Man and Van in the UK

Finding a good man and van in the UK

A man and van is the small end of removals: one or two people with a Luton or long-wheelbase van, hired by the hour or the job, for flat and small house moves, single items, student moves, furniture collections and deliveries, office shifts, tip runs and the jobs a removals firm is too big for and a car is too small for. It is quicker to book, cheaper per hour and more flexible than a removals company, and the best operators are as careful with a piano as any firm; the worst are a bloke with a van and no insurance, which is the thing to check.

Choosing one comes down to the job and the cover: the van size for the load, a Luton with a tail lift for furniture and a standard van for boxes; one person or two, since sofas, wardrobes and stairs need two; goods-in-transit and public liability insurance, which a professional carries and will show; a waste carrier licence for tip runs, since the person who dumps your rubbish in a lay-by leaves you with the fine; and a written price by the hour with a minimum, or fixed for the job, including fuel, mileage, congestion charges and the return leg. Reviews with photographs and a fixed address settle the rest.

The listings here show each operator's reviews, vans and crew, services and coverage, insurance and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who does single items or full moves, and whose van people in your town book again.

What a man and van does

Small moves: flats, bedsits, student rooms and small houses, loaded, driven and unloaded by the hour, with packing help if asked.

Single items and collections: sofas, beds, wardrobes, appliances and pianos collected from shops, sellers and auctions and delivered and placed.

Deliveries and courier work: same-day and long-distance deliveries of the things couriers will not take, and eBay and marketplace collections.

Clearances and tip runs: house, garage and office clearances and rubbish to the tip by a licensed waste carrier.

Business: office moves and desk shifts, stock deliveries, exhibition and event transport, and regular runs on account.

Before you book a man and van

• Describe the job honestly: what, how much, which floors, parking at both ends; the price depends on it.
• Ask for goods-in-transit and public liability insurance and what the cover limit is.
• For a tip run, ask for the waste carrier licence number and check it on the Environment Agency register.
• Agree the price: hourly with a minimum, or fixed for the job, including fuel, mileage, tolls and the return.
• Ask how many people come; a sofa up two flights needs two.
• Be packed and ready; you are paying by the hour for someone to watch you tape boxes.

What a man and van costs in the UK

As a rough guide, one person and a van costs £30 to £50 an hour outside London and £45 to £70 in it, two people £50 to £80 an hour, usually with a two-hour minimum; a single item locally £40 to £90; a studio or one-bed flat move £150 to £350; a two-bed £250 to £500; a long-distance move by the mile at £1 to £2 plus loading time; a tip run £60 to £150 plus tip fees; and an office desk shift by the hour. Evenings, weekends, stairs and waiting time add to it; a removals firm for the same two-bed flat would be £400 to £800.

Two people for three hours costs less than one person for six, and nothing gets dropped on the stairs.