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12 Things People Usually Forget To Do When Moving House

You may think what could you possibly forget when moving house, how could you possibly forget to pack things?

Well… most of the things that people often forget are actually things to remember and do in the lead up and process of the move rather than actually forgetting to pack items.

At Hackworthy & Sons we have put together a list of the things that people often forget to do when moving house, which will hopefully help others that are moving soon.

1. Notifying the relevant people of your move

First up, is notifying the relevant people of your move. People often talk about their house move with those that they see frequently as it is something that is going on in their lives. However, it could often be forgotten to inform those that live further away from you of your house move as these are likely people that you see less of in comparison to those you are with week to week.

2. Transferring school / medical records

If you are moving to a completely new location then you may be looking to move your children to a new school which is something that you have to prepare for in advance by visiting a range of schools to find the best ones for your children.

Although, if you are looking to keep your children in the same school, you must inform the school of you moving house to update your child's records with your new address.

The same goes with your medical records, if you are moving to a new location you may need to relocate to a different doctor's surgery, therefore you’d need to register to your chosen new surgery. You don’t want to get to the point where you need to visit the doctors when you realise that you have forgotten about this when moving.

3. Redirect mail

You may have informed all those relevant people of your house move, however there is always going to be someone that you may have forgotten to inform, most likely your amazon account or a shops mailing list that you’d like to keep updated with.

For this reason, it is really useful to have a mail redirect in place which will redirect any mail from your old address to your new one. This is then a good reminder for you to update your address with those people that have sent mail to your old address.

4. Defrosting your fridge / freezer

If you own a stand alone fridge/freezer and are planning on taking this with you when moving house. Don’t forget to defrost it, this can often be forgotten as you need to use it all the time, but is important so that you don’t end up with water spilling from it during the moving process. If you forget to defrost your fridge/freezer you may end up having to do this later than you’d like, meaning that you might end up having to manually speed up the defrosting time, taking up time that you could otherwise spend doing other things to move house.

5. Arranging a parking space for the removal van

It can be quite common when moving house for there to not be enough room for the removal van to fit down the driveway (and that’s if you have one!). So if you have a driveway that is too small for the removal van to fit or you don't have a driveway at all, you will need to arrange a parking space for the removal van on the road outside your home.

Arranging parking can often be something that people forget when moving house as they may not feel the need to measure the size of a driveway beforehand and end up finding out that the van doesn't fit upon arrival to the new house, when there is no parking on the road to unload the van.

6. Writing down meter readings

Why do I have to write down meter readings when moving house you may ask? By writing down the meter readings you can send these to your energy supplier both at the old house and the new house to ensure that you are not overcharged and receive an accurate last and first bill.


7. Packing an essentials box

Many people get caught up in the process of packing boxes that you can often forget to pack things in a separate box that you might need to access quickly at the new house. So, by packing a box of your essentials you can be sure to be able to easily access the things that you need and avoid having to go through all of your boxes to find the toolkit to put your furniture together.

8. Look after your pet

If you haven't already updated your address on the microchip of your pet, this is something that you must do to ensure that they come back to the correct address should they go missing.

However, it’s not just the paperwork that people can usually forget when moving house, but it can often be forgotten that moving can be stressful for pets as well as humans. You may want to consider arranging for somebody to look after your pet when you move to ensure that you don't have the added stress of keeping them calm. Not only that but it's also important to calmly introduce them into their new home, the PDSA provides some great tips on moving home with your pets, should you like any advice.


9. Inform your employer

When moving house you must remember to inform your employer of your new address. People may forget as they’ve been talking about their house move in work and assume that the employer will update their records accordingly. Although, it is important that you officially provide them with your new address in order for them to update your records and to update where your payslips are sent to if you receive these through the post.

10. Dont forget things you may have left at the dry cleaner or storage units

You may have carried out all of the things that people usually forget when moving house, but have you remembered to collect any items that you may have left at the dry cleaners, the seamstress or even a storage unit.

These are often forgotten as they are not in your house to remind you when you are packing up and the paperwork has probably been thrown into a drawer somewhere that you won't find until you have moved house and unpacked.

This is especially important to remember when relocating to another city or even country.

11. House plants

House plants become part of the furniture after a while and when packing up your house can be forgotten as it can begin to feel like they were there when you moved in.

Some UK removals companies may refuse to transport houseplants for you when moving house, and although you can transport the small ones by yourself, if you own larger plants this could be a struggle if you don't have a big enough car. Therefore you may want to research your removal company and find out if they will transport your plants.

If they don't you will need to plan how you are going to move them or if you need to sell them or donate them to a friend.

12. Packing up the storage areas in your house

Storage areas in your house such as the loft/attic is something people often forget about when moving house. As things that are stored in these areas are not often used very regularly so it's no surprise that people can forget to pack these areas when moving house.

If you forget about these when purchasing boxes for packing, you are likely to run out of boxes before you discover these….Or worse you might have moved by the time you remember that you have not bought certain items with you.


We hope this list of things that people usually forget to do will help you in the lead up to your house move and if you’re still looking for a UK removals firm to help with your move, get in touch with our team today for a quote.

 

7 Top Tips On How To Move House Stress-Free

If you’ve moved house before you will probably know that with everything involved and to think about, moving can often be quite stressful. At Hackworthy and Sons, we understand this and for this reason we’d like to provide you with some useful tips on how to move stress free into your new move. We will always do our best to make your house move stress free, but take a look at these tips to find out how you can reduce your stress in the lead up to and during your house move. 

Hire professional removers 

One of the first and perhaps the main things that can really help you on how to move house stress free is by hiring a professional removal company. The reason for this is that moving house on your own and hiring a van can bring with it a lot of stress as you have to do everything yourselves and dont have any help from an experienced team of house movers that help and assist you through the move from the heavy lifting to the smooth and professional house move. 

If you have a stressful and demanding job that requires a lot of time from you hiring a removals company is definitely a tip that we would suggest on how to move house stress free, meaning that you still have the time to think about your job and not worry about the organisation of everything that comes with moving house on your own and the requirements needed to be arranged before the house move. Once you have arranged with a removals firm when you are going to move the only other things required for you to do is to organise the actual move and the packing, rather than thinking about what vehicle you need to hire, how many trips will be required and the cost of the process etc. 

Hiring a removal company there is no need to worry about any additional costs after confirming the quote with your removal company. 

It’s also highly recommended that you organise a removal company as soon as you can in plenty of time in order to reduce the stress of rushing to find the right removal company for you. 

Make a list 

Making a list of what needs to be done in your move will help you how to move house stress free, as this will help you to be prepared for what needs to be done in the run up to your move and what needs to be done on the day. Following this, you will then be able to factor in time frames when things need to be done so that you are not having to rush doing all these tasks at once. 

On this list, it is worth thinking about the requirements around your utilities, paperwork that needs to be filled out, changing addresses, giving notice to your landlord (if you rent), finding out where things are in your new house (fuse box, the stopclock, thermostat etc). 

Be organised with packing 

Not only by making a list will you be more organised and less stressed when moving house, another tip on how to move house stress free is by being organised with your packing.

Ways you can be organised when packing is first by creating a rota of when to pack certain items in your house that you wont need in the lead up to or on the day of the move and continue to pack accordingly leaving out just the essentials that you need. By doing this, this will help you to ensure that you don't leave all of your packing to the last minute meaning that a lot of unwanted stress can be avoided. 

In this process it is also important to remember not to take things that you don't want anymore as this just means that you will be moving unwanted items into another house that wont be used and could take up some well needed space. 

Additionally to being organised with the time frame of packing and decluttering things that you don't want/need anymore, labelling boxes as you pack your belongings this will help you to know where each box needs to go in the new house and making unpacking easier in the new house resulting in less stress rummaging around trying to find things in the new house. 

Plan where you would like your furniture to be 

Much like labelling the boxes to put into the relevant rooms in the house, by planning beforehand where you would like you furniture to be placed in each room in the new house this will avoid the stress of just throwing the furniture in each room and let you take the time to plan the perfect layout in your fabulous new home. 

Assign everybody helping with your move certain tasks 

You may have a lot of help offered by friends and family to help you move house, so why not use this to your advantage, but a tip on how to move house stress free is assigning certain tasks to each of your friends and family to ensure that everyone doesn't end up doing the same thing and you are stuck with a load of things that still needs to be done creating stress and tension that could have otherwise been avoided. 

