The most popular day to move home this year will be Friday 29th August, according to HomeOwners Alliance and reallymoving, and their research suggests the estate agent will be to blame for many delays in the moving process.
The analysis of over 700,000 removals quotes says four times more households than average planning to move home that date this year – some 22,386 – making it the busiest day of the year for removal companies for the last 13 years.
According to the HomeOwners Alliance, there are about 2.1 million moves a year in the UK, equating to an average of around 6,000 a day.
Another new survey of removal firms found that 85% of them say that moving day delays are more likely to occur on busy moving days. Estate agents and sellers get the blame for delays in 69% of cases by not being releasing the keys in time.
Other blames are aimed at:
- Delays in the transfer of funds by the conveyancer/ banking system on completion day (88%)
- Delays in the property chain causing a knock-on effect (67%)
- The seller not moving out on time (41%)
- The client not being fully packed up and ready to move (14%)
Commenting on the data, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, Paula Higgins, said: “Friday 29th August will be the year’s busiest moving day – but that also means the most stressful. If you can, avoid the rush. Moving midweek or outside peak season can save you money and hassle.”
Ian Studd, director general, British Association of Removers, added: “A successful move depends on everyone doing their part.”