large number of these are self storage sites. In their blog post storage.co.uk mention that a typical medium box can cost anything between £2.90 and £4.34, quite a price variation. Our boxes in comparison are £2.75 for a med box and as low as £2.39 if you buy 10 or more, furthermore they are boxes that are used in the removals industry and are extremely strong. It is worth asking if the boxes you are thinking of buying on line or from a self store site are single or double walled, and if they are double walled if they are strong. Our boxes can be used more than once as they are so robust. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We sell a wide range of packing materials from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bX-hRHqwWE">our shop</a> next to Billericay Railway station or you can buy direct from our on line store <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=64">Essex Removal Boxes</a> as long as the delivery address is in Essex.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">See our shop prices below and our online prices (Which has some special offers for void fill and wardrobe cartons)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XKM3W6t0oIc/TckcQnOaeHI/AAAAAAAAAGA/3NJdUlYFkB8/s1600/Essex+Removal+Boxes+Price+list.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XKM3W6t0oIc/TckcQnOaeHI/AAAAAAAAAGA/3NJdUlYFkB8/s400/Essex+Removal+Boxes+Price+list.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All these products are used in the removals industry and therefore will be all you need. It is worth mentioning that a professional removal company will supply all the packing materials you need and this is an important factor to consider when you are thinking whether to move yourself or not. There are many other problems with moving yourself and they are outlined in great detail in chapter 10 of our moving report - "The Top Ten Removal & Storage Disasters to Avoid" and would be worth looking at if you are undecided wether to move yourself or employ a professional. Follow this link to see the chapter "<a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/1181010.html">if nothing else remember this one!</a>" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The trend for increased cardboard prices and availability will continue and the desire to find a solution to meet peoples budget will remain. This is one reason why a professional removal company that is accredited would be the best option when <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">moving house</a>, if you decide you want to move yourself then at least make sure that the boxes you buy are as strong as possible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-15130639510672180032011-04-13T02:37:00.000-07:002011-04-13T02:37:07.733-07:00Do you want to pay for your house removal twice? No? Then read this first.Like most things in life, unforeseen charges are really annoying, especially when they are out of your control. Take for example the additional costs that you could incur if your flight was cancelled because of striking air traffic controllers, and the next flight costs you double the original flight. <br />
Or when you find you have to pay your solicitors fees for someone else's incompetence. There are many examples of this and in most instances Insurance can offer the solution to the problem. <br />
The <a href="http://ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">removals</a> industry is no exception, particularly so, as you are often relying on other people involved, there are usually estate agents, solicitors, banks and bureaucracy to contend with as well as local councils, surveyors and government departments. You can see how there is the potential for a last minute hold up or disaster!<br />
In most cases your solicitor will ensure that the removal date is agreed and fixed and once exchange of contracts has taken place this is usually so. However, there are unforeseen scenarios that can change the date or even cancel it all together. <br />
Once you have exchanged contracts it is usually assumed that the date agreed is definite, but there are occasions where this is not always the case. Take for example the possibility that someone in the chain is taken seriously ill or injured a few days before the removal day, and are physically not able to prepare in time for the agreed date, the completion day may need to be put back a week or so. Or that someone in the chain changes their mind and is prepared to loose their deposit rather than go ahead with the move. Or there is a bereavement and the probate will complicate things and will also involve a delay. There are many other unlikely reasons why the move could be postponed or cancelled but the point is they are there. Most people don't ever have a problem but for some it can be very costly indeed. Most removers will have postponement and cancellation fees in place. Some companies are allot tougher than others and it is always important to find out what they are before entering into a contract. <br />
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A typical example would be as follows- (some will charge higher percentages over longer periods of time)<br />
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Cancellation Postponement fees- from Removal day.<br />
4-7 Days Notice 50% of Total Fee`s<br />
3 Days Notice 75% of Total Fee`s<br />
1-2 Days notice 90% of Total Fee`s<br />
Less than 24hrs 100% of Total Fee`s<br />
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So as you could imagine these costs could be considerable, and although you could claim the costs from the party involved it may be a difficult process to obtain compensation. So if for a small fee you could cover these costs should they arise, would you take the chance? Well it all comes down to the type of person you are, but I would strongly suggest you consider it, as it could well pay in the long run. Especially when you consider how stressful the whole moving experience can be, and particularily if your the type of person that thinks that if anything could go wrong it will for me! <br />