Make a moving day kit with everything you will need 

By making a moving day kit with all of the essentials you need on the day of moving, you can ensure that you’ll have all of the cleaning supplies you need, snacks, phone chargers etc, this will significantly help to reduce the stress of finding the things that you need on the moving day. 

And is a great place to pack those things that you can't pack until the last minute and need to unpack as soon as you arrive at your new home. 

Reward yourself at the end of the day 

Our final tip on how to move house stress free is by planning a reward for the end of your house move, we’d suggest plan on ordering a takeaway so that you can have a treat at the end of a hard day and avoid the stress of thinking about what to have for dinner and how to use the new oven etc. Why not leave this until the following day when you can work all this out in your own time away from all of the requirements and tasks that come with moving day. 

We hope these tips will help you if you’re moving house anytime soon, if you’d like any more advice on how to make your house move stress free, whether this be UK removals or International removals Hackworthy & Sons can help, take a look at our moving guide or contact us today on 01752 546185 or email [email protected]

Why Hire A Removal Company For An Office Move?

Why hire a removal company for an office move, you say? Why not? 

Using an office removals company to help move your company to another office is definitely something you should consider if you are planning on relocating your business, there are so many reasons hiring an office removals company will help you.

One of the main advantages to hiring an office removal company is that there will be less hassle and stress on your team. The Hackworthy & Sons office removals team are vastly experienced in moving offices and will always make sure that your move is as stress free as possible enabling you to focus on the other things to think about when moving office. 

Office removals companies also mean that there is not a need to hire any moving equipment, there is no need to hire a van, buy boxes or do heavy lifting on your own as this is all covered by the office removers. Within your quote from Hackworthy & Sons, you will be provided with purpose designed crates to pack up your belongings. These are usually delivered a week before your move and are collected a week after your move, giving you plenty of time to pack and unpack items in your own time. 

If you’re really busy and don't have time to pack up your things, you’d benefit from our full packing service so that you have the time to continue working through your move. 

Not having to hire moving equipment also means that you free up time that you would have otherwise spent moving the office yourself. The benefit to this is that you will have reduced business disruption as your team has the time to carry on working as the office removers are carrying out your office move. 

Office equipment is often of high value so it is important to protect this when moving your office. A way you can do this is by moving with an office removals company which offers insurance as part of your move. 

All removals with Hackworthy & Sons include insurance as part of your quote so there is no need to budget for this as an additional to your removal. 

During your move you are likely to come across unwanted paperwork that has been hanging around unnecessarily because there has never been a reason to dispose of it until you move office. If you come across this situation during your office removal, our sister company Plymouth Self Storage offers a personal confidential waste shredding service which destroys private and confidential information in a secure manner. 

Another benefit specific to a Hackworthy & Sons office removal is that we have archive and document storage available to our clients. If you don't have enough storage space in your new office or you are required to store records away from your main office, our archiving and records management service offers secure and safe storage for you to keep your records and documents off site. 

If you’ve used our office removals service before, we’d love to hear from you to find out if you experienced any other reasons as to why you should hire a removal company for an office move. Alternatively, if you’d like more information on office removals with Hackworthy or have any questions get in contact to speak to the team today on 01752 228815 or email [email protected]

What To Think About When Hiring Professional Office Movers

Have you moved house a few times and each time forgotten about something you should have thought about before your move? Well, when carrying out an office removal it’s much the same, so we’ve put together a guide for you on what you should think about when hiring professional office movers for your relocation. 

First up you need to plan your office move, work out what you need to take with you and the best date for your office removal that doesn’t result in too much downtime for your business, then you can start getting in contact with office movers. 

Once you have done this, the next thing is to find out what is included in the quote from your office movers. From then, you will be able to work out what things are left for you to think about that the office removal company doesn't cover. Using office movers can greatly reduce the amount that you have to think about during the move to your new office, giving you the time to focus on other things like the cleaning up of your old office and the opening up and arranging of your new location. 

From finding out what is included in your office removals quote, you may wish to add on additional services to provide you with added help through this process. At Hackworthy & Sons, we have many services available to you for your office removals such as crate hire, a packing service, and an installation service. For more information on the services we can provide for your office move, take a look here. 

We briefly just mentioned about crate hire, which is an important thing to consider when hiring office movers, as office equipment is often significantly heavier than moving your belongings from a house. For example all of the IT equipment can take up a lot of space and weight in a box which a standard cardboard box is unlikely able to handle. As your office movers, Hackworthy and Sons can offer you crate hire to transport the office as effectively as possible, of which we also have specific boxes for IT equipment to ensure the maximum protection of your items. 

Whether carrying out a home or office removal, moving can take a fair time, however something to think about when hiring office movers is that they can significantly reduce the time it takes to move the office. We know how important it is to keep the business running in times of change. You can be sure when moving with Hackworthy & Sons that your business downtime from moving is as short as possible, by the help of our experienced team moving your things as efficiently as possible. 

We hope this helps if you are looking at moving offices soon, however if your would like to discuss this in more detail and get a quote for your office removals, give us a call today on 01752 547236 or email us at: [email protected]

Moving To a New City? Hackworthy & Sons can help

Are you looking at moving to a new city but are unsure where to start? Hackworthy & Sons can help you through this process from start to finish.

 

Moving to a new city can be a very daunting task for many people, whether this be moving to a neighbouring city to your current home or moving to an international city. Our Plymouth removal company prides itself on moving our valued customers to anywhere in the world, and our team are on hand throughout the process to answer any questions and put your mind at ease when it comes to moving to a new city.

 

We’ve previously looked at reasons why you should hire a professional removal company but moving to a new city can bring with it added things that you may not have experienced before when moving in your local area.

 

First of all, moving to a new city can often mean moving away from friends and family that would normally otherwise offer to help you with a house move, or on the other hand you may be moving to be closer to friends and family, either way this could mean that they might have to travel quite a distance to be able to help you.

However, by moving with Hackworthy & Sons our team is on hand to move all of your belongings from one house to the next and if needed you can add additional services such as our packing service onto your removal quote to meet the requirements of your house move.

 

If you are moving to a new city overseas, you may want to take a look at the international removals service that we offer at Hackworthy & Sons. We offer a range of transit options to best suit your needs and budgets and can advise you on the best shipping options for your move and how to prepare your belongings as well as preparing the documentation that will be required on your journey.

 

As we have briefly touched on already, moving to a new city can often mean travelling a distance to reach your new home, compared to moving within the local area. For this reason, having insurance included in your removal quote at Hackworthy & Sons is a great benefit to your process in moving to a new city. This means that all of your belongings transported on a Hackworthy & Sons lorry are covered by insurance, something that you wouldn't be able to benefit from if you carried out a move without the help of a removals company.

 

Another benefit of moving to a new city with a removal company is the use of a large lorry that can transport all of your belongings in one journey. Hiring a van is unlikely to be able to move all of your things in one go due to its size and could require you to go back and forth between cities, this can soon start to rack up in fuel costs and could apply added stress the more times your are required to travel which could be avoided with the help of our Plymouth removal company.

 

If you are temporarily moving to a new city from Plymouth but are planning on moving back in the future, you may benefit from storage facilities, our sister company Plymouth Self Storage is an option you might want to consider if you are looking to store items that you don't need to take with you when moving to a new city from Plymouth. This is a great way to store items that you are not looking to move to your new home and will still be here on your return. This is especially a great facility to use when moving to a new city overseas for a temporary time.

 

If you’ve recently purchased a property and are moving to a new city, get in touch with our team at Hackworthy & Sons today for more information on how we can help you. 

How Are We Different To Other Plymouth Removal Companies

There are many choices when it comes to moving house, from choosing your perfect home to choosing the best removal company for your move. That’s why we wanted to explain to you how at Hackworthy and Sons we are different to other Plymouth removal companies. 

Our company was founded over 40 years ago in 1972 and has been owned and run by the family ever since, with many of our customers returning to us for multiple house removals. 

Hackworthy & Sons are now one of the largest independent removal companies in the South West and this is all thanks to our dedicated and experienced team that work together from start to finish to achieve a successful house move that our customers are looking for. 

We have held the BSEN12552 in Domestic Removals since 1999 and were one of the first companies to achieve this within the UK. This is an important accreditation of ours that can help to differentiate us from other Plymouth removal companies and confirms our commitment to quality and standards that our customers receive. 

Following this, we expanded the company and acquired SP Cocks Removals of St Austell, enabling us to provide our removal service to the Cornwall area,  it is important to us at Hackworthy to keep investing in our company to ensure that we are constantly continuing to reach new customers and provide our service to you. 

