Removals has a season, and it is steeper than people expect
Moving is not evenly spread across the year. Summer dominates, winter empties out, and the difference shows up in three places that matter to you: what you pay, which dates you can get, and how much slack there is in the day if something goes wrong.
The broad pattern in the UK is consistent. August is the busiest month for household moves and January and February are the quietest. Within that, Friday is the most popular day, chosen by something like a quarter of households, because it hands you the weekend to unpack.
Add month ends, when tenancies and mortgages tend to line up, and you get a small number of dates that everybody wants. Late August, on a Friday, at the end of the month, is the single hardest slot in the calendar to book.
What peak season actually costs you
Not just money, though it is that as well.
Availability. Good firms fill their diaries first. In July and August the question stops being which company you prefer and becomes which company is free.
Price. Demand pricing applies here as it does anywhere. The same job is usually cheaper midweek in February than on a Friday in August.
Slack. This is the one people miss. In peak season a crew often has another job the following morning, and the whole chain, including solicitors and banks, is running at capacity. If your completion slips by three hours, there is less room to absorb it.
The quieter windows, and what you gain
January and February. The quietest months of the year. Best availability, most negotiating room, and conveyancers with capacity, though be aware that the Christmas and New Year period slows solicitors, lenders and the Land Registry considerably, so a January completion often reflects a December that stalled.
Midweek, mid-month. The single most effective change most people can make. A Tuesday in the middle of the month is calmer and often cheaper than a Friday at the end of it, and every part of the chain has more room.
Late autumn. November sits between the September rush and the Christmas shutdown, with reasonable daylight and less competition.
Moving in winter, honestly
Winter moving has real drawbacks and they are all manageable with a bit of thought.
- Daylight. In December you have useful light from roughly eight until four. An early start matters, and a torch in the essentials bag is not optional.
- Weather. Wet floors and slippery paths are the practical risk. Good crews bring floor protection anyway, but keep old towels by both doors.
- Heating. Make sure the heating works at the new property before you arrive rather than discovering the boiler is dead at seven in the evening.
- Frozen pipes. If a property has stood empty and unheated, check before you turn everything on.
- Christmas week. Solicitors, lenders and the Land Registry all run at reduced capacity, so completions bunch either side of it.
The upside is genuine: better availability, better prices, and a crew that is not on its fourth move of the week.
When you do not get to choose
Most people do not pick their moving date. A chain sets it, a tenancy ends, or a job starts. If that is you, the timing advice becomes something different.
Book as early as you legitimately can. Gather quotes when a date looks likely and confirm the moment you exchange. Most firms will not hold a slot before exchange, so speed at that point is what secures the date.
Tell the company if the chain is fragile. A firm warned in advance can plan around a slipping date far more easily than one told on the morning.
Ask what happens if the date moves. Rescheduling terms vary considerably, and peak season is exactly when a firm has least flexibility to re-book you.
Have a storage plan. If a completion fails on the day, the load has to go somewhere. Knowing in advance what that costs turns a crisis into an inconvenience.
Book the whole job with one company
One practical point from the old version of this article that still holds. If you need both a removal and storage, booking them together with the same firm usually works out cheaper and always works out simpler.
You get one point of contact, one insurance arrangement, and no handover between two companies at the moment things are most likely to go wrong. The crew that loads your belongings is the crew that stores them and delivers them back. Our guides to how container storage works and what all inclusive removals actually include cover both sides of that.
The same applies to materials. Most firms deliver boxes and wrapping to your door, which saves the trips to a shop, and you can usually order more mid-pack rather than running out on a Sunday.
Frequently asked questions
What is the busiest month for moving house in the UK? August, by a clear margin, with the summer months generally the busiest period. January and February are the quietest.
What is the cheapest time to move house? Midweek and mid-month, in the winter months, particularly January and February. Fridays, month ends, bank holidays and late August are the most expensive and the hardest to book.
Why do most people move on a Friday? It hands you the weekend to unpack and settle. Around a quarter of households move on a Friday, which is exactly why Fridays are the busiest and priciest day for removal firms.
How far in advance should I book a removal company? Four to six weeks normally, and longer for a summer or month end date. Most firms will not confirm until you have exchanged, so gather quotes early and book the moment the date is fixed.
Is it a bad idea to move in winter? No, provided you plan for short daylight, wet weather and the Christmas slowdown at solicitors and lenders. Availability and pricing are both better, and crews are less stretched.
Is it cheaper to book removals and storage together? Usually, and it is always simpler. One firm means one point of contact, one insurance arrangement, and no handover between companies.
Talk to us
RMV Storage & Removals has worked across London for over fifteen years through every season, with house and office removals, man and van work, packing services and materials and container storage delivered to your door, across every area we cover including Islington.
If your date is fixed and it falls in the busy season, tell us early. If it is flexible, we will tell you which weeks are cheaper. Get in touch.
Written by Riki Migliori, Director at RMV Storage & Removals. Originally published December 2016. Fully reviewed and updated summer 2026.