When people ask us what makes our company so appealing to repeat customers, the response is always simple. It’s down to our high standard of customer service. Additionally, we offer a range of removal and storage packages and services to suit every situation. Whether you’re a homeowner relocating or a business in need of storage, we’re the right choice for you.
Finding a removals and storage company in London could not be easier than it is today. In fact, there are so many to choose from; it’s not easy to find one that delivers on its promises. Luckily, this is something our customers never worry about. They know that Anthony Ward Thomas is synonymous with providing the best removal services in London.
Contents
- Always Choose A Reputable Removals Company
- A Range Of Removals And Storage Options
- Why Experience Matters For Complex Moves
- DIY Moving Versus Professional Removal Services
- What Is Included In A White Glove Service
- Why Quality Packing Materials Make A Difference
- Moving House Checklist Before Removal Day
Always Choose a Reputable Removals Company
Earning a reputation as London’s best removals company takes years of dedication and consistent efforts to exceed customer expectations. If you provide the highest standard of removals service, you gain a loyal customer. And if someone they know is relocating, they hope to refer our company. Fortunately for Anthony Ward Thomas, we get thousands of such referrals every year.
Customer Recommendations Speak Volumes
The prevalence of the internet is one of the most useful tools for any person who’s looking for a specific service. Even if you’re new to using a specific type of service, Google can point you in the right direction. Google is a rating platform where previous customers rate each company out of five. Each person can also leave a comment with their score so that you can assess a company’s reliability.
How to Assess a Removals Company’s Reputation
Just in case you were wondering – Anthony Ward Thomas is a five-star company, and we enjoy receiving feedback from each job we undertake. We’re lucky to have a loyal base of customer who return to use us for their next relocation or for another service we provide. For the Anthony Ward Thomas Team, excellent customer service is the standard.
A Range of Removals and Storage Options
There are three expectations our customers can rely on Anthony Ward Thomas. Firstly, we have the core removal packages that most reliable companies offer. Secondly, we have a range of specialist services and packages that no other removals company in London can offer. The third expectation is a guarantee that every package and service we provide will be completed to total satisfaction.
Choosing the Right Removal Service
Our core removal services include small, large, overseas, and business moves. Small moves is our premium man-and-van service in London. We generally advise people moving within London to choose this service, as it’s easier to load furniture and avoid traffic. Our large moves vehicles can hold more volume of items, which is necessary for bulky furniture.
Specialist Packing for Added Protection
There is one logical reason why people choose to use Anthony Ward Thomas, and it’s something most removals companies can’t compete with. Our specialist packing service links into every core and specialist package we offer. We guarantee to safeguard your possessions against breakage during transit. And for customers who are moving fine art or antiques, you can understand why this would be essential. We also have short-term and long-term storage packages, should you need to stagger your relocation.
Premium Solutions for Valuable Possessions
Anthony Ward Thomas offers specialist removal packages, including piano removals, fragile removals, and antiques & fine art removals. We’re known as London’s prestige removals service, and these packages indicate why people often choose to use our company. We have a track record of relocating valuable works of art and irreplaceable items of furniture.
Why Experience Matters for Complex Moves
Not all moves are created equal. Relocating across London is one thing, but moving across the UK or overseas introduces a completely different set of challenges. The further your possessions travel, the more opportunities there are for delays, communication issues, and logistical complications. This is where experience becomes invaluable. A company that has successfully managed thousands of relocations is far better equipped to anticipate potential issues and keep your move running smoothly from start to finish.
National and International Relocations Require Greater Planning
A local move may be completed within a single day, but national and international relocations often involve several stages and multiple parties working together. Vehicles, storage facilities, shipping schedules, and delivery windows must align to ensure your possessions arrive safely and on time.
Long-distance moves also leave less room for error. If a problem occurs during a local relocation, it can often be resolved quickly. When moving hundreds or even thousands of miles, however, a small oversight can create significant disruption. Careful planning helps ensure every stage of the journey is accounted for before moving day arrives.