One of the most important values at Hackworthy & Sons is that our customers can trust us with their most precious belongings to carry out their house removal. At Hackworthy & Sons we take the responsibility you give us seriously and take the highest care possible when moving your house to ensure that you have as stress free a move as possible. 

Another one of our key values at Hackworthy is to treat others the way we would like to be treated, for this reason we constantly strive to provide the best for our customers. 

This doesn't just stop at our customers though, we put ourselves in other people's shoes and consider things from their perspectives, from our staff, supplier or the local community. 

 

As a result of the values that our business is based on, this helps us to build lasting relationships with our customers, suppliers and community and provide the best possible service, which is shown in the recommendations that our customers give and the repeat custom we have from those that we have moved. 

For us, it is important that we always stay true to the values of Hackworthy & Sons and remain committed to our customers whether these be new, or returning everybody will be treated the same through a Hackworthy & Sons removal. 

All in all, our team constantly provides us with the strongest commitment to helping customers move house effectively. 

If you’d like to discuss moving house with Hackworthy & Sons and would like more information, please feel free to contact us today or alternatively you can get a quote online and a member of our team will be in touch. 

6 Top Tips On How To Choose The Best Removal Company

We know that moving house is a stressful time and not a regular occurrence for most people, with the average British Homeowners moving house every 23 years. That’s why we have put together a list of tips to help you to choose the best removal company for your house move.

●     Plan ahead

It goes without saying that by planning your move as far in advance as possible that you will be provided with more choice of removal companies than if you had left it until the last minute. By giving yourself the time to choose from a range of different companies to carry out your removal you can ensure that you choose the best removal company for you.

Waiting until the last minute is never a good option; have you ever felt so stressed that you weren't going to meet a deadline but then somehow managed to make it by the skin of your teeth? If yes, then by planning your removal as earlier as possible you will eliminate the stress behind this part of the removals process.

●     Gather quotes

It’s important to gather quotes from several different companies to compare which of them is the best removal company for you to use. Removal companies should provide you with a detailed breakdown within their quotation which will help you to know what each separate part of the removal will cost.

You can then compare each of these sections amongst your quotes and see where you may receive more services from one company in comparison to another for no extra cost.  

●     Look at accreditations

When you have gathered your quotes and are comparing the best option for you, it's recommended to check out the accreditations that the removals company holds - if any. To gain most accreditations companies are required to undergo an inspection/assessment to make sure they are of good standing, provide a minimum standard of work and ensure you have recourse in case anything goes wrong with your removal. 

Hackworthy & Sons, currently hold 3 accreditations in the industry; The British Association of Removers, Which? Trusted Trader and BS EN 12522. For more information on the accreditations that we hold, take a look here.

By considering a companies accreditations in your comparison of quotes, this will help you to choose the best removal company not only based on the cost but will allow you to evaluate the reliability of each one in terms of the accreditations that they hold.

●     Look at the other services available

You should also consider what services you would like the removal companies to provide from packing to dismantling whether it is UK removals or International removals. You must brief your requirements to the removal companies so they can let you know if they provide the services you require. They can then include the services in your detailed quotation.

●     Check reviews / ask for recommendations from friends

Reviews are always a great way of finding out about a service that you have not used before. They can be a useful tool for looking at previous customers' experiences. However, be wary of companies that only have good reviews -  every company makes mistakes and seeing how they respond to a customer's bad experience can tell you a lot about the companies ethos.

Reviews from friends and family that you trust and appreciate the opinion of are an excellent way of choosing a company as they are unlikely to provide you with a false opinion of their experience.

You may be thrilled with the quotation that you have been given by a removals firm but if they have lots of bad reviews would you be confident they are the best removal company for you?

●     Check insurance

It is very important to make sure that the removal company you choose to complete your removal holds adequate insurance so you can be rest assured that your possessions are protected by insurance should there be an accident or damage.


If you need help choosing the best removal company for your move, get in touch with Hackworthy & Sons today and our team will offer you the information and advice you require

5 Reasons To Hire A Professional Home Removal Company

Whilst you might be able to move house without the help of a professional home removal company, there are many reasons why using a professional removal company is actually easier, quicker, and safer.

You won’t have to worry about making time to load and unload the car between driving back and forth, and that’s before you have even started looking at unpacking your possessions. 

Better value for money

The moving process can also be a costly one. Packing supplies are always the first thing that come to mind but there’s also the cost of fuel to consider, which can quickly build up depending on the number of trips and the distance between your old and new home. It’s also important to bear in mind that vans consume a lot more fuel, especially when fully laden, which could mean that you might spend more money on fuel than you may have planned for. 

Hackworthy & Sons has you covered in terms of packing up your belongings, with a variety of packing options available to you, whether that be packing your belongings yourself using our specifically designed cartons or our full professional packing service. This is definitely something that will make your house removal with a professional removal company better value for money, as this service is not something that is going to be available to you when hiring a van. 

Another great benefit of moving with a professional home removal company is having the access to a professional team who help people move house every day. If you hired a van to move would you have access to this benefit? This could cost a little more than moving by yourselves but in the long run once you have paid for all the petrol from trips back and forth and exhausting yourselves it's worth considering if this is a cost worth spending on. 

Takes some of the physical strain away 

Another consideration that many people don’t think about until it’s a little too late is the physical toll that moving can have. A cardboard box that weighs 0.5kg when empty can weigh close to 30kg once fully packed, and lifting something of that weight improperly can easily result in injury.

The team at Hackworthy, have been moving customers for over 40 years, so have lots of experience in moving heavy items and are trained to correctly lift heavy objects to avoid injuries. So why not take the strain away from moving yourselves into your new home and get the help of a professional removal company to help you? 

Moving house is a stressful time, so our aim is to provide you with the best removal service so that you can concentrate on other tasks whilst we move your things.

Quicker moving with a home removals company 

Moving with a home removal company means that you will have the access to a large vehicle that you can move your belongings in (and the best part is you don't even have to drive it). Packing your things into a lorry will make it easier to move large items and will mean you have the ability to pack around these, which is less likely to be able to with a small hire van. 

Thanks to the large lorry, this will also mean that you will be able to fit more of your things to move in the vehicle in one go, resulting in less trips that will need to be made. It goes without saying that a smaller van will move less things and will require more trips, so what better reason to reduce your trips and hire a home removal company to help you. 

Makes the process easier

When moving house there are a lot of things that need to be considered and that’s before you even start moving your belongings. 

Hiring a van to move yourself to your new house brings with it it’s own extra things to bear in mind, for example the cost of the petrol should the van need refilling, where to get packing materials, as well as the insurance that you may need to hire a van. 

Using a home removal company helps to alleviate some of the requirements involved in moving house, making it easier for you. Hackworthy & Sons will discuss with you all of the services available to you and will help you to work out what would benefit you the most looking at the needs of your house move. 

As the move is made easier when moving with a professional removal company, this means that there is less chance of you forgetting something that needs to be done in the removal process as the transporting of your belongings is covered by the home removal company. 

Insurance on belongings available with a home removal company 

With a home removal company there is likely to be the option to add insurance to your house move, to protect your belongings should anything happen in the removals process. At Hackworthy, we include the cost of insurance within your removal quote as a requirement of our registration with the British Association of Removers. Our insurance is designed to give you cover for your belongings throughout the whole removal process; including any time they’re in storage.


With all that said, there’s a lot more to a professional home removal company like ours than simply loading a van in one place and unloading it in another. 

If you are weighing up the options of moving yourself or hiring a removal company and would like to discuss your options with Hackworthy, contact us today on 01752 546214 or email us at [email protected] for more information and to discuss a removal quote. 

What Does Being A Which? Trusted Trader Removal Company Mean?

Are reviews important to you when choosing whether or not to spend money on a product or service? At Hackworthy & Sons, we understand that when it comes to purchasing, other people’s experiences can have quite an effect on the decisions that you make, that’s why we became a Which? Trusted Trader. 

We are confident that all of our customers are left happy after a home removal with Hackworthy and want future customers to know that they can trust us as their home removals company. The Which? Trusted Trader status of a company is available for all consumers to see, meaning the information and reviews are available to each and every person looking to find a truly trusted company.

We all know that there are some people, who just love to write bad reviews on company websites for no reason. However, with Which? all reviews are put through a moderation process, much like the trusted traders who have to go through assessments before they become accredited by Which?. For example, have you ever been to a restaurant, based on the reviews that you have seen and then arrived at the restaurant and had an awful experience? This could have been influenced by some fake reviews, perhaps providing better reviews than the restaurant deserves. On some review sites, it is so easy to set up an account and leave a review without any sort of moderation process, which is highly likely to result in many “reviewers” not having been customers of the company. 

