Despite the continual efforts to improve the quality of moves and to provide excellent customer service that ‘exceeds customer expectations’, moving home still ranks as the number one most stressful life activity according to a study of 2,000 people by moving services comparison site Buzzmove.

41% claimed it was the most stressful activity they had experienced in their life, ahead of having major surgery (15 per cent) and getting married (13 per cent). 

 

Packing up items was deemed to be the most stress-inducing element of the process according to 55% of people, followed by being worried that precious items will be damaged by movers (32%) and concerns about the overall cost of the move (29%).   Other causes of stress included filling in removal companies’ lengthy inventory forms (13%) and the removers being late on the day of the move (17%). According to Buzzmove, its survey also showed that three out of five people say moving home was either more expensive or a lot more expensive than anticipated.

 

However, despite such large numbers of people admitting to finding moving home such a stressful experience, 1 in 3 (33%) never check to see what insurance policy their removal company has and 42% do not check to see if they are accredited by the British Association of Removers or another industry body.

 

Buzzmove’s founder and CEO Becky Downing commented, “It’s pretty shocking that despite so many people ranking moving home as their most stressful life experience over other distressing situations like having an operation, a huge number of Brits still do not check elementary things like which insurance policy their mover has.  It’s also significant that being worried about removal firms either being late or damaging their belongings is a key concern for movers as it would suggest that many are not up to the required standard.”  Becky went on to say that all the moving partners listed on Buzzmove.com are vetted and certified.

 

It is extraordinary, though, that with the professionalism of today’s movers customers still apparently find the whole process so traumatic. Could it be that too many of them, in an effort to cut costs, are trying to do too much of the work themselves and, therefore, making life much harder than it needs to be? And it is rather odd that people still think moving home is expensive when, compared with the other associated costs of moving (not least Stamp Duty), it’s trivial.

 

There is also the chance that it is the run-up to the move that is the prime cause of the stress.  Surely estate agents, vendors, purchasers, lawyers, local authorities and moaning family members must take at least some of the responsibility?

 

Interestingly, the majority of Brits (64%) say they argued with family members within the first two hours of moving day dawning.  Could it be that it is these arguments that are the cause of the stress, not anything the poor moving man is doing?

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Special offer from Buzzmove

 

Throughout the months of May and June Buzzmove, the price comparison site for moving services, is offering members and members-to-be reduced rates and the chance to win £50 for referrals.

 

During this period, Buzzmove is reducing its normal commission rates from 13% to just 5%.  The company is also offering £50 to any member company that refers a new member to Buzzmove.

 

More information from www.buzzmove.com