Author: Ginny Nicholls

Planning a move can bring with it a lot of questions and worries. But if you have a pet you’re moving house with, that can create extra concerns and queries too.

But have no fear. As a Leeds removals company with over 100 years of experience, we have plenty of advice around how to keep things as stress-free as possible for your beloved animal companion. Whether it’s finned, furred, feathered or scaled!

1. Pre-move try to stick to routines. Pets might be unsettled seeing things packed up and in boxes and will pick up on any anxiety in the household. Try and keep to their routine as much as possible so they don’t feel too out of sorts. Ditto once you get to the new house – stick to feeding and exercise routines if possible.
2. Arrange for your own transportation of the pet itself. We won’t be able to move a living creature in the removal van, so consider how you will logistically get your pet from your old home to new and if required buy a suitable carry case. Smaller pets such as birds and hamsters can find moving stressful, so try and keep movement to a minimum and if you think they’d prefer it and won’t overheat, you could cover their carrying cage.
3. Flag any specialist equipment. If you have specialist equipment for the animal which will need transportation, for example a large cage or tank, discuss this with your removal company in advance so they can come up with a plan to ensure its safe handling. Looking for trusted Yorkshire removals?
4. On move day consider some outside help. Ideally, for something like a dog or cat which isn’t kept in a cage, we’d recommend you have your pet out of the way on move day. Could family or friends help or a kennel or cattery? It will be stressful for them seeing people coming in and out and they may try and make a bolt for it through an open door. For any pet which needs to remain on site, keep them in one closed off and empty room until they’re ready to be transported and make sure your removals team know not to enter it. Keep checking in on them regularly.
5. Keep their most needed items somewhere easy to access. Keep food, feeding equipment, medicines and toys/bedding somewhere easy to access so you can get to them quickly at the new house.
6. Focus on getting them settled. Keep items near by which will be of comfort, such as bedding, and don’t immediately wash them so the smell remains familiar in the new property. For an animal which will go outside, take your time. Dogs should be walked on a lead and allowed to explore the garden if it’s safe to do so. For cats you may also want to consider a lead to take them outside to begin with – and perhaps keep them in for a few days until they are more familiar with the property.
7. Be patient and reassuring. Your pet may be unsettled and want extra reassurance and cuddles. Although you’ll no doubt be busy unpacking, take the time to make sure they know things are ok.
8. Ensure they’re microchipped. This only really applies if there’s a risk your pet might escape or get lost, but make sure they’re microchipped so if they do go walkabouts at either end you can be reunited. Make sure your new address is registered with the microchipping company.
9. Register them with a local vet. It’s a good idea to get them registered with a local vet as soon as you can. If they’re struggling to settle post-move, they might also be able to help with anxiety aids such as pheromone sprays or diffusers.

Looking for a removals company Leeds? We’ve been operating in the city and beyond for over a century and we’re happy to help with any of your removals needs. Just get in touch to find out more.

As a Leeds removal company with over 100 years of removals experience, we’ve moved people all over. Not just in and around Leeds, but across Yorkshire, the UK and even the world.

The perfect house – and the perfect location – is something different to everyone. Some people crave the calm peacefulness of a detached property in a rural location. Others want the hustle and bustle of a city centre and the minimalist simplicity of an apartment. For some people the perfect home might be a compact cottage in a thriving market town, or a terrace in a community-centred suburb.

But what all house hunters have in common, in our experience in Leeds removals and beyond, is wanting their new property to be somewhere they feel safe and secure.

Which is why this article caught our eye, as it’s all about the safest places to live in and around Leeds.

It seems the safest place to live in the area, according to police figures, is market town Wetherby, situated 12 miles from Leeds centre and towards West Yorkshire’s boundary with North Yorkshire. Second on the list is Garforth in East Leeds. The remaining areas all concentrated on the North of the city – Guiseley; Collington, Rigton and Harewood; and Primley Park and Wigton Moor took third, fourth and fifth spots.