Expertise Helps Prevent Delays and Disruptions
One of the biggest advantages of choosing an experienced removals company is the ability to identify potential challenges before they become costly problems. Over the years, professional movers encounter almost every situation imaginable, from restricted access and parking limitations to unexpected schedule changes and transport delays.
By preparing for these scenarios in advance, experienced teams can often prevent them from affecting the move altogether. Detailed planning, clear communication, and practical contingency measures help keep everything on track. For you, that means fewer surprises and a far less stressful relocation experience.
Knowledge of Regulations and Documentation
International moves often involve documentation that simply does not exist with a standard domestic relocation. Customs declarations, import regulations, inventories, and shipping requirements can vary significantly between destinations.
Understanding these requirements is essential. Missing paperwork or inaccurate information can result in delays, additional costs, or complications once your belongings reach their destination. Experienced removal specialists understand these processes and can guide you through the requirements, helping to ensure everything is prepared correctly before your move begins.
Specialist Handling for Valuable Possessions
High-value belongings deserve more than standard handling. Antiques, fine art, designer furniture, pianos, and oversized items all require specialist techniques to ensure they remain protected throughout transit.
At Anthony Ward Thomas, we understand that some possessions are financially valuable, while others hold sentimental value that cannot be replaced. Professional packing methods, specialist equipment, and careful handling procedures all work together to reduce risks during loading, transport, and delivery. It is this attention to detail that provides peace of mind when relocating treasured possessions.
Proven Systems Deliver Consistent Results
The most respected national moving companies do not rely on guesswork. They follow established processes that have been refined through years of practical experience. Every stage of the move, from the initial survey through to final delivery, follows a structured approach designed to maintain quality and consistency.
Clear procedures also improve communication. You know what to expect, when key stages will take place, and who to contact if you have questions. When relocating over long distances, that level of organisation makes a significant difference. It helps ensure the same high standard of service is maintained whether you are moving across London, across the UK, or to a new home overseas.
DIY Moving Versus Professional Removal Services
Quick Answer: Professional removal services often provide better overall value than DIY moving when you consider vehicle hire, fuel, packing materials, insurance, time, and the risk of damage. While DIY moves may appear cheaper initially, experienced movers can reduce stress, improve efficiency, and help avoid costly mistakes.
Many people begin planning a move by asking a simple question: Should you do it yourself or hire a professional removals company? On the surface, a DIY move can appear to be the cheaper option. However, once you look beyond the initial price tag, the comparison often becomes far more complicated. Understanding the true costs, risks, and practical considerations can help you make a more informed decision.
Is DIY Moving Really Cheaper?
In some situations, a DIY move may cost less. For smaller relocations involving only a handful of items, hiring a van and handling everything yourself can be a practical solution. However, larger household moves often involve hidden expenses that are easy to overlook during the planning stage.
Hidden Costs Quickly Add Up
The advertised cost of van hire is only one part of the equation. Additional expenses can quickly increase the overall cost of a DIY move, including:
- Fuel costs, particularly for long-distance relocations
- Additional mileage charges
- Insurance upgrades and excess protection
- Parking permits and congestion charges
- Extra journeys if everything cannot be moved in one trip
By the time these costs are added together, the difference between DIY moving and professional assistance may be far smaller than expected.
Packing Supplies Often Cost More Than Expected
Many homeowners underestimate how much packing material is required to move an entire property safely. Even a modest move may require dozens of boxes, along with tape, packing paper, protective covers, and specialist materials for fragile possessions.
Items such as mirrors, artwork, antiques, and electronics often need additional protection. Purchasing these materials individually can be expensive, especially if mistakes result in damaged belongings that need replacing.
What Risks Come With a DIY Move?
Cost is only one part of the decision. The risks associated with moving without professional support should also be considered, particularly when transporting valuable furniture or fragile possessions.
Greater Chance of Damage
Without professional packing techniques and handling experience, belongings are naturally more vulnerable during transit. Furniture may become scratched when manoeuvring through doorways, while poorly packed boxes can collapse or shift inside the vehicle.