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It is important to remember this cover is only if your move is agreed and contracts have been exchanged or the rental papers have been signed and accepted. Its not available if the move date is provisional and you haven't exchanged contracts.<br />
This cover is not to be confused with the `<a href="http://ajstephensonremovals.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-waiting-time-charges-waiver-and.html">Waiting Time Charges Waiver</a>` which covers you on the removal day for charges you may incur if there is a delay in the release of your keys.A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-33468806419499545562011-03-07T08:24:00.000-08:002011-03-07T08:29:34.202-08:00What protection can you expect when moving house?Protection can mean several things. Protection from <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118118.html">rouge removers</a>, protecting you with <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118379.html">insurance</a> or physical protection of your furniture and property. Ill cover the latter in this post.<br />
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Moving house is probably one of the most stressful things you can ever do in your life, it can also be one of the most expensive! People employ professionals throughout the whole moving process from <a href="http://www.thepropertyspecialists.co.uk/index.html">Estate Agents</a>, Solicitors, <a href="http://www.palmerandharris.com/">Home Stagers</a>, Mortgage Brokers and Surveyors to Builders, Plumbers, Security companies and <a href="http://www.derbycarpetcleaners.co.uk/">carpet fitters and cleaners</a>. Only the best? Of coarse! but why do some people try and save a bit of money on the most important part of it all- Looking after your cherished items on moving day? You've got expensive, sofas TV`s Mattresses etc etc so why do people use unregulated removers or man and van services just to save a few quid? When in reality they are just setting themselves up for a potential nightmare!.<br />
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Sorry don't mean to go off on one! but seriously when you ask someone to move you from A-B, everything in your home, pack it up and put it all on a lorry and then move it into your new home, you can imagine that if not done correctly they could end up causing allot of damage if not handled correctly.<br />
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The first thing to do is pick an accredited remover either British association of Removers or <a href="http://www.ngrs.co.uk/">National Guild of Removers and Storers Ltd</a> (These are the only two). Preferably that have been recommended to you, but certainly have been established for several years and have <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20&Itemid=17#content">testimonials</a> available. The next thing to do is ask what protection they will offer for your furniture and property.<br />
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Most <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">professional removal companies</a> will have the following:-<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Covers for your Doors, Bannister's and Carpets. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sofa and Armchair Covers </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hanging Garment Carriers </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Mattress Covers</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dining Table and Chair Covers</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Wide screen TV covers</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Piano Covers</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--OakR0PcVTg/TXT9mltRhgI/AAAAAAAAACk/eJf49hWFLS0/s1600/Dining+Table+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" q6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--OakR0PcVTg/TXT9mltRhgI/AAAAAAAAACk/eJf49hWFLS0/s200/Dining+Table+Cover.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining Table Cover</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sofa and Armchair Covers</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As well as all these specialist covers there will be hundreds of Removal Blankets to protect anything else. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When Moving House you want to cover as many bases as possible, ask about these type of covers when getting quotes, it may save you lots of upset later on! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-7251435638747800962011-02-13T14:40:00.000-08:002011-02-13T14:40:36.895-08:00Paying for a removal and packing service? What`s left for you to do? Deciding to let your remover do the packing aswell as the moving is a really good idea. The <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118522.html">advantages of this are many</a> but there is still lots for you to do.<br />
If you are moving direct from house to house locally there are less considerations than if you are moving overseas with a term in storage.<br />
By deciding to have the packing done for you, you can focus on other things such as de-cluttering. <br />
Spend the time before the packers arrive to dispose of unwanted items you dont want in the new house. There are several methods to achieve this:-<br />
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<strong>Dump rubbish</strong>- Take to recycle centre or civil amenity site, or hire a skip if there is a large amount. A tip here is to always get a larger skip than you think you need as it will work out cheaper than getting a second smaller skip. (and theres usually more than you think!) We use <a href="http://www.ahern.co.uk/services/skip-hire">Ahern Skips</a> who cover the whole of Essex.<br />
<strong>Unwanted furniture</strong>- There are several ways of dealing with these items, either break up and skip, arrange for the council to collect (they will usually charge a small fee and you will need to leave the items on the boundary of the property.) They will usually only take a few items, (Handy if its an old sofa and cooker!) Talk to your remover about this, they may well offer to carry them out for you. Or consider a charity shop or if its valuable an auction. We reccommend <a href="http://www.lighthousefurniture.org/default.asp">Lighthouse charity</a> and <a href="http://www.chelmsfordauctionrooms.co.uk/">Chelmsford Auction Rooms</a>. Many people also use ebay and <a href="http://www.freecycle.org/group/UK/">Freecycle</a> as another way of disposing of items.<br />
