Moving day parking is the one thing that most often makes a move run late. The crew can pack and carry quickly, but if the lorry has to park round the corner, every box, bed and wardrobe makes a long walk in both directions. Sorting the parking a week or two before the day is one of the cheapest ways to keep a move on time, and on the fixed price you were quoted. On a controlled street that usually means a parking suspension from the council. Our house moving checklist puts it in the right week.
Why moving day parking decides the day
Distance from the lorry to the front door is the biggest single factor in how long loading and unloading take, after the amount of furniture itself. A short, level walk keeps things moving. A long carry up a hill, across a busy road or through a car park slows every trip and adds risk to heavy items. It also matters for safety, because a lorry parked well is a lorry the crew can load without standing in traffic.
Different kinds of street
Quiet residential roads. Usually fine, but it helps to ask neighbours to leave space outside your house on the day. A polite note through doors a few days before works better than a knock on the morning.
Terraced streets with residents' parking. Common in towns like Luton, Bedford and St Albans. Space is tight and bays may be controlled, so you may need to arrange a suspension or a permit through the council.
Main roads and red routes. Loading may be restricted to certain times or not allowed at all. These need planning well ahead and may change how the move is run.
Parking suspensions and permits
Most councils let you apply to suspend a parking bay for a removal. The process, the notice period and the cost vary from council to council, so check with the council for each address as early as you can. Some ask for a couple of weeks' notice. When you apply, give the date, the length of the bay you need, and the times, allowing for the lorry arriving early and leaving late.
Remember it is two addresses, often in two different council areas. A move from Dunstable to Hertfordshire, for example, means two separate checks.
Flats and shared access
For flats, check with the building manager whether there is a loading bay, whether the lift can be booked and protected, and whether there are set moving hours. Some blocks only allow moves on certain days. Tell your removals company which floor you are on and whether there is a lift at both ends, because it changes the crew and the time, and it should be on the quote. Our guide to what a removal quote should include explains why.
Thinking about both ends
People often sort parking at the house they are leaving and forget the one they are moving to, especially if they have not lived there yet. Visit the new street at the time of day the lorry will arrive. A road that looks empty on a Sunday afternoon can be full of commuter parking on a Friday morning. If the new address is a new build, check whether the estate roads are adopted and whether there are any construction restrictions still in place.
If parking at one end really cannot be solved, tell your removals company early. They may plan a smaller vehicle as a shuttle, a longer day, or a different time, and it is better that this shows up in the quote than as an extra on the day.
A quick moving day parking checklist
- Check the street outside both addresses on a weekday and a weekend
- Ask the council about bay suspensions or permits for each address
- Book any lift or loading bay for flats
- Tell neighbours the date and ask them to leave space
- Tell your removals company about any restrictions when you get the quote
If you are not sure what a street needs, send us both postcodes when you ask for a quote. We would rather plan the parking with you than find out on the morning.
Want this priced properly?
Send us the two postcodes and a rough idea of what is coming, and we will give you a fixed price in writing. No obligation, and no follow-up pestering if you decide to go elsewhere.