Common causes of damage during DIY moves include:
- Overloaded boxes split during lifting.
- Furniture being inadequately protected.
- Fragile items moving during transport.
- Incorrect lifting techniques causing items to be dropped.
In some cases, accidental damage may not be fully covered by standard insurance policies, leaving you responsible for repair or replacement costs.
Increased Physical Demands
Moving house is physically demanding work. Lifting sofas, wardrobes, appliances, and heavy boxes repeatedly throughout the day can be exhausting, particularly if stairs or limited access are involved.
A DIY move may also require several days of preparation, loading, transport, unloading, and unpacking. For busy households, taking time away from work or family commitments can create additional indirect costs that are rarely factored into the initial budget.
Why Do Many People Choose Professional Movers?
Professional movers provide more than transportation. They bring experience, equipment, and proven systems designed to make the entire process more efficient and less stressful.
Better Value Beyond the Initial Price
While professional removal services often carry a higher upfront cost, many customers find they receive better overall value when everything is taken into account.
Benefits can include:
- Faster loading and unloading times
- Reduced risk of damage
- Professional packing assistance
- Less disruption to your schedule
- Greater peace of mind throughout the move
When you consider the time saved and the reduced likelihood of costly mistakes, professional support often represents a worthwhile investment.
Access to Specialist Resources
Experienced removal teams have access to equipment and resources that most households do not. This can include furniture protection materials, specialist lifting equipment, purpose-built vehicles, and trained crews who understand how to move awkward or valuable items safely.
At Anthony Ward Thomas, we believe a successful move is about more than transporting possessions from one property to another. It is about delivering a service that reduces stress, protects your belongings, and allows you to focus on settling into your new home.
What Is Included in a White Glove Service?
White Glove Service at a Glance
- Professional packing and unpacking
- Specialist protection for valuable possessions
- Furniture placement and set-up
- Detailed inventories and handling procedures
- Suitable for luxury, executive, and high-value relocations.
White glove removals are designed for customers who want a higher level of care, convenience, and attention to detail throughout the moving process. Rather than simply transporting possessions, this premium service manages many of the tasks that can make moving house stressful and time-consuming.
For homeowners relocating valuable belongings, busy professionals, or families balancing multiple responsibilities, a white-glove service can transform the entire moving experience.
What Does White Glove Packing Include?
White glove packing goes far beyond placing items into boxes. Every possession is assessed individually and packed using appropriate materials and techniques designed to provide the highest level of protection.
Professional Packing From Start to Finish
Trained packing specialists carefully prepare your belongings before moving day. This approach helps ensure possessions are organised, protected, and ready for safe transportation.
A professional packing service typically includes:
- Specialist wrapping for fragile possessions
- Clearly labelled boxes and inventories
- Room-by-room packing strategies
- Careful preparation of furniture and valuables
The result is a more organised move with fewer opportunities for damage or confusion.
Custom Solutions for Valuable Possessions
Some belongings require protection that standard packing methods cannot provide. Fine art, antiques, designer furniture, sculptures, and family heirlooms often benefit from bespoke packing solutions tailored to their specific requirements.
Additional cushioning, custom-built protection, and specialist handling procedures help ensure these items remain secure throughout every stage of the move. For valuable possessions, this extra level of care can be invaluable.
What Happens During Delivery?
A white glove service continues long after the vehicle arrives at your new property. The focus remains on convenience, efficiency, and attention to detail.
Placement and Set-Up Services
Rather than leaving boxes and furniture at the front door, white-glove teams help place items exactly where they belong. This reduces the amount of work required once you arrive at your new home.
Services may include:
- Positioning furniture in designated rooms
- Reassembling selected items
- Unpacking agreed possessions
- Removing used packing materials
This allows you to settle in more quickly and comfortably.
Attention to Detail Throughout the Move
Premium removals services are built around careful planning and execution. Detailed inventories, clear instructions, and additional quality checks help ensure every item receives the appropriate level of attention.
