Moving home: Nearly a quarter put possessions at risk with simple oversight as most common moving mistakes revealed

A new study has found that nearly a quarter (23.1%) of home movers surveyed never use a professional removals company – a decision which leaves their possessions uninsured.[1] This means that, while saving on initial moving costs, these movers are putting all their possessions at risk, as anything damaged or lost in the move is uninsured and therefore costly to replace/repair.

The data comes from Go.Compare Home Insurance, as their experts remind movers that contents insurance often only remains valid during a move if a professional removals firm is used. Just under half (47.4%) of movers admitted that they were not aware of this stipulation. As a result, the comparison site is encouraging Brits to check their policy before they move so that they know what they are covered for and whether they might need extra protection.

Overall, the most made mistake when moving home is simply misplacing an item, with around a quarter (23.7%) of movers admitting something went missing.[2] Other frequent errors include an item being broken while in transit (21.1%) or an item being broken by dropping it (19.9%). 

A further 15.0% said that they forgot to label boxes, likely contributing to the substantial proportion who lost an item later down the line. Similarly, one in 10 (10.3%) said they did not allow enough time to load and unload their belongings, which could have caused some breakages due to them rushing the move. In contrast, just over a quarter (28.4%) boasted that they have never made an error when moving. 

Others confessed that they have forgotten to update their address when moving – half (50.5%) of those who’ve moved home before said they are guilty of making this slip up.[1] Despite being critical to maintaining their health, one in 10 (10.0%) said they have forgotten to tell doctors or dentists about their change of address - the most of anything on the survey.

These were not the only critical areas that are often being missed, with 8.7% admitting that they forgot to tell the DVLA. This could result in important information like fines going to the wrong address, as well as a fine of up to £1,000 for failing to notify them. TV licenses and electoral roll details have both been forgotten about by 8.1% of movers, while 6.4% have forgot to update their address on their national insurance. 

Nathan Blackler, home insurance spokesperson at Go.Compare, said: “Moving home is a stressful time, so there’s always a chance that you could slip up at some point along the way, whether that’s forgetting to update your address on something or leaving an item behind. 

“For this reason, it’s strongly worth considering using a removals company for your move if you can. As well as taking the heavy lifting out of moving, contents insurance policies will only cover your possessions during a move if you use a professional removals firm. So, while doing a DIY move might cut costs at first, you could lose out in the long-term if something goes wrong. 

“We’d also strongly recommend making a checklist to help you prepare for your move, including everything you need to pack, anything you need to update and anything else you need to organise to ensure a smooth move. This will minimise the chances of something being missed, especially if you cross things off the list along the way.” 

More statistics and a moving home checklist on can be found on Go.Compare’s website.