<strong>Brick a brack-</strong> Smaller items such as books toys china etc are always welcome in your local charity shop, or if you want to make some money why not try <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/">Ebay</a> or why not do a garage sale this can be a lot of fun and a way of getting the kids involved and poss earning some additional pocket money!<br />
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Now you've disposed of unwanted items you can focus on all the things you need to do In preparation for moving see our <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=18#content">Removal Guide</a> for info on what you need to do. You may have decorating or building work planned for the new house so you may be interested in taking advantage of a <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=18#content">Mobile Self Storage</a> option which will solve this problem, or if you don't want to lift the items yourself arrange with your remover to <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38:containerised-storage&catid=2:storage&Itemid=8#content">store it for you.</a><br />
When its a few days to go make sure that you know where you want things to go. For example you may want the study items currently in Bedroom 4, put in an outbuilding at the new house. (You don`t want to find all your files are in a bedroom when you need them outside). If there is a difference of locations label the room or leave instructions, as the packers can only label where items have come from not where they are going to.<br />
Finally the day your packers arrive allocate areas where you can accumulate items you don't want packed, I recommend on the beds for clothes bags & essentials (as the packers will not pack the bedding being used, until the moving day!) one bathroom/ en suite for toiletries and an area of the kitchen work surface for other essentials such as kettle, bottle sterilizer chargers etc.. Make sure you have remembered to separate important items such as medicines, keys & paperwork required at short notice. Make sure you keep aside any floor plans or instructions for the removers.<br />
When the packers arrive show them the areas that you have allocated for the items that are not to be packed and then leave them to it! <br />
By now you have probably had your decision to get a packing service confirmed, and if you have also asked the removers to do the dismantling you have nothing left to do, except Relax!A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-80268008743309087822011-02-01T03:50:00.000-08:002011-02-01T03:50:57.547-08:00What is a waiting time charges waiver? And why do you need it?When <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">moving home</a> you may come across one of these. The whole reason for their existence is because the completion day process is so outdated.<br />
When you buy a new property you could well find there is a delay in the money being transferred through the chain especially if you are some way along. This can be very frustrating as you have waited so long for your new property and after weeks of legal work there is still a delay in releasing keys on the day!<br />
This whole scenario is one that has dogged the removals industry for years and caused stress and expense for many people for many years, but why does it happen?<br />
Once Exchange of contracts has taken place the move is certain and a completion day is fixed, at this time you can confirm the day with your remover. Hopefully prior to that you have provisionally booked this date as you may find that your chosen remover is booked. (see my previous post- <a href="http://ajstephensonremovals.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-is-best-day-for-moving-house.html">"What is the best day for moving house?"</a> ) At that point all the contracts are in order, all the lending has been agreed the searches and surveys complete so it is just a simple task of sending the money through the chain so everyone can move in. Sounds simple? It should be but for some reason there is usually a delay in the money being released from the first time buyer and further delays from solicitor to solicitor. With today's technology and instant bank transfers this should all be done in a matter of minutes!! Unless anyone can explain to me the logical reason for this I am going to put it down to the interest the banks & solicitors gain from having large sums on deposit for short lengths of time. There can be no other reason for it, as all the donkey work has been done weeks before.<br />
This is where the waiting time charges waiver can be very useful as you pay an upfront fee (usually between £30-£50) and it will cover you against waiting time charges your remover may charge you. We typically charge £20 per staff member per hour or part thereof after 2pm. So for example if we are all ready to unload outside your new house before 2pm and have 3 crew members present and you finally arrive with the keys at 3.30pm you would be liable for an additional £120 + VAT. (4.20pm would be £180 + VAT) If you have taken out the waiver this would be covered.<br />
We always clearly put our charges on our quotes and offer a waiver, however, some removers are not so open so its a good idea to find out the companies policy for waiting time and preferably get it in writing if it isn't clearly stated in the terms and conditions. For more info on this subject and other problems associated with the small print see <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118888.html">number 8</a> of my report "The Top Ten Removals and Storage Disasters to avoid!"<br />