Scarcroft, Shadwell and Scholes was sixth on the list. Aberford, Barwick and Thorner was seventh. Bramhope and Pool in Wharfedale took the eighth spot. Ninth went to Alwoodley and tenth to Roundhay.

If you’re looking beyond Leeds (but still in God’s Own County), the safest places to live in Yorkshire are apparently Leeming, Pickhill and Thornton in Hambleton, North Yorkshire.

Of course, there are plenty of places beyond those listed which offer safe, attractive and interesting places to live. We’re lucky we get to see such a lot of locations in our work in Leeds removals. There are so many welcoming and warm communities within the city and beyond it – and lots of lovely places to set down roots.

If you’re thinking of moving home we can help with all your house removal needs. There are no ‘daft questions’ and we’re always happy to help answer any queries you may have. We understand that for most people moving isn’t something they do every day, and we’re on hand to help you through the process.

With the property market continuing to be buoyant, it’s always worth trying to secure your removal firm with plenty of notice. So as soon as your property sells, or your offer is accepted, it’s never too early to get in touch and get an estimate for your removal. That way, once you have a moving date agreed, it can be booked in straight away, giving you the best possible chance of securing the day you want.

Looking for a removals company, Leeds? Get in touch with us to find out how we can help make your move as stress-free as possible – wherever you’re moving to!

It’s no secret that the property market has been a bit hectic in recent months.

A few months back a report revealed that there were 29 buyers, on average, for every home on the British market. That’s a lot of competition!

As a Leeds’ removal company, we see a lot of property transactions come together, and sadly fall apart.

So, as a buyer, what can you do to help improve your odds to secure the house of your dreams before someone else snaps it up?

1. Get on good terms with the estate agents in your chosen area. If they know what you’re after, they’re far more likely to be able to give you a heads up if something suitable is coming to market. Some properties are being sold before they even come to market. Property portals are great for searching, but they can’t help you in any personal way. Make sure you provide feedback on viewings afterwards as that is helpful to an agent and helps make the relationship a two way street!
2. Know your stuff. If, as a buyer, you’re armed with as much information as possible about the area, the value of properties located there, and some of the history of the property you want to go for, you can come to the table fully prepared. Of course, buying a home is an emotional decision but the negotiation to purchase also needs to concentrate on facts and figures.
3. Know your buyers. Many of us – understandably – have a deep emotional connection to our property. It may be that for personal reasons your buyer feels very sentimental about the garden and is hoping someone doesn’t come in and cement over it all. Or they may be hoping for a family to move in, to follow in their footsteps. If the seller is up for it, there’s the potential to make a connection during viewings or when putting in an offer. Some sellers prefer to keep out of the process – but most will have hopes about what happens to their pride and joy after they leave! Some people write a letter to go with their offer explaining why they want the house and think it’s right for them.
4. Be prepared to negotiate. It has been a sellers’ market for a long time now, and many properties have gone for far more than their initial asking price. As house prices start to steady you may have more bargaining power as a buyer – but the key is to remain flexible. If you think the competition is going to be tough, put a strong initial offer in to show you’re serious.
5. Be ready to go. Make sure you’re as prepared as possible when it comes to being a buyer – for example, mortgage offer in principal, ID easily available, a solicitor in place and a removal firm in mind. Sellers will want to know you’re serious – and that they’re not going to be waiting months for you to sell a home first. Being prepared can often put you to the front of the queue.
6. Be flexible. Some sellers might want to delay the sale while they find a new property to move into – others might want to move as quickly as possible. Be as flexible as you can be if you want to be the preferred buyer.

Remember that moving companies can get very busy – so it’s always worth having made contact with your chosen one if you have a move planned. If you’re looking for a removals company, Leeds, Holdsworths has over 100 years of expertise organising home moves in the region and beyond.

If you’re looking for Leeds removals, get in touch to find out more.

Moving house can be a daunting prospect for anyone – but particularly so for someone who has never moved house before.