You might be thinking ‘but this will mean that there will be no bad reviews on the Which? site if they are moderated?’ Well…. this is not the case, as much as the Which? status is given to trusted and reliable traders, there are sometimes some reviews that aren't as exceptional as others. The reason for this is that this gives us at Hackworthy & Sons a chance to reply to these reviews to resolve whatever issue the customer may have and ensure that they are provided with the best service possible. Even if, for whatever reason, they have not been left fulfilled with the service that was provided, it is vital that our customers receive the best service, therefore it is essential for us as a company to have the ability to reply to these reviews to resolve any potential worries. 

In terms of the assessment process to become a Which? Trusted Trader, this involves an assessment administered by trading standards professionals, to ensure that our consumers' interests are kept at the forefront of our business. To gain our endorsement as a Which? Trusted Trader, Hackworthy had to pass the Which? assessment process, examining the following items of our business: 

  • Credit report 
  • Customer satisfaction 
  • Business procedures 
  • Interview and assessment 

From here, we were then provided a report with feedback from the assessors to ensure that we meet all of the criteria required before we were allowed to join the scheme. Following this, we decided to join the scheme, to prove to our customers that choosing Hackworthy as your house removal company is the right choice. 

It is truly important to the team at Hackworthy & Sons that you have the most stress-free moving experience as possible and that’s why we joined the Which? Trusted Trader scheme, to be rest assured that you make the right choice when it comes to choosing a reliable and trusted home removal company. 

The Top 10 Best Cities To Live & Work In The UK

If you’re looking to relocate to another city within the UK, there are plenty of fantastic options out there for you, some of which have been ranked in the top cities in the world. 

Hackworthy & Sons has been providing UK removals services for over 40 years and has moved customers all over the country, therefore we wanted to put together the cities we have found to be the top 10 best cities to live and work in the UK.

So if you’re not sure which city you’d like to move to yet, this might give you some help to make your decision. 

1. Bristol 

We've found Bristol to be amongst the top best UK cities to live in, this is likely to have something to do with it’s ideal location. If you’re wanting to move to the city but still be able to visit the coast for holidays, Bristol is a location to move to in the UK, being so close to the motorways allows you to travel to wherever you need to go to fairly quickly. Additionally to this, moving to Bristol means that you will have an international airport right on your doorstep without the need and hassle of having to travel, allowing you to travel somewhere abroad in the matter of just a few hours. 

Perhaps surprisingly, London has not been identified as one of the best UK cities to live in, therefore if you are looking for a similar vibe to London in terms of the work that is on offer, Bristol provides some great opportunities and is often described as a mini London. 

If you’re starting up a business and are interested in moving to Bristol, the city ranked 2nd place in the Start-up cities index in 2017 and at that point was home to almost 20,000 businesses. As well as this, Bristol has been found to have a significant percentage (45.6%) of their working population holding university degrees (or equivalents), making this a fantastic city for both employers and employees. 

2. Edinburgh 

In 2018, following a study from the Royal Mail, Edinburgh was awarded the title of “Most attractive city to Live and Work in” for the UK. This was based on the education options, healthcare, employment potential and more and established that an average weekly salary of workers in Edinburgh calculated to around £578 per week, the second highest to that of a weekly salary in London. 

Home to the Royal Bank of Scotland and Aberdeen Standard Investments, Edinburgh makes a great choice of city to move to in the UK for those particularly looking for career options in financial services and banking. 

For more information on working and living in Edinburgh, we found this useful blog about Living in Edinburgh which has got some considerable points on why Edinburgh is a great place to work and live. Edinburgh has everything to offer you would expect from a major city including world-class events, international restaurants, and lively nightlife, all within a compact, walkable space. If you are an outdoorsy person you will definitely love Edinburgh since you can find a lot of beautiful destinations and hiking routes around the city but also a lot of green spaces within the city.  

3. Cardiff 

If you’re a keen rugby fan and enjoy watching a concert or two, Cardiff is home to two of the cities biggest entertainment venues, The Millenium Stadium and Motorpoint Arena, with this potentially being a good enough reason alone to be one of the best UK cities to live. However, there are obviously many other benefits, including, the connections to other areas in the country, with London and the South West being only a few hours away, similar to that of living and working in Bristol. 

Would love to live in London, but don't want to become a victim of the extortionate living costs? Cardiff is a great alternative, with the cost of living being 38% cheaper than living in London, as well as property prices, council tax and general expenses total calculating below the average across the UK. 

Those looking for a job in the services sector, in Cardiff, will have a vast choice, being home to many financial services, call centres and insurance companies such as Admiral. 

Cardiff has also become increasingly popular with the TV and Film industry with huge names filming here such as Doctor Who and Casualty. This is another industry providing a lot of great job opportunities, contributing to Cardiff being listed as one of the top 10 best UK cities to live in. 

4. York 

York provides a fantastic opportunity in terms of moving with children, thanks to it’s thriving education sector, with over 90% of children attending a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ school, helping to contribute to low unemployment levels and high skilled workers. 

Looking into working in York, the city was put into second place in the UK for employment, as a result of it’s expanding business services sector driving growth. Like some of the other cities we have discussed, York is also home to some popular brand names, for example, Nestle/Rowntree and Aviva, providing some great job opportunities in the area. 

However, thanks to its location, York is on the doorstep of some other great cities with vast amounts of job opportunities such as Manchester. 

The city has previously been described as “big enough to feel cosmopolitan and small enough to feel homely” as well as having “the fastest internet in Britain”. If this isn’t one of the best reasons to relocate to York, I don't know what is. 

5. Oxford

Home to one of the biggest and most prestigious universities in England, it's no surprise that the city succeeds in the education and academic sectors, providing great opportunities for teachers looking to move to Oxford.  

The city provides around 114,000 jobs of which some recognisable employers such as BMW, BT, the charity Oxfam and many more contribute to. 

With around 40,000 students it is a very young city with lots going on from events of all kinds like music events, comedy and art over to a vibrant nightlife. Oxford offers a lot of parks and green spaces as well and isn’t a big city either which makes it easy to get around. 

6. Reading 

If you love big city life but London is not your cup of tea, why not consider Reading ? Reading is just a stone’s throw away from London with a 30 minute commute by train. The airports Heathrow and Gatwick are also just a 40 minute bus drive away. 

But not just London is easy to commute to, with the M4 around the corner, Reading is a strategically well located city that enables you to easily travel to the Southwest, South Wales or for example Oxford. 

The city prides itself with its research intensive University and a flourishing IT sector featuring well known companies like Microsoft, Cisco and Oracle. This, and a steady economic growth make Reading a very attractive city to work and live in. 

Reading is also known to have a multicultural and welcoming culture. Being a University City, it offers a vibrant nightlife with clubs, bars and restaurants. But that’s not everything Reading has to offer. Reading also has a lot to offer in terms of Arts and Culture. Next to many small festivals it hosts the famous Reading festival with almost 90,000 visitors each year. But also drama, comedy and art are a big part of Reading’s culture. 

7. Southampton 

Southampton, famously known to be the port where the Titanic departed from in 1912 provides a lot next to its rich history displayed at many museums like the SeaCity museum, the Tudor House and the Solent Sky. The city is also home to 30,000 students studying at two different universities contributing to a very diverse culture. Southampton’s academic reputation has drawn in students from more than 135 countries

Southampton is the perfect place for you if you enjoy doing water sports or sailing. Right in front of Southampton the Isle of Wight is located where the Cowes Week takes place every year, one of the oldest and most respected regattas in the world. But even if you prefer to spend your free time on dry land, Southampton has a lot to offer with more 

8. Birmingham

The second largest metropolitan economy in the UK, outside of London, if you are searching for a career similar to that of London careers, Birmingham is again a considerable option thanks to its lower cost of living. 

The cost of living in Birmingham sees a significant difference in comparison to the cost of living in London - a 22% decrease at the time of writing, to be specific - with the benefit here being that the average starting salary in Birmingham is still similar to London of £30,000. By opting for Birmingham over a move to London, this will likely leave you with more disposable income to enjoy the benefits of the city, and London is still only a couple of hours away if you want to visit. 