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I hope that has explained what a waiting time charges waiver is and why you may need it. Please remember it is only applicable if you are buying a house and not renting or <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=2&Itemid=8#content">moving into store.</a>A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-78591844589705583532011-01-14T04:18:00.000-08:002011-01-14T04:18:41.232-08:00Packing for house staging.Kat MacKinnon at <a href="http://www.homemiracles.co.uk/">Home Miracles</a> requested a topic for this post- "System to pack your stuff to be stored away, so that it is easy to find and access an item if needed"<br />
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House staging is becoming increasingly popular in today's housing market. Sellers are looking at ways of creating an impression in the minds eye of potential buyers. This technique is important when there is a shortage of buyers but also in the opposite market where better sale prices can be achieved.<br />
In a previous post "<a href="http://ajstephensonremovals.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html">is Mobile Self Storage the best house staging tool?</a>" I described how mobile self Storage can be used to store effects for staging with minimal hassle for the customer, however, the difficulty can often be what to store?<br />
The most common items to be stored are items of furniture with associated effects to create a feeling of space or to change a study/ dining room to an additional bedroom. <br />
less obvious items are harder to judge and may require some professional advice on selecting personal effects that could be packed to create an impact. There is a home staging <a href="http://homestagingmakeoverbasildon.eventbrite.com/">workshop in Basildon</a> on Monday 17/1/11 , which may give you some really helpful ideas. <br />
Once you have identified the items you want to store you will need some packing materials which can be purchased from <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=12#content">our office</a> in Billericay. You will also need to work to a system that will simplify the retrieval of items should you need to do so. <br />
The obvious thing to do is label the box with its contents or number it, and keep a detailed inventory, being careful not to loose it! Whether you are storing in a storage room or in a mobile self storage unit it would be advisable to identify the most likely items that you may need returned and keep them in the most accessible place. It would be a good idea to scan any inventories and keep an on line copy as well as a hard copy.<br />
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If you are not sure about the external storage option you could pack and store in your loft, shed or garage being mindful of the possibility of damp. Many <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">removal companies</a> will offer advice on <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31:packing-services&catid=1:removals&Itemid=7#content">packing</a> and supply packing materials, it may be the best option if you don't want to do the hard work yourself.A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-14800133938062525922010-12-19T13:57:00.000-08:002010-12-19T13:57:28.530-08:00What is the best day for moving house?A difficult question? well not really! <br />
The best day for moving house is the day your preferred remover can fit you in!<br />
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With all the many considerations when moving house, the stresses and strains of hoping the exchange goes through you may be forgiven for not worrying about what day the actual removal day falls on.<br />
You will usually be informed by your solicitor what the completion day will be and at that point you will go to your chosen removal company and inform them of your moving day. This can often lead to disappointment as they are fully booked, your next favoured remover are also fully booked and so on and so forth until you have to settle for a man and van/lorry operator to fit you in. (That opens up a whole new can of worms, not for this post though)<br />
Solicitors are not really concerned about the completion day (removal day) all they have to do is make sure the money moves from one account to another. The busier the completion day the more problems there are, so should be avoided.<br />
The busiest day of the week is Friday. The end of the month is always busier than the beginning so combine the two and the last Friday of the month is the busiest day of the month. Listed below are 8 reasons why this day should be avoided.<br />
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1. Its unlikely you will secure the services of your preferred remover.<br />
2. If short notice you may only be left with cowboy operators. (<a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/118118.html">how do you spot a cowboy</a>?)<br />
3. You are more likely to pay a premium and not be able to negotiate a reduction.<br />
4. There will be more completions for the solicitors so you are more likely to have a late key release.<br />
5. If you have late key release you may have to pay waiting time charges.<br />
6. Some removers may hire vans and agency workers to cover the demand - reduced quality.<br />
7. If there is a problem with the completion you will have to wait until Monday to get it resolved.<br />
8. The Estate Agent may have alot of activity and may cause a delay in the release of keys.<br />
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So what do you do?<br />
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The first thing to do is do your homework and get removal quotations nice and early and decide which company you want to move with. Once you have identified them let them know you want to move with them and explain the stage you are at with your move. You may be surprised at how much <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=18#content">help and advice</a> you can get from a good remover. <br />
You may have some idea of when the move may take place even if you haven't exchanged contracts, your remover will let you know the dates around that time that are available. <br />