As a Leeds removals company with over 100 years of experience under its belt, there’s not many removals scenarios we haven’t witnessed! But on the whole, most removals follow a similar path, and once you know what to expect, they don’t need to cause any anxiety.

So, what are our top tips for a smooth move?

• Plan ahead. All removals firms are busiest in the summer, towards the end of the month and on a Friday. You might want to bear that in mind when planning your move. However, whenever you’re moving try to secure your chosen removal firm around two months ahead of the move to ensure you can get the date you want.
• Quality is key. Make sure you choose a removal company (such as ourselves) which is a member of the British Association of Removers (BAR) and which holds all the relevant British Standards. You don’t want to cut corners when the company is transporting all your worldly goods!
• Consider if you want any packing assistance. At Holdsworths, we can offer a full packing service, a breakables only packing service, or you can manage all the packing yourself, ready for us to load onto the van on moving day. Remember you will need to dismantle flat pack furniture and disconnect washing machines and dishwashers.
• Don’t scrimp on packing materials. Cheap boxes are not worth the money you save – you won’t be able to properly load them so will need more, and they’ll damage and rip far more easily. Particularly if it’s raining, you want sturdy boxes and decent packaging tape. We can help provide boxes and packing material even if you are packing up yourselves.
• Start packing early. If you are packing up yourself, you’ll be surprised how long it can take. Give yourself plenty of time and that way you can have a good clear out as you go.
• Label everything. Make sure it’s clear which room every box needs to head to and roughly what is inside. You’ll be very grateful for it at the other end!
• Make sure you’re insured. We discuss insurance with all our customers so they can make sure they are adequately covered for their belongings whilst in transit. You may also wish to look at insurance in case plans have to change at the last minute – sometimes chains can fall apart or be delayed very late on in the process.
• Will you need storage? Sometimes move out and move in days don’t line up. If you need to move out before your new property is ready to move into, we can help keep your belongings safe in storage in between.
• Think about parking. Will you need parking permits at either end of your move for the removal van, or to secure sufficient space for it with cones?
• Create an essentials kit. Prepare an essentials kit which you keep with you for the move – things like medication, pet food, snacks, tea and coffee, toilet roll, handwash, tool kit, light bulbs etc. It’s often handy to have bedding and nightwear somewhere convenient too. Sometimes it can be late before you’re in and settled due to delays and you won’t want to have to go hunting for everything you need to go to bed for the night.
• Make lots of lists. Lists of people and organisations you need to give meter readings/new address details to. Lists of things to do before the big day. Lists will be your friend! We can help with one list – best removals company, Leeds…Holdsworths!

If you need removals companies, Leeds, why not get in touch? We’re always happy to help answer any questions you might have.

In the recent ‘Best Places to Live in the North’ report in The Times, Leeds city centre and nearby Ilkley both fared very well.

Obviously we’re not surprised, as a Leeds removals company for over 100 years. We’ve moved people to and from every area in the city over the decades and seen areas rise and fall in popularity.

Ilkley is a permanent favourite, with its bustling and thriving high street, vibrant social scene, outstanding schools, handy station – and yet the stunning Yorkshire Dales is just on its doorstep. No wonder then it was the overall winner of this year’s ‘Best Places to Live’, beating off stiff competition from across the country.

Leeds City Centre also got a mention as a great place to reside. With fantastic shopping, a lively range of entertainment, socialising, art and culture, all within an easily walkable centre with great transport links, we can certainly see the appeal.

But, of course, from our viewpoint as a removal company, Leeds has many, many more hidden gems which make a fantastic location to set up home. Purplebricks has done some analysis of the five most popular postcodes in Leeds so far this year when it comes to home buying, based on how many viewings of properties there have been.

Taking the top spot is LS7 – covering the ever-popular Chapel Allerton, with its thriving high street and wide selection of much-loved bars and restaurants. The postcode also covers sections of suburbs such as Meanwood, Potternewton, Chapeltown and Sheepscar.

