Despite the uncertainty provided by the recent General Election and up and coming Brexit negotiations, Barclays Bank has spoken optimistically on the UK housing market. Using many different factors such as rental trends, employment levels and the new behaviours of commuters, Barclays have sought to create an index of property hotspots.
As a result of the study, Barclays came to a prediction that there would be an average 6.1 per cent increase on property prices by the end of 2021. This would see the average value of a house in the UK at just below £300,000. As expected, London expects to see the largest increase by region with areas such as East Anglia, the south east, the East Midlands seeing above average increases.
It was also positive news for owners and buyers in our local region albeit at a reduced rate with an expected price increase of 3.6 per cent across Yorkshire & Humberside.
Dena Brumpton, Chief Executive of Barclays’ wealth and investments division explained, “It’s encouraging to see that property is still viewed as an important part of the investment portfolio with high net worth investors typically owning three properties and over a quarter planning to buy property because they believe that it offers long-term investment security”
Brumpton went on to provide optimism for the rest of the UK, ““There is also increasing confidence among property investors, as many are taking a long-term view when it comes to putting money into property. It’s also interesting to see from our research how investment prospects are emerging outside of the established property heartland of London and the South of England, with economic growth and employment opportunity fuelling growth in hotspots across the UK.”
The study suggested that young buyers would be a key aspect of driving the growth of the UK housing market. So despite possible uncertainty, there are positive signs for home movers and buyers in Yorkshire and across the UK.
At Holdsworth’s we do our very best to ensure that each of our removals runs as stress-free for each of our customers as possible. We try and call upon our near one hundred year experience and apply it to each removal in order to make it a success and this has meant that we have developed a reliable and efficient process for each move.
We have put some of this process into a set of handy resources that customers or anyone looking to move home can call upon for advice.
When you are planning to move house then there is a lot of research that is required. Whether it is regarding your house or the area that you are planning to move to – amongst many other things, the removal itself is often forgotten. So to give movers an idea of what takes to go through the removal process, we put together a brief five step guide to outline the key points of a move taking customers from finding the removal company, to getting a quote and eventually the move day.
Choosing a removal company can be the toughest part of the process. As well as cost, there are a number of additional factors to consider. A key factor being why choose a BAR (British Association of Removers) verified removal company. We summarised our credentials to ensure that you know exactly what assurances and guarantees you get when choosing Holdsworth’s of Leeds.
After you have received your quotes for the move and you have decided which removal company you would like to go with, you will be presented with a number of additional extras before paying for your move. A key decision at this point is to decide whether or not you are going to pack yourself or take up the professional packing service provided by your removal company. If it’s the former then we have a handy guide of hints and tips for packing yourself. As well as this, there are a number of insurance options and waivers on offer which will provide you with security and peace of mind. Or if you are considering storage for your belongings while you go through the move, there is a guide on how storage can help you here.
Finally, there are the steps required in the weeks and days leading up to your removal and on move day itself. Whether it’s a domestic home move or an international removal, we have put together a checklist of things to consider in preparation for and on move day. All to ensure that your removal runs as smoothly as possible.
When choosing a removal company, customers are always asked if they would like a packing service as an extra. It may not seem it at the time but this is an important question to consider. Professional removals companies will offer their packing service and this is meant to help you through your removal should you agree to take it up. It adds cost to the removal but it is an additional worth considering due to the following reasons.
Time
Packing belongings will no doubt be the most stressful and time consuming task of your removal when opting to take it on yourself. When removal day is coming up, it is often quite daunting to consider having to pack up the items in your home as well as dealing with the stress of the move. Opting for a professional packing service will allow you to focus your efforts elsewhere while our packers take the stress of this task away from you.
It also allows you take spend more time planning exactly what boxes and belongings you want to go where, focus on labelling the boxes and also frees up some time to declutter your items before the packers get to work.
Materials
If you opt to pack yourself then you will have to source your packing materials yourself. This could be time consuming, costly and still leave you with below standard packing materials. By using a professional packing service, the removal company of choice will supply these packing materials. Removals companies are regularly vetted by the British Association of Removers which aims to ensure that customers are getting an industry standard service from verified members (Holdsworth’s of Leeds are verified BAR members). This includes packing materials used on a removal; therefore a packing service via your removal company will improve the safety of your belongings while in transit.
Protection
Speaking of the protection of your belongings, as well as the materials in use, the expertise of the packers themselves will improve the safety of your items. Professional packers will know exactly how to pack items into a box so that they remain safe while in transit.
Here are a few tricks of the trade:
To move plates, wrap them individually and then stack them in a box like vinyl records.
Removal boxes should be packed bottom heavy to protect items and stop the boxes from toppling over.
Use blankets, bubble wrap, paper, polystyrene chips or anything that can resist a shock to fill spaces with boxes. This will improve the protection of your items while in transit.
Specialised Items
In our near 100 year history, Holdsworth’s have experience of moving almost anything you can think of. If you are concerned about the removal of a specific item that is quite specialised or unique, let us know and we will call upon our experience to ensure that it is protected during the move.
