Moving guide
Should I hire a van for my move? An honest guide
So you’re moving in a few days, you’ve realised you own about four times more stuff than you thought, and 28 trips on the tube is simply not happening. Hiring a van yourself is tempting. Before you book one, here’s what I really wish people knew, because I do this for a living.
- You can drive a big van on a normal licence. All the way up to a Luton, which is basically a small truck. The catch is almost nobody will rent a Luton to under-30s, so realistically you’ll get an extra-long wheelbase. Which is loads anyway, so don’t panic.
- Vans are roomier than you think. They go short, long and extra-long wheelbase (medium, large, extra large). Have a quick google of the dimensions, and if it’s only £20 more to size up, do it. There’s nothing worse than getting everything down to the van and finding your sofa won’t fit.
- Turn up early, with your licence and a credit card. The credit card isn’t optional, you need it for the deposit. And branches are forever short on the van you actually booked, so give yourself a buffer.
- Sort your own excess insurance. They’ll push their cover at around £25 a day. Buy it yourself instead, somewhere like Questor does it for under a tenner. Just don’t skip it altogether, because any damage and you’re liable for £2,000+, even when it genuinely wasn’t your fault.
- Vans come completely empty. No trolley, no blankets, no straps. Grab a folding sack truck (Screwfix) and some blankets and bungee ropes (Amazon). Annoying to buy for one use, I know, but your back and your telly will thank you.
- Mind the London bits. Most vans are ULEZ-fine, but you’ll still pay the Congestion Charge and any tolls. Width barriers are OK up to extra-large if the sign says 6’6” or more. And you literally cannot take a van through the Rotherhithe Tunnel, so don’t let your sat nav try.
Honestly though, if reading all that gave you clammy hands and a headache, forget the whole thing and let me do it. No scary driving, no hire faff, no kit you’ll use once, no surprise fees. I genuinely would, if I were you.