In terms of living in Birmingham, Did you know in a study carried out at the end of 2018 that Birmingham made the top 50 best places to live in the world? The study rated Birmingham as number 49 in terms of quality of living and number 53 in terms of personal safety. Although the report is often used to determine the attractiveness of a city for businesses, this will have quite a lot to say for those looking to relocate their lives to Birmingham also. 

Much like Cardiff, Birmingham hosts a variety of global events in the Birmingham NEC, which not only hosts global stars such as Lady Gaga, but is also the nations No1 venue for trade and consumer shows. Other notable attractions in the city worth visiting is the Sea Life Centre and the infamous Cadbury World. 

9. Manchester 

Home to Media City, Manchester is a fantastic option to consider a move to in the UK if you are interested in a career in media. Another one of the city’s largest sources of employment is the Finance sector, as well as the manufacturing sector which employs 1 in 10 people in Manchester, within companies such as Kelloggs, McVities, Boo Hoo and many more. 

Like Birmingham, Manchester is a lot cheaper than the capital city, and has even been found to be slightly cheaper than Birmingham, coming in at 30% cheaper than London. 

Neighbouring Manchester is the beautiful location of the Peak District, as well as the coastal resort Blackpool, so whether you are looking for an area to relocate near to the beach or the countryside, Manchester can give you this. 

10. Glasgow 

It won’t come as any surprise that Glasgow, is another city that provides a cheaper alternative to London, but it’s also 10% cheaper than the rest of the United Kingdom, with an average salary being approximately £26,000 per year. 

In 2018 the Scottish city was ranked as the 10th best places to live and work in the UK, this probably has something to do with it’s beautiful surroundings and vast job opportunities.  

With nearly half of the working age population qualified above A-level equivalents, the access to education is one of the many benefits of making a move to Glasgow with a family. 

Scotland’s largest urban economy, provides more than 400 thousand jobs, with 1 in 4 people being employed in the public sector

Glasgow is a fantastic place to live if you are looking to live in the city with the benefit of the countryside on a weekend. On your doorstep is Scotland’s first National Park, Loch Lomond, a stunning destination to visit in your spare time to take part in some watersports. You might even see the Lochness Monster!

Looking at all of these cities, it is clear to see that the best uk cities to live in and work are scattered all over the United Kingdom. 

If you are considering a move to one of these cities or elsewhere and are looking for removals companies to carry out your move, get in touch with Hackworthy for more information or get a quick quote from our website today. 

The Top 10 Easiest Countries To Immigrate To In 2020

Fed up of living in the UK and considering moving abroad? Whether you’re thinking of moving for good or just want to spend a few years living overseas so you can tick it off your bucket list, there are many countries that provide you with the opportunity to immigrate with relatively little hassle.

As international removal specialists, Hackworthy & Sons has helped clients relocate to destinations all around the world and we do our best to provide as much support and guidance as we possibly can. To help those who want to emigrate but haven’t quite chosen to where yet, we have taken a look into the easiest countries to immigrate to and put together a list (in no particular order) of those countries that reoccurred during our research. 

  • UAE 

The first on our list of countries easiest to move to is the UAE. Immigrating to the UAE tends to be a fairly easy process for UK citizens due to the simple visa requirements. When visiting the country there is no need for any advanced arrangements for a trip less than 30 days, however, it is required that you have a sponsor in place should you wish to stay longer than this or move to the area.

A typical sponsorship would be in the form of an employer, so if you think that the UAE is a place you would like to live, make sure that you have an employment offer in place. You will then need to obtain a probationary 3-month work permit, which will allow you to start working immediately. 

It is important to note that if you have a family that you would like to join you in the United Arab Emirates, you must be earning a minimum monthly salary of 4,000 AED (approx £800), and if you would like your parents to join you the minimum monthly salary must be 10,000 AED (approx £2,000). Once you and your family have entered the UAE on an entry residence visa, a residence stamp must be applied for within 30 days of arrival. 

Another point that makes it easy to move to the UAE is that there are almost no taxes. The money that you earn in your job is yours to keep with no income tax, meaning that you are easily able to budget whether immigrating to the UAE is suitable for you. This benefit is only available to those who permanently move to the UAE, so please bear this in mind if you are only looking to move to the UAE temporarily, as you may still have to pay tax on your income if you are still a tax resident in the UK living in the UAE. 

  • Germany 

When moving to Germany, this requires little in the way of entry. There is no need to apply for a visa, however you must register within 14 days of arrival at the local Residence Registration office if you plan to stay in the country for more than 3 months. If you are looking to move to Germany before the 31st December 2020, you must apply for a residency permit before 30th June 2020, of which you will only need your passport to apply for this. 

For more information on how to apply for a residence permit, GOV.UK has some useful information to help you regarding the rules around brexit. 

  • Australia 

If you’re looking to move to Australia, the easiest way to do so is by applying for jobs that are listed in their official Skilled Occupations List. If you are qualified for any of the occupations found on the list, you ought to find getting a visa a lot more straightforward. Those who want to emigrate to Australia must also be under the age of 45 at the time they submit their visa application and will also have to pass a health assessment, character assessment, and skills assessment.

Like the NHS in the UK, Australia has its own healthcare system, called Medicare, and it is free for anybody who has permanent residency within the country. This makes Australia another easy country to immigrate to, as there is no need to budget for your healthcare when moving here as this is all taken care of as part of your permanent residency. 

  • Canada 

In order to apply for permanent residence you will be required to apply for a visa and maybe required to provide photos and fingerprints at an visa application centre and will need to prove on arrival that you have the funds to support yourself in Canada. 

For those looking to make a permanent move to Canada, the easiest way to do this is by economic immigration or family reunification. Immigrating with family reunification will require you to have a family member that is a permanent resident, citizen, or registered under the Canadian Indian Act, that is over 18 and can sponsor your move.

Economic immigration tends to be the main path people take when moving to Canada and involves you to move as a skilled worker or investor. Canada provides an express entry program, factoring in age, job, education and language skills to allow people to apply for residence based on the future employment success in the country. UK, Australian and US citizens gain an immediate advantage due to the English language being one of the main languages spoken in Canada. With French also being one of the main languages this same advantage applies to French citizens.

You may also gain residency through an independent visa in Canada, this involves a point based system similar to Australia’s. The points will be based on many of those involved in the previous visa options discussed before, being; age, education, training, skill set and whether you have family in Canada, to gain this visa 67 points are required on assessment. 

  • Switzerland 

Switzerland has been identified as an one of the easiest countries to immigrate to due to its UK Swiss-Citizen’s rights agreement, which will protect UK citizens living in Switzerland at the end of the transition period meaning that there will likely be no plans in place to make the overseas removal to Switzerland harder. To immigrate to Switzerland it couldn't be easier for British passport holders, all you need to do is register within 14 days of your arrival at your local office of resident services or alternatively register your new place of residence online. 

The only other step to take for residence of more than 3 months is to apply for a residence permit with the local cantonal authority. There is also no need to apply for a work permit in Switzerland if you are a UK citizen, making this another reason Switzerland is an easy place to immigrate to. 

  • Iceland

If you are looking to move to Iceland from the UK, again there is no need for a visa if you are staying for less than 3 months. However, if you wish to stay for longer than this you must register with Registers Iceland to receive your identification number which you will need to set up a bank account, get internet and telephone connection, receive Icelandic insurance and more.  

It is important in this process that you apply for full registration to ensure that you have the right to work in Iceland, as your employer may have applied for a System ID on your behalf for payment and tax purposes (of which this doesn’t include your right to residency). 

For anyone looking to move to Iceland within the next year, it is worth considering that the rules around obtaining continuous residency may change after the transition period. It may be worth making the move to Iceland forward and registering for residency before 31st December 2020, for more information on this we’d recommend visiting GOV.UK.

  • Portugal 

As well as moving to Portugal for the stunning beaches and warm weather, Portugal is also one of the easiest countries to move to, with members of the EU having the ability to move to Portugal for 3 months without registering residency. However, if you are looking to stay longer than 3 months, you have 4 months from the date of your arrival to register at your local Camara Municipal (Town Hall). You will be provided with a residency certificate for up to 5 years, this will allow you to access healthcare, education and social security. 

When the certificate expires you will be entitled to apply for a permanent residency from Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (Immigration).

With Portugal being a member of the European Union, this is another country that could be susceptible to a harder move after the 31st December 2020, so we’d recommend to keep an eye out on GOV.UK for updates on this. 

  • Sweden 

Similar to many of the other countries discussed, British citizens looking to live in Sweden for less than 3 months are not required to apply for a visa, however you must register with the Sweden Population Register if you plan to stay for longer than 1 year, and will be issued with an ID number. 