Armed with this information contact your solicitor and ask if the time frame is accurate and that you want to move on the suggested date. (Someone in the chain will suggest a date that everyone else works towards, why don't you be that person?) Once agreed let your remover know that's the date your working towards and they will provisionally book for you. This will hold the resources they need, but will not commit you until nearer the time, usually seven days before the date.<br />
This approach will save you allot of unnecessary stress and will give you the best hope for a trouble free move.<br />
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Everything above is to do with completion day moves, If you are moving to or from a rented property or moving into or out of storage you will have more flexibility and therefore more chance of getting the date and remover you want. Our current <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=15#content">special offer</a> is proof of this. A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-60383555588945934282010-11-08T09:20:00.000-08:002010-11-08T09:24:44.952-08:00Surviving Removal Day!Removal day has the potential to be one of the worst days of your life. When in reality it should be one of the happiest. There a a few things you can do to shift the balance in favour of happy and I will try to outline a few of them here.<br />
Whether you are moving yourself or paying for the full service there are obstacles in front of you that you may not be aware of.<br />
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<strong>Scenario 1.</strong> You are moving yourself. Make sure you plan well in advance, especially if you are buying and selling. (there`s usually less stress if your moving from or to a rented property as you can usually work in an overlap which will give you the time to spread the move.) In completion day moves you will have time constraints and you are exposed to the biggest stress of all- holding up the chain. This can involve alot of bad feeling and also expense. See an example of what can happen <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/1181010.html">here</a>.Make sure you have prepared yourself and completed the packing and dismantling the day before, maybe even sleep on the mattress to save time with dismantling the bed. Hire the van the day before (you can usually pick it up late without additional charges) this will give you a massive head start as leaving it until moving day will dramatically reduce the loading time. You can even start loading the evening before and certainly first thing on moving day. Know what van you are going to need. Very important indeed. You could be paying for a bigger van than you really need or getting one that's far too small. There are many space calculators on Removal web sites and I would suggest you use one of these to help you decide. <br />
As a rough guide a panel van will hold 200-400 cubic feet a luton van will hold 400-600 cubic feet and a 7.5 ton lorry will hold 800-1200 cubic feet. My <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/spacecalculater.html"><span style="color: purple;">space calculator</span></a> can be found here it will be helpful but you must build in an error margin and always go for slightly larger vehicle than you think.<br />
Make sure you have plenty of old cardboard and blankets to protect items and make sure you have enough help at hand. You can buy specialist covers from most removers and some packaging companies, you may be able to hire blankets and trolleys as well.<br />
There are many other considerations, and I will be happy to advise you if you want some help, I can even sell you those covers, packing materials and hire you a few blankets etc.<br />
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<strong>Scenario 2. </strong>You book a removal company. You have increased your chances of a happy experience especially if you have booked a packing service as well.<br />
Most removers will take care of all the last minute packing and dismantling but you will need to get this in writing. If you are packing yourself you will be expected to pack the last bits, but you will usually have plenty of time while loading takes place. As with any service if you don't have a good recommendation or you totally trust the remover you will definitely increase your protection and happiness if you book a remover who is a member of the 2 dedicated removal trade associations in the UK- The National Guild of Removers and Storers(NGRS) and the British Association of Removers (BAR) also look out for Ombudsman Protection as this will provide the ultimate protection.<br />
It may sound odd but paying in advance will increase your protection, as its harder to be let down at the last minute if you have a credit card slip a receipt and a confirmation letter. In a competitive market it is possible that an unregulated remover or man and van type service may take a higher paid job at the last minute and literally drop the cheap move (you) at short notice possibly even on the morning of your move. Now there`s a recipe for one of the worst days of your life!<br />
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Other tips for moving day bliss are- keep young children and animals away, they will be unhappy about the whole experience and will almost certainly be in the way and in danger. Read all your meters the day before as this is often forgotten in the rush. Ask the removers to clear a room at a time so you can clean behind them. Call your solicitor before 12 noon as they or another solicitor in the chain is likely to be on an extended lunch break after that. Say you are loaded and you want an update on the cocompletion. Its true to say that the one that make the most noise gets dealt with first, don't be pushy but just ask nicely if you can get the keys yet as you are ready. (This could save you waiting time charges if the delay is extended.)<br />
Removers have large vehicles! so think about the parking for the morning, possibly park cars outside to reserve spaces for the truck. Inform your neighbours as they may be inconvenienced. Make up a last minute box with all those last minute items you will need such as medicines, keys,phone chargers kettle etc! and don't let the removers get hold of it!<br />