From collection through to final delivery, experienced teams maintain a consistent focus on protecting your possessions and delivering a seamless moving experience.
Who Benefits Most From White Glove Removals?
Although anyone can choose a premium removals service, certain types of moves benefit particularly well from the additional support provided.
Ideal for Busy Households and Professionals
Many customers simply do not have the time to coordinate every aspect of a move themselves. White glove removals allow you to delegate many of the most demanding tasks to experienced professionals.
This can be especially beneficial for:
- Busy professionals managing work commitments
- Families with young children
- Older homeowners seeking additional support
- Executive relocations with tight schedules
By reducing the practical burden of moving, you can focus on the transition itself rather than the logistics behind it.
Suitable for High-Value Relocations
Properties containing fine art, antiques, luxury furnishings, or specialist collections often require a more considered approach. These possessions may be valuable financially, historically, or sentimentally.
A white glove service provides the additional protection, planning, and expertise needed to move such items with confidence. For complex or high-value relocations, that added reassurance is often one of the most important benefits of all.
Why Quality Packing Materials Make a Difference
Quality packing materials help protect belongings during transit, reduce the risk of damage, improve loading efficiency, and provide better support for fragile or valuable possessions. Professional-grade supplies are often a worthwhile investment for local, national, and international moves.
Packing is often viewed as a simple task, yet the materials used can significantly impact the success of a move. Even the most carefully handled possessions can be vulnerable if they are packed using unsuitable boxes or inadequate protective materials. Investing in quality packing supplies is one of the simplest ways to protect your belongings and reduce the likelihood of damage during transit.
Strong Materials Provide Better Protection
The journey between properties can place considerable pressure on packed items. Boxes are stacked, loaded into vehicles, transported over varying road conditions, and unloaded again at the destination. Strong, durable packing materials help ensure your possessions remain protected throughout every stage of the process.
Quality cartons are designed to withstand greater weight and handling. Reinforced packaging helps maintain structural integrity, reducing the risk of boxes collapsing or contents shifting during transport. For fragile belongings, this additional protection can make all the difference.
Specialist Materials Protect Delicate Items
Not every item can be packed in the same way. Glassware, artwork, electronics, and delicate furniture often require specialised materials designed to protect them during relocation.
Bubble wrap, protective covers, packing paper, furniture blankets, and custom wrapping materials all serve different purposes. Used correctly, they help absorb impacts, prevent scratches, and reduce movement while in transit. Professional movers understand which materials are most suitable for different types of possessions, helping to provide a higher level of protection.
Cheap Packing Materials Can Create Problems
It can be tempting to save money by purchasing the cheapest boxes and packing supplies available. Unfortunately, this is often a false economy. Lower-quality materials are more likely to tear, split, or fail when placed under pressure.
Weak tape can come loose during transport, while poorly constructed boxes may buckle when stacked. Even a small failure can expose belongings to unnecessary risk. When you consider the value of the items being moved, investing in stronger materials often represents far better value.
Damage Can Become More Costly
The financial cost of replacing damaged possessions can quickly exceed any savings made on packing materials. More importantly, some items simply cannot be replaced. Family heirlooms, personal collections, and sentimental possessions often hold far greater value than their purchase price suggests.
Poor packing is one of the most common causes of avoidable damage during a move. By choosing suitable materials from the outset, you significantly reduce the likelihood of costly repairs, replacements, or insurance claims later.
Different Items Require Different Solutions
A box of books has very different packing requirements from a collection of crystal glassware or a valuable painting. Treating every possession the same way can leave certain items vulnerable during transport.
Professional packing services assess the specific needs of each item and apply the most suitable protection. Electronics may require anti-static materials, artwork may benefit from bespoke wrapping, and fragile items often need additional cushioning. Tailoring the packing approach to the item helps improve safety throughout the move.
Professional Suppliers Offer Better Options
One of the advantages of working with an established removals company is access to professional-grade packing materials. Dedicated packing stores offer products specifically designed for relocation, providing a level of protection that many general retailers cannot match.