To register for right of residence you must have the right of residence for a year or more and comprehensive travel insurance. You will automatically be provided with the right or residency if you can prove that you are able to support yourself by having work or studying in place. If you are still looking for a job when moving to Sweden, you will only be provided with 6 months right of residence, meaning that you will be unable to register with the Sweden Population Register if you do not have a job. 

To ensure that you are protected as a resident, if you are looking to move to Sweden it is worth considering moving before the Brexit transition period on 31st December 2020, to be sure that you are protected by the withdrawal agreement. For more information and updates on this GOV.UK is the best place to start

  • Costa Rica 

Costa Rica is yet another country that allows British passport holders to enter the country without the need for a visa, you will be given a 90 day entry stamp, if staying longer than this you may be subject to penalties of $100 per month over your 90 day stay and could be restricted from re-entering the country at a later date. For those looking to permanently move overseas to Costa Rica, you must apply for temporary or permanent residence as well as the permission to work if you are looking to work in Costa Rica, it is recommended to seek professional help with these applications.

Costa Rica also has its own healthcare system, this can be easily accessed from British Nationals by becoming a member of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, where residents are required to pay monthly to be entitled to medical treatment if/ when needed. 

  • Montenegro

Montenegro could be one of the easiest countries to immigrate to for British citizens out of all those discussed, due to the flexibility around the duration of their stay. 

You will not be required to have a visa for visits of up to 90 days and will only be required to have a valid British passport for entry and exit from Montenegro.  In the course of 6 months British citizens have the right to go in and out of the country where they have days left in those 90 days, all that is required is that you register (within 24 hours of your arrival) and deregister with the local police, on each of these movements.

To move permanently, you must apply for a longer tourist visa or temporary residence permit before the end of your 90 days have finished. 

You can also access free emergency care in Montenegro as a British citizen as a result of the reciprocal healthcare agreement that they have with the UK, entitling you to necessary medical treatment during your time in Montenegro, as long as you have evidence of being insured in the UK and have a valid British passport.

These are just some of the easiest countries to immigrate to, there are many other benefits to moving to each of these countries in terms of culture, cost of living and more, however these are the countries that we have found to have the easiest immigration regulations. 

It is important to remember that on 1st January 2021 the withdrawal agreement will likely cause some changes to the regulations when moving abroad, and could result in a harder immigration process for countries within the European Union. 

If you are considering emigrating, Hackworthy & Sons have over 40 years of experience providing international & european removals and can help you through every step of the process wherever you are moving in the world. 

7 Common Challenges Of Moving To Another Country

Have you ever sat on holiday and thought “I could live here”? If the answer is yes, did you consider the challenges that could face you, if you were to put this into reality? Be it a higher standard of living or a slower pace of life, it goes without saying that there are many benefits to living abroad but you don’t want to fall into the trap of identifying the opportunities without also pin-pointing the potential pit-falls.  

At Hackworthy and Sons, we specialise in Overseas removals and have been helping people move overseas from the UK for almost 50 years. We’ve learned a thing or two in that time and thought we’d share what we’ve found to be the 7 most common challenges of moving to another country.

Language barrier 

First up, the most likely challenge you could face is the language barrier. If you’ve never lived in a different country then this is something you will have only ever experienced on holiday. When moving to another country, you have most probably got to know some of the main phrases of the country's language and learn the basics to get you around day-to-day. 

However, when it comes to humour and slang this will take some getting used to for those that don't speak the native language. Perhaps, look at doing some language classes online before moving abroad to ensure that you are comfortable with the basic conversational language in your new home country. 

Truth be told, most people who move overseas from the UK find that can get by well enough on English alone. That said, learning a new language can be incredibly rewarding and will allow you to get the very best out of your new home.

Finding a job

If you haven’t moved abroad as a result of a job, then finding a job could be another challenge that you could face depending on the role that you are looking for and the destination that you are moving to.

In countries such as Australia, they have a Skilled Occupations List (SOL) that lists the occupations acceptable for immigration to there. In order for you to qualify for skilled migration to Australia you must nominate an occupation that you have experience in from the SOL and will be assessed by an authorised agency before being eligible to use occupation points. You then require a minimum number of points for immigration to Australia. 

Not all countries provide this level of information and some are certainly easier to immigrate to than others. While not strictly necessary for all common immigration destinations, we would always recommend that you have a job in place before moving overseas. Securing a job offer or sponsor prior to moving is one of the biggest obstacles you will likely face, but doing so will help to ensure your financial security and peace of mind.

Loneliness 

It is reasonable to feel a sense of loneliness when moving to another country and away from your friends and family. This is true whether you have moved on your own or with a partner and children, so fully expect to experience some sense of isolation.

Your loved ones and the support they may have otherwise given if they were close can no longer be relied upon as easily and will only help remotely for the most part. Even if you lived far apart before, being countries or even continents apart changes things. It’s strange and hard to explain, but a 6-hour drive is not the same as a 6-hour flight. Again, this will take getting used to at the start of your new life in a new country but once you have begun to meet new people and make friends, you will build a support network around you like you would have had before. 

Distance from home

This point is somewhat related to the one above regarding loneliness, however, there is a difference. While loneliness is an emotional response to distance, distance can also introduce some practical issues.

The distance from home removes the ease of popping around to your friends or family should you or they need any help. This is extremely challenging for some to deal with and it’s common to worry about how helpless you may feel should something go wrong back home. 

In times like this, it’s important to remember that the world is a lot smaller than it once was. You can generally get anywhere you’d need to be within a 24 hour period, with a few exceptions, and you may actually find yourself closer to home despite being further away. After all, it takes 3 to 4 hours to get to London from Plymouth, but only 2 hours 20 minutes from Barcelona. 

Where to meet new people

As we have just mentioned, making new friends is vital in making you feel comfortable when moving to a new place. Therefore, another potential consideration to bear in mind is how to meet new people, as once you have this solved this will help you make new friends and settle you into your new life. You might want to think about visiting the local shops, gym or even the local parks, where you can strike up conversations easily with those around you. 

Finding your favourite foods from home 

You may be very excited about living in another country that provides a different kind of cuisine to what you are used to. However, this also comes with the issue of potentially missing the foods from your old life and being unable to purchase in the country that you have moved to. 

Fortunately, globalisation has made once-elusive food and drink items more easily accessible abroad, especially in countries where e-commerce is well-established. Moving to countries with large ex-pat communities also increases the likelihood of being able to get your hands on your favourite foods and drinks. In fact, you may find new favourites as you try foods and drinks native to other foreign countries as well as your new home. 

Choosing The Best Shops

You are probably aware of the best places to purchase items in your home country, however, moving to another country poses this as a challenge you are most likely to face. Being unfamiliar with your surroundings could influence you to shop for food in convenience stores as you have seen them around. However, it is worth researching the other local shops in the area that provide a better value for money. This may require you to travel just a little bit further or may even make you aware of the shops that are near to you that you haven't noticed since moving. 

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Whether one of the seven above or something completely different, you’re going to experience challenges when moving overseas. This is to be expected and you should never lose sight of the fact that these challenges can be overcome, often with surprisingly positive results.

If you’re considering moving to another country, at Hackworthy we have over 40 years experience in overseas removals around the world and can offer budgets to suit everyone, get a quote for your move abroad today. 

To Our Customers - Regarding Coronavirus

Wednesday 18th March 2020

We are committed to the health and wellbeing of our staff, customers and communities. We value our relationship with you, and we want to reassure you we remain open for business.

We have a Business Continuity Plan in place to ensure we are well prepared so our business can respond quickly to the changing conditions and government advice. 

Our commitment to customer service remains unchanged. Our staff are available to assist you in the coming weeks and months whatever the challenges that COVID-19 may present.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us via telephone on 01752 228815  or email us on [email protected].

We’ll continue to keep a close eye on what the government and health experts are saying, and we will continue to evolve our plans as the situation develops.

Thank you for your valued support and most importantly, I hope you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy during these unprecedented times.”

 

Vicky Hackworthy

Four things you should know about moving to the countryside

Everybody knows everybody

You probably don’t know the lady that smiled at you in the butchers, or the man that said ‘Morning!’ as you were walking your dog but that’s just the English countryside. As soon as you move here you’ll feel like your social circle has grown tenfold. If you need to nab some milk when you first move in then you can ask your neighbour with no hesitation. The family vibe that comes from quaint English villages is totally unbeatable.