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There are alot of common sense things you can do, and I have only scratched the surface but you can always ask me any specific questions you may have, or you could read my detailed report "The Top Ten Removal and storage Disasters to Avoid" which is available from my <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">website </a> . You will need to provide your email and name, the report will be sent to you over 10 days.<br />
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Thanks for reading and good luck with your move!<br />
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Alan StephensonA J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-6955907031172436742010-10-11T03:33:00.000-07:002010-10-11T03:33:16.473-07:00Is Mobile Self Storage the best house staging tool?To sell in today's housing market you need to have something special, something that will stand out in the viewers mind. It has always been the case that house staging can enhance the chances of selling your property, but today this is never more the case. There are many ways of house staging and there are many house stagers around, we have worked with <a href="http://www.stagedmoves.com/">Staged Moves in Essex</a>, although there are many around that will offer a similar service. <br />
One of the main ways of house staging is to remove clutter and furniture to maximise the effect to a potential buyer, historically this would involve a man and van or a hire van and a trip to a self store facility. As you can imagine this is a real hassle and is often decided against. There is a solution to this dilemma, what if the self store room could be brought to your front door? Impossible? Well its not, there is a solution called <a href="http://www.simplystore.com/">Mobile Self Storage</a> The storage room, in the form of a mobile storage unit (MSU) is brought to your property inside a trailer and left for you to load. This is really convenient as you will get enough time to load up and secure your MSU. Each MSU comes with 15 blankets for protecting your goods and can be secured with 2 padlocks. The other benefit is that your goods will be handled once as opposed to multiple times if accessing a room in a self store site. You can also purchase packing materials in advance or on the day from the `mini bar` secured to each trailer. Items such as mattress covers and sofa covers can be purchased.<br />
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This system of house staging we have found is more convenient and at a time where every detail is so important becoming a really useful service. The typical storage charges are lower than self storage sites and the collection charge is very reasonable at approximately £40 for a local collection. Insurance is usually included free up to £5,000 and £1 per £1,000 cover per month. For an illustration £10,000 cover with a self store company could be approx £30-£40 pcm compared to £5 mobile self storage.<br />
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There are many ways of helping to sell your property, I stumbled upon one this weekend when I decided to sort out the weeds coming through my block paving. I purchased a scraping tool and a bag of sweeping sand and went to work scraping the weeds and mud out and then sweeping the sand over the gaps. The end result was amazing my drive looked like new.(It needs to be a sunny day preferably) Things like that can make all the difference.<br />
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When you do get to the point of actually selling your property you will have already have completed one of the main jobs i.e. de-cluttering and you will be more organised for your forthcoming move. When getting quotes from <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">removal companies</a> it is really important that you look for companies that are accredited, and are members of either the Guild or the BAR.<br />
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Good luck with your sale and remember you need to stand out in a crowd! <br />
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Alan StephensonA J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-9575606969076956892010-09-04T04:10:00.000-07:002010-09-04T04:10:00.780-07:00Is Storage the answer in todays housing market?With all the uncertainty in the housing market at the moment its little wonder sellers are often under stress during the selling process. There are many reasons why people move home, some reasons will override any economic influence such as divorce, death or job change, however the majority of moves in the UK are largely voluntary, ranging from the addition of a child, wanting more room, to the ultimate extreme- a lottery win.<br />
The housing market has been affected by recent economic influences since as early as January 2008, and as such the majority of moves in this period, have been mostly the first group mixed in with a few of the second group depending on various conditions, such as election results, and interest rate or unemployment predictions. One thing certainly true is that the market is affected by the media and forecasts. This will vary from predictions of growth and lower than forecast unemployment figures to headline news that the mortgage lending for the last month was an all time low. This all affects confidence and this is what drives the market.<br />
The other main reason for the volatile market we are seeing at the moment is the shortage of first time buyers, a direct result of several factors such as the average house price, availability of finance and the tightening of mortgage lending and the removal of self certificated mortgages. This factor is causing the current uncertainty and lack of activity it is not however the root cause, this is down to things like the banks excesses of the last 10 years.<br />