At Anthony Ward Thomas, our specialist packing supplies are selected to meet the demands of local, national, and international moves. Whether you are packing yourself or using our professional packing service, quality materials provide a stronger foundation for a successful relocation.
Efficient Packing Supports Smoother Moves
Good packing is not only about protection. It also helps create a more organised and efficient moving experience. Clearly labelled boxes, consistent carton sizes, and properly secured contents make loading, transport, and unloading significantly easier.
When boxes can be stacked safely and handled efficiently, the entire move becomes more streamlined. Unpacking is also simpler, allowing you to settle into your new home more quickly. It is a small detail that delivers benefits long after moving day has ended.
Moving House Checklist Before Removal Day
Moving day tends to feel hectic when too many tasks are left until the final week. The simplest way to reduce stress is to complete the administrative, access, and packing tasks in a sensible order. Use this checklist as a practical run-through before your move date for Anthony Ward Thomas.
Essential Pre-Move Checklist
- Notify banks, building societies, credit card providers, and other financial institutions of your new address.
- Inform your home, contents, vehicle, and other relevant insurance providers about the move and any change in cover requirements.
- Update council tax records and notify the local authority if you are moving between boroughs or councils.
- Arrange Royal Mail redirection so important post continues to reach you after moving day.
- Update addresses linked to subscriptions, memberships, online shopping accounts, and loyalty programmes.
- Take final utility meter readings and confirm account closure or transfer dates with gas, electricity, water, broadband, and television providers.
- Notify employers, schools, healthcare providers, and any organisations that regularly correspond with you.
- Reserve parking spaces or loading bays for removal vehicles where permits or prior booking are required.
- Obtain access permissions, lift bookings, or move-in approvals from building management teams, concierge services, or residents’ associations.
- Confirm moving dates, arrival windows, contact numbers, and any special instructions with your removals company.
- Review inventories and clearly identify high-value, fragile, or sentimental items that require special handling or packing instructions.
- Prepare keys, alarm codes, entry fobs, parking permits, and any access information needed at both properties.
- Pack a first-night essentials box containing chargers, toiletries, medication, basic kitchen items, clothing, and children’s or pet necessities.
- Keep passports, contracts, financial documents, medical records, and other critical paperwork together in a clearly identifiable, easily accessible folder.
Items People Most Often Forget
- Parking permits or loading permissions for the removal vehicle.
- Broadband transfer or cancellation dates.
- Spare keys left with neighbours, cleaners, or family members.
- Alarm codes, gate codes, and building access details.
- Medication, chargers, and children’s essentials are packed into the first-night box.
- Final meter readings and photographs of the meters on the day of departure.
When This Checklist Is “Complete”
A useful rule of thumb is to have the administrative tasks finished several days before the move, the access and parking arrangements confirmed before the removal crew arrives, and the essentials box packed the night before departure. Completing these tasks early reduces last-minute phone calls, missing documents, and access problems that can slow down a move. A structured checklist will not remove every challenge, but it gives you a clear, repeatable process and helps the entire relocation run more smoothly.
Anthony Ward Thomas – The Best London Removal Company
Anthony Ward Thomas is the only removals company in London that offers this range of core and specialist services. Our customers return to us because they know their belongings and heirlooms are safe with our removals experts. It’s our attention to detail and dedication to customer service that make us one of the top companies in London.
We can move you anywhere in London, the UK, Europe and around the world. Through our partners in the Master Removers Group, we have a network of the very best removals, storage and logistics companies in the UK. This means we can offer the same level of customer service for both national and international moves.
Anthony Ward Thomas is fully BAR-accredited, which means we guarantee a high standard of service and protect our customers’ interests. And to top it all off, Anthony Ward Thomas is a truly five-star company. Don’t take our word for it – see what our previous customers think of our customer service.
Anthony Ward Thomas is one of London’s top companies, known for our attention to detail and high standard of customer service. If you want to book London’s prestige removals company, contact us today. We encourage you to peruse our dedicated blog and FAQ pages for more useful tips for premium removal and storage in London.