Night times are so much clearer and calmer

The best vantage point to see the stars is from the most remote country location. Minimal light pollution and cloud coverage can give you the most spectacular sky views. If that’s not enough to convince you that you belong in a farmhouse in the countryside then we don’t know what is! Combine your newly-discovered starry nights with some friends, a campfire and food for a classic countryside get together.

You won’t go a day without seeing some wildlife

From Skylarks to horses and everything in between don’t be surprised if your morning commute is disrupted by a herd of sheep. The countryside is the home to thousands of cattle, birds and dogs so don’t worry about taking your pooch to the pub for a few either, they’re probably welcome with open arms. Cocker Spaniels and sheepdogs are a firm favourite out in the sticks so if you really want to get in with the locals we recommend carrying around some dog treats!

The air is crisp, clean and healing

The UK countryside has some of the cleanest air in the UK with extremely low pollution levels. Thanks to all the green pastures, plants and foliage the air is completely different to the stifling, warm air of inner cities. You can start off your mornings with a walk to get you awake, alert and ready for the day!

The Top 5 Expat Destinations Around The World

HSBC’s Expat Explorer Report for 2015 has ranked countries and territories on the opinions of expats based on questions about economics, their family life and their overall expat experience. 39 countries from Brazil to Bahrain have had their expats quizzed on these three categories, with the scores being totalled to give the final ranking. Which of the following makes you want to move overseas?

1. Singapore

Singapore is a tiny island nation just off the coast of Malaysia with a high population of expats and a fantastic array of cultures. Known as the Lion City, Singapore is a hit with expats due to its tropical climate, strong economy and the fact that English is one of 4 official languages. This location is also renowned for its very environmentally friendly ‘Green Policy’ and its extreme low tolerance to crime, making it one of the safest expat destinations you could relocate too.

2. New Zealand

New Zealand is a popular choice among Brits, with expats favouring how easy it is to integrate into the ‘Kiwi’ culture and finding that settling down is extremely easy. With a strong economy and links to British sporting events like Rugby Union and Cricket, Brits typically feel right at home. Another important item the Expat Explorer Report noted was that those who move here live a more healthy lifestyle, being encouraged to be active by the weather and the general mindset of resident New Zealanders. Considering emigrating? Find out how we can help.

3. Sweden

In the 2015 HSBC Expat Explorer report Sweden came first in the ‘family’ category with the education system, government attitudes towards family policies and the quality of life all contributing to this. Sweden offers parents of newborns 480 days of leave which can be split between the mother and father, making it a very attractive place to start a family. With free healthcare and a wealth of cultural highlights, this economic powerhouse is unsurprisingly the 3rd best place for expats to live.

4. Bahrain

Bahrain is a country which offers higher average salaries, a warm welcome to expats and a ‘straightforward financial landscape’ meaning that adapting to different tax practices is easy. When asked expats did note that living costs are relatively high, with the average spend on this being 53% of their salary however 68% of those asked said they had a higher disposable income than they did previously. Combine the extensive opportunity to take in the Middle Eastern culture with the tropical climate of this island in the Persian Gulf and you’ve got a fantastic expat destination.

5. Germany

Expat residents of Germany benefit massively from this economic superpower with 49% of those asked saying that their career has advanced more quickly since moving. Job security and a healthy work/life balance are other contributing factors to Germany clinching the 5th spot on the Expat Explorer report. Other contributing factors include Germany’s long history of culture, the embedded folk traditions at Christmas time and Germany’s fashion scene. Fancy settling down in time for the festive season? Moving to Europe is easier than ever with our services,

Office trends and tips: how to optimise your in-office time

Office spaces are almost as important as who is actually in the office because it can affect productivity, creativity and the health of your employees. So finding the right balance between work and play is pivotal. The office needs to be functional more than anything. It may look great to have all ‘stand-up’ desks, but employees will eventually get tired of standing and lose the creativity you’re trying to inspire. However introducing stand-up meeting rooms for 20-minutes-or-less meetings only is likely to provoke fresh, engaging ideas and give employees mini-breaks from sitting down.

When you’re designing an office space it’s good to consult your employees. Ask them what they do and don’t want, what would be best for them and for how they work. Involving new employees in design is also a great way to spark future collaborations. If employees work together to create their own workspace, they’ll have something in common already.

Shared areas are the best way to encourage teamwork. A square office with a round ‘coffee hub’ in the middle, complete with worktops and plug sockets, is a sure fire way to get people engaged and talking. It also gets employees moving. Sitting in one spot for 4 hours can suck the creativity out of some people, so let employees wander and change their workspace frequently. Why work at a desk from 9 to 5 when you could work in a cosy pod for 2 hours, stand for 30 minutes and then set up shop in a repurposed storage container? Why work inside when it’s sunny and you’ve got a roof garden? It’s all re-energising, re-invigorating and different!

Not only does layout of an area affect employees’ productivity and efficiency there are plenty of other factors to consider. Light, colours, plants and spatial design can all be points for change and while you don’t have to think of everything but it’s good to cover the most important bases. Let’s take light for example. Do you work better in a dark, dingy room or an open room with a high-ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows? The correct amount of light can be the difference between creative genius and stagnant ideas.

The style and colour of an office is also conducive to good work, especially when there’s a playful element. The kind of ‘wow, have you seen this?’ conversation that any employees can spark up with each other encourages creativity through group bonding and an eventual lack of self-consciousness, freeing people up to volunteering new ideas.

Combining styles such as industrial rooms featuring exposed brickwork with neon, textured wall installations can be a fab way to inject a fun, youthful feel into a workspace. It works with just about any style! Try combining kitsch or vintage meetings tables with modern chairs to accentuate and highlight the differences in both, it’s a cool talking point too. If you’re not sold on that, try angular, geometric patterns on every wall and place contrasting rounded desks and chairs near by.

The easiest way to re-create your office workspace is to stick with pale coloured walls and go crazy for colours of desks, chairs, posters, and even pens, post-it notes and coffee cups! The contrasting colours will bring fresh, vibrant air and a new motivation 

Saving for your first home is simpler with a Help To Buy ISA

A Help To Buy ISA, not to be confused with the Help To Buy Scheme, is a savings product that is rewarded with tax-free bonuses for money that is saved towards a deposit on a new home. Aimed at first time buyers only, the government will pay a ‘bonus’ of £50 for every £200 saved.

As well as receiving tax-free interest (available on all ISA products), with the maximum government bonus of £3,000 available, this savings plan will mean a 25% boost for anyone who has never previously owned their own home.  In addition, if two first-time buyers are making a purchase together, they are able to save into two separate ISAs, offering up to an extra £6,000.

The government bonus is claimed via your solicitor during the purchase of your property, so whilst the savings made in a Help To Buy ISA do not have to be used to buya house, if you decide not to proceed with a property purchase, you will not receive this additional money.

To qualify you will need to have saved at least £1,600 within your Help To Buy ISA.  This will then entitle you to an initial £400 reward. The maximum property value in London eligible to be purchased using a Help To Buy ISA is £450,000, and for the rest of the country the maximum property value will be £250,000.

Further terms & conditions apply and to find out more and check if you are eligible, visit the Help to Buy website. However, we do advise that you talk to an Independent Mortgage Advisor for expert help on buying your first property.

Things to do during the fortnight before you move house

It’s only when you begin to put the entire content of your house into boxes that you realise how much stuff you actually have to move! If you’re packing your own things then we recommend that you start packing around two weeks before your move so that you won’t have to rush it during the days before the move.

2 weeks may sound a little early but when you’re packing you always start with the stuff that you use least. So if there’s a cupboard in the spare room for example, start with that! Emptying these ‘storage cupboards’ that house old photos, christmas decorations and things like that which you don’t use on a daily basis is efficient and can allow you time for a bit of a clear-out. A declutter can make the move easier and probably cheaper. Plus you’ll be doing something nice for any charities and foundations you donate too – we’ve listed some places that take unwanted items here.

Labelling is super important. Moving 20+ cardboard boxes is bad but moving 20 identical brown boxes that are sealed is not a pain that you want to bring upon yourself. Clearly write the room name on each box and you can save yourself so much time and effort when it comes to moving in as well as unpacking!

You don’t want to be missing out on any of your bank statements, local newspapers and birthday cards so letting everyone know of your change of address is critical. Especially because you don’t want any confidential details going to the new owners of your home! Below is a basic list of things you’ll need to update:

  • Your bank details
  • Your internet, television and phone provider
  • Your insurance providers, especially car and home insurance
  • DVLA records (up to a £1,000 fine if your address is wrong)
  • Redirect your mail via Royal Mail
  • TV Licensing

Hopefully our ‘2 weeks before the move’ guide is going to help make your move smooth and streamlined. Don’t forget you’re welcome to give us a call for advice or view our full guide for more in depth help!