Historically there was no shortage of first time buyers in a growing market when the banks were lending up to 125% mortgages, where the buy to let market was booming and landlords were usually the first time buyer. in the rare example that there was no first time buyer, or they pulled out, it would often be the case that someone at the top of the chain would buy at the bottom to enable the completion, knowing it would not be a problem selling soon after, and often for a tidy profit.<br />
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This is not the case in today's market. So when a seller has a complete chain including a first time buyer, they will be very keen to exchange contracts as the worry is that the chain could fall apart at any time. We have experience of this over the past few weeks and have found that from speaking to our customers they are saying this is the case.<br />
By <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=2&Itemid=8#content">going into storage</a> the seller is showing commitment to the sale and can wrap the deal up quicker. This will also enable them to be in a better buying position as they have now become the first time buyer and may have more leverage on price and availability because of this, they may be able to move quicker as they will be non dependant cash buyers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rl5Kl6Mu87Y/TIIYurpgedI/AAAAAAAAABI/LjSQfgnWR9s/s1600/A+J+Stephenson+Removals+%26+Storage,+Containerised+Storage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rl5Kl6Mu87Y/TIIYurpgedI/AAAAAAAAABI/LjSQfgnWR9s/s200/A+J+Stephenson+Removals+%26+Storage,+Containerised+Storage.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden Storage Containers on a specialist Removal Lorry. A Forklift loads and unloads from the lorry to reduce handling. An adjustable ramp is positioned for ease of loading.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rl5Kl6Mu87Y/TIIYWHpe8FI/AAAAAAAAABA/e_U-kiW70vE/s1600/Essex+Removal+Company,+A+J+Stephenson,+Containerised+storage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rl5Kl6Mu87Y/TIIYWHpe8FI/AAAAAAAAABA/e_U-kiW70vE/s200/Essex+Removal+Company,+A+J+Stephenson,+Containerised+storage.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden Storage containers stacked in our warehouse in Thurrock. All contents are protected and handled with care. </td></tr>
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If your considering storage with a rental property as an option to break the chain, it is worth considering the details carefully. Many people automatically assume they need a similar sized house to rent as the one they have sold, but if they can manage with a smaller house and put some of their furniture & effects into store the difference between the rental costs will be far greater than the storage costs, furthermore it will save the furniture and effects being unnecessary handled as containerised storage only requires handling twice, the same as a normal removal.<br />
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There are many options available when considering storage, but its use is certainly an answer to the uncertain housing market we are now experiencing.<br />
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So Is Storage the answer to today's housing market? I very much doubt it, but it could be a major help for some people in the situations described above.<br />
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For Information on our storage services please visit our Website <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/"> </a> <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk</a> <br />
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Alan Stephenson<br />
A J Stephenson Removals<br />
Billericay,<br />
EssexA J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-66266503012407095892010-08-16T09:45:00.000-07:002010-08-16T09:45:04.684-07:00A J Stephenson Removals: A J Stephenson Removals first blog!<a href="http://ajstephensonremovals.blogspot.com/2010/08/j-stephenson-removals-first-blog.html?spref=bl">A J Stephenson Removals: A J Stephenson Removals first blog!</a>: "Hello Welcome to my first blog. I have alot of interesting and useful subjects I want to discuss in the coming months but for now I will le..."A J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3707604100041726577.post-46580855743419505572010-08-16T07:30:00.000-07:002011-03-03T13:52:20.686-08:00A J Stephenson Removals first blog!Hello<br />
<br />
Welcome to my first blog. I have alot of interesting and useful subjects I want to discuss in the coming months but for now I will leave it short and simple.<br />
My company <a href="http://www.ajstephensonremovals.co.uk/">A J Stephenson Removals</a> has recently joined the moving etc group which is a dedicated site for accredited professionals in the moving industry including removers and estate agents etc. It is open to the public and would be an invaluable place for anyone considering moving home. see the site here- <a href="http://www.movingetc.tv/">http://www.movingetc.tv/</a><br />
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I will be able to offer information regarding removals, storage and packing as well as outlining potential problems encountered when moving home. <br />
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You will be able to find really useful information about all aspects of removals and storage in my unique report "The Top Ten Removals and Storage Disasters to avoid". This is an depth look at what really goes on in the industry, some is quite ugly! All you need to do is put your email and name in the form on my homepage or on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002025131453#!/AJStephensonEssexRemovalandStorageCompany?sk=app_7146470109">facebook page</a> the report will be delivered to you in daily chapters.<br />
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As founding members of the National Guild of Removers and Storers, and one of the few Ombudsman Approved Removers in Essex, you are guaranteed a quality service. My goal is to be known as the name to trust for anyone considering removals in Essex.<br />
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Alan StephensonA J Stephenson Removalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04781389821133104600noreply@blogger.com0