In second place is LS25 in East Leeds, which incorporates Garforth, Kippax, Micklefield, Aberford, Ledsham, Monk Fryston and Sherburn-in-Elmet. South Milford is also in LS25 and is home to the Queen o’t’owd Thatch pub, which has been voted in the Observer Food Monthly as serving the best Sunday Roast in the country.

Third place goes to LS14 and is where you’ll find Thorner, Scarcroft, Killingbeck, Swarcliffe, Seacroft and Whinmoor. Scarcroft is home to two of Leeds most expensive streets in terms of property prices – and for good reason.

LS10 takes fourth place and covers the edge of the city centre as well as Middleton, Stourton, Hunslet and Belle Isle. Within the postcode is the popular Royal Armouries and Leeds Dock, which is home to many stylish apartments, coffee shops, bars and restaurants.

In West Leeds, LS12 takes the final spot in the top five. Armley, Wortley, Farnley and New Farnley fall into the postcode and are conveniently located for heading either into Leeds centre or towards Bradford.

If you’re looking for house removals in Leeds, whether you’re moving to or from the city, or anywhere in the country (or indeed the world), we can help. With over 10 decades of expertise under our belts, we know exactly how to get your belongings safely transported to your chosen destination. We take away as much of the hassle as we can, so you can concentrate on getting settled in your new home. If you want to find out more, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always happy to answer any questions.

Everyone knows that moving home is said to be one of the most stressful things you can do (although it DEFINITELY helps if you have a good removals company!). But what about moving business premises?

As a Leeds removals company for over 100 years, we’ve had the privilege of helping many businesses move. Whether they were scaling up, scaling down, merging or relocating, all had one thing in common. They all wanted to move with the minimum amount of disruption to their business services and ultimately to their clients and customers.

Although it takes some careful planning, a smooth business move is certainly very possible. Particularly with the right Yorkshire removals company!

So here are our top tips if you’re planning an office move:

1. Plan as far in advance as possible. Ideally you’ll have a few months’ notice and you can work with your chosen removal company to plan the key dates in the process.
2. Pick wisely when it comes to your removals company. If someone is offering a deal which seems too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure they’re full members of the British Association of Removers and have the relevant British Trading Standards. Talk to them about things like insurance and make sure you feel confident in how they deal with your enquiries. Check for recommendations and read reviews. Looking for a removals company Leeds with excellent reviews?
3. Make sure everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. Who is in charge of utilities or updating the contact details on the website? Does everyone pack their own desk? Will people need to be in or stay away on moving day?
4. Take the opportunity to Spring Clean. Just like at home, at work we can be guilty of hanging on to far too much stuff we don’t need. Plan to start afresh in the new premises with less of the stuff you don’t need. Remember we can help with storage and shredding services if you need them too!
5. Will your old furniture fit your new office? There’s no point transporting lots of desks or a big boardroom table if there’s nowhere for them to go. Create a scaled drawing so you can work out where things may fit. This floor plan will be helpful for the removals teams when unloading as well.
6. If work needs doing in the new office – such as painting or replacing flooring – try and do it before you move in for minimum disruption. If the lease begins a few days before you move, you can also start moving some non-essential items yourself by company van or car.
7. Use good quality boxes. Cheap packing materials are more likely to damage and crush your items or collapse in the slightest bit of rain (we are in the UK…)
8. Make sure everything is clearly labelled. You can’t give too much detail, and it will help you hugely when it comes to unloading and unpacking.
9. Consider parking at both ends of the journey. Will permits be needed, or will you need to save a space for the removal van(s) with cones?
10. Think about prioritising what’s important when you arrive at your new office. Is it unpacking and getting desks and phones working, or is it getting the broadband up and running? Tech tends to be most people’s priority. Make sure everything is backed up, cables and component parts are clearly labelled and tech is safely packaged for transportation.
11. Make sure everyone is notified. There’s a lot of changing of address which will need to be done, from banks and insurance companies to clients and suppliers and everything in between. Make a list and start in plenty of time!

If you’re looking for office movers, Leeds, get in touch to find out more.