Welcoming the fourth generation of Hackworthy family members

Hackworthy and Sons has been a family run business for over 40

years. Taking on second and third generation Hackworthy family members is an intrinsic part of how we run our business so the arrival of our fourth generation family member is great news for the team and the family!

Tom Hackworthy is our newest recruit and apprentice. He is the son of Vicky Hackworthy, granddaughter to the founder of Hackworthy&Sons, Ron Hackworthy. At just 16 years old Tom’s taking to the family business early and is making an excellent start.

His apprenticeship in Commercial Moving will see him work full time, learning our refined trade, and undertaking 10 study modules including health and safety, customer care, regulations, logistics and key problem solving skills.

The Hackworthy family can’t wait for Tom to develop and grow into a fantastic employee and to inspire the next generation of Hackworthy family members.

Join the Hackworthy family – We’re Recruiting!

We’ve been professional removers for over 40 years, with family at the heart of what we do. With that in mind, we’re looking for experienced removal crew members to join our Hackworthy family and build even more on the great Hackworthy brand.

We’re seeking both porters and drivers so a driving qualification isn’t essential but would be desired for both roles. General duties will include packing commercial and business items safely, liaising with clients to fulfil their needs and working as part of an experienced team to deliver the best service to our customers.

With the ability to work well in a team, we’re hoping that you’ll have a polite and well-mannered disposition, great communication skills, and a drive to succeed and meet deadlines. We’re also hoping you’ll be physically fit in order to be able to lift heavy items with due care and attention!

For more information on the jobs available contact one of our team or email your CV to [email protected]

Tips when moving offices

Friday 19th June 2015
Tips when moving offices

Here at Hackworthy we help businesses move offices all the time so we know the pressures and understand that it’s fairly difficult to make sure everything’s in order. There’s so much more to consider than when you’re moving house because for starters, there’s usually more of you! We know just how to help your day run as smoothly as possible and how to have you back to normal ASAP so we’ve compiled a simple, and hopefully helpful, list of tips to get you through your office move without a hitch!

  • Knowing the floor plan of your new office space is key. This way you can decide if you need to store any extra desks you don’t need for now and you can plan which items goes into the van first and last. It’s a way more efficient way of unpacking!
  • Use the office move as an excuse to sort through old files and paperwork. You can shred all the bits you don’t need, cutting on costs, legwork and moving time. Our sister company, Plymouth Self Storage, can even shred it for you! Start your new lease clutter free and ready to be productive.
  • Don’t leave your employees in the dark. If they’re not clued up on all the details of the move, then they can’t be as efficient as possible. Hold a team meeting to ensure questions are answered and you could even delegate so employees know what they can do to help.
  • If you’re moving computers and unplugging leads it’s so easy for work to be lost if you haven’t made sure things are shut down properly. Make sure you back up all of your folders onto a hard drive prior to moving, just in case.
  • Secure any personal files you have on clients or employees, to be confident that you’re not in breach of the data protection act by allowing third parties access to these files.
  • Organisation is key in a big move, especially with a business relocation so make sure that you label boxes, organise your files and categorise everything. Allocating boxes for employee information, company documents and client files will help you more efficiently unpack and get business back to normal.
  • Call your utility suppliers in advance and change addresses to get your services redirected. By calling ahead of your move you’ll avoid things such as Internet downtime.
  • Make sure you tell your customers you’re moving! There’s nothing worse than your clients turning up at your old office and thinking you’ve gone bust. It’s bad for business via word of mouth and your clients may just take their business elsewhere. It may also be true of new clients looking to talk to a team member so make sure your materials and online presence are up to date.

If you’re thinking about your office move, give one of our team members a call for a chat.

We’re sponsoring the PAPPA Charity Golf Event!

PAPPA Golf Day takes place this year on Friday 19th June and Hackworthy are once again sponsoring this great event. For the fourth year in a row Hackworthy will be the main sponsor for this worthy cause, Horizons. The Plymouth Area Property Professionals Association charity golf event aims to raise money for this brilliant charity as they help disadvantaged and disabled children from communities in Plymouth improve self-confidence and social skills through water-based activities.

The event includes a full round of golf and an evening meal followed by entertainment. Some of the entertainment is in the form of games!

Every year Horizons helps hundreds of young children in around 3,000 sessions so it’s an honour to us to be able to support these disadvantaged young adults in building confidence, social and practical skill sets.

Find out how you can help Horizons or contact a member of our team for more information.

A Hackworthy History: 4 generations, 3 companies, 1 family

Hackworthy & Sons is one of the leading, and largest, removal companies in the South West, covering most of Devon and Cornwall. We began our empire in 1972, establishing ourselves as a trustworthy, family-owned business and founded by former RAF pilot Ron Hackworthy. Ron’s son Reg and his wife Ruth now run Hackworthy alongside third generation Hackworthy’s; their son Kevin and their daughter Vicky with the 4th generation also set to join the family business.

We weren’t always a removal company though, we started out as a parcel courier firm but identified that we needed to diversify in order to flourish in the market. We began moving new furniture that then turned into carrying out removals up and down Devon. This was the real turning point, in 1976, in which we started seeing massive growth and potential for more and just four years after Hackworthy was founded the business quickly took off and we began leasing a warehouse in Prince Rock, which we later purchased.

When Reg and Ruth took over Hackworthy in 1991, they began winning multiple national and local removal and distribution contracts and 15 years ago expanded Hackworthy into the self-storage industry. Although the self-storage aspect of our business grew slowly from only a handful of our warehouse units, we eventually saw the potential that the self-storage element had as an individual company. Plymouth Self Storage was born which now operates from 2 sites in Plymouth.

Reg and Ruth together accumulated many awards and accreditations including, in 1999, the BSEN12552 in Domestic Removals. This is a stamp of quality and standards, showcasing a businesses commitment to deliver high-class service and we became one of the very first companies in the UK to achieve this.

Then in 2004 Hackworthy spotted another gap in the market and we decided to expand our current business. SP Cocks Removals of St Austell was our next step and we acquired them just four years before we expanded our Plymouth Self Storage business by leasing a second warehouse.

Hackworthy, Plymouth Self Storage and SP Cocks are all thriving businesses which continue to grow every year. We hope that our history really shows the dedication, drive and enthusiasm that we have for delivering such a high quality removals and storage service.

Which? Trusted Trader Status

Tuesday 2nd June 2015
Which? Trusted Trader Status

Hackworthy and Sons is proud to announce that we have become the first removal company in Plymouth to be given the Which? Trusted Traders.

The accredited status is an absolute privilege as we are the first in Plymouth and we had to complete a full complaints audit as well as an onsite visit. Which? are consumer champions so to be recognised as the trustworthy and client-friendly company that we are is something we’re extremely proud of.

This is another achievement and recognition for us in a long line of accreditations from other organisations. You may remember that in 2011 we were awarded the British Standards for Domestic Removals badge after passing an inspection every year for 10 years with flying colours. As well as this we were finalists in the competition organised by the British Association of Removers to find the ‘Domestic Mover of the Year’.

Our Managing Director Vicky Hackworthy is delighted to achieve the coveted accreditation from Which? as she said: “They have been synonymous with championing the needs of the consumer for such a long time, people trust the Which? brand.”

The title comes just as we enter our 43rd year of being one of the leading and now the most trusted removal company in Plymouth.

Find out more about Which? and see our Trusted Trader listing here.

A Special Load – On behalf of the Lenkiewicz Foundation

We have just completed the delivery of a large number of Lenkiewicz’s painting to Leipzig, Germany on behalf of the Lenkiewicz Foundation.

It is the first exhibition in Germany of paintings by British artist Robert Lenkiewicz (1941-2002) to be held at Spinnerei, Leipzig between 23 June and 21 July.

It’s fair to say this is not the kind of job we complete every-day and there was a fair amount of nail-biting in the office but the guys did a great job;

“Our Leipzig adventure is going well so far, thanks in large part to your drivers Jay & Jason. They were very helpful, we enjoyed working with them. They are pictured beside our largest painting Plymouth Building it’s Future.”

JP Somerville, Lenkiewicz Foundation

We wish the Lenkiewicz Foundation every success with their exhibit. For more information on the exhibit please click here

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