Moving home can be quite a daunting task. When you have got through the process of buying and selling a house, it’s easy to forget that the move itself has to take place. Being as organised as possible in the lead up to your removal and allowing enough time to select the right removal company is essential. We thought by explaining our removal process in this article, it would allow full understanding of what it takes to move house.
Making Your Enquiry
Making your initial contact with Holdsworth’s of Leeds could not be simpler. You can get in touch with Holdsworth’s over the phone using 0113 269 0000 or by email to enquiries@holdsworthsremovals.co.uk and one of our friendly, experienced removals team members will be available to help with your query. Equally, you can get in touch using our online contact form. If you would like to pay a visit and meet us face to face then we are based at Education House which is on Education Road, just on the outskirts of Leeds city centre (LS7 2AL).
Obtaining a Quote
Once initial contact has been made, the next step is to obtain a cost for your removal. This can be done two ways. Firstly, one of our friendly members of staff can send across what we call a “Home Contents Form”. This is to be filled in with the belongings and furniture of the property that needs to be moved. Our Move Coordinators will then use this information to put together a price for the move. Alternatively, it can be arranged for one of our expert estimators to pay a visit to the property to establish the quote.
The quotation that you receive for your removal from Holdsworth’s of Leeds comes with no obligation and our Move Coordinators are always open to discuss any queries with the quote that you receive.
Booking Your Removal
Once you are content with your quote and established the dates for your move all we need to do is explain some of our extra options to keep your mind at ease as move day approaches and then the simple matter of completing our acceptance forms and processing payment.
Move Day
As the day of the move arrives then all you can do is prepare what you can and then allow our fully trained and expert removal crews do the work. Although our removal crews do always appreciate the odd cup of tea! But this is the day where your concerns should be at ease as our removal crews will be doing the work for you.
After The Move
We always provide an after care service where we take any feedback, comments or queries on board. If there is anything that you need following the move then our staff will be more than happy to help.
At Holdsworth’s we feel that the personal touches are ideal for every move. We ensure that every removal is professionally dealt with as each move is individual and different. From our office staff to our removal crews, our aim is to ensure that each move feels as stress-free and runs as smooth as possible. To help you get to know us a bit better, here are some things about us.
Where Are We?
Holdsworth’s have been running removals in Leeds for nearly a century. We have had a number of bases in that time but have predominantly been based towards the north of Leeds city centre where our distinctive red vans are a common sight. Despite this you can see our vans across the whole of Leeds, Yorkshire and the UK as we help people and businesses with removals to, from and across Leeds.
Get In Touch
We have recently moved from Moortown closer to Leeds city centre on Meanwood Road. If you want to pay a visit to book a removal, query anything with your move with your move coordinator or maybe purchase some packaging materials then our new address is at Enterprise House on Education Road.
Holdsworth’s has been operating as a removals company for almost a century and over that time has developed an expertise and set of values on how to complete a successful removal. We believe that our reputation as a removal company that cares comes across as a large chunk of our work comes from repeat customers or word of mouth recommendation.
We have a team of staff that work together to treat every removal professionally and with a friendly manner. This starts when a customer makes their enquiry as the Move Coordinator will act as an approachable point of contact from start to finish of the move. To generate the quote, you will either have to complete one of our home contents forms or one of our removal consultants will have a face to face meeting at your home or office. The personal approach will continue on the move day itself when our removal crew are at your home, fully uniformed and full of expertise. At any point before, during or after your move, these members of staff will have your removal at heart.
In the lead up to a removal there will come a time where you have to select what kind of removal company and removal service you want. Whether you choose to go with Holdsworth’s of Leeds or not, we would strongly recommend that you go with a removal company that is BAR verified.
The British Association of Removers has been the governing body for removals company over a hundred years with the sole aim to ensure high standards of service for customers.
The BAR have put together the following video to help you decide whether to move with a BAR member or not.
If you have any further queries on our BAR membership or the benefits of using us as a verified member of the British Association of Removers then feel free to give us a call on 0113 269 0000.
A home removal is a big moment in life which often results in stress and worry as you wait for things to go through and for the removal itself. But one member of the family will certainly find it as stressful as you and they are your pets – especially cats and dogs. So here are a few helpful hints on how to ease your pets through your removal.
Breaking Routine
The main issue that causes stress amongst cats and dogs is a breakaway from the usual routine. What with all of the responsibilities to sort out in the lead up and on removal day, this can often filter down to your pets with feeding times changing amongst other things. A great way to combat this is to move your cats and dogs away from the environment all together and book them into a kennel or cattery. This way they will get the love, care and attention that they always require and they are also out of the way when moving items to and from your home.
Pet Monitor on Move Day
If booking a kennel or a cattery is out of the question or out of the budget then ensuring that your pet has the love and attention on the move day is paramount. To ensure that they don’t feel the stress of the move, set up one room in the house with some of their favourite toys and bedding with a member of the family or a friend for the day so they have someone to provide attention, take to the toilet or feed.
On arrival it would be a great idea to set up a room in your new house with your pet’s favourite toys and bedding so that they have some familiar objects to relate to while you prepare the rest of the house.
Scent Profile
A great way to help your pets settle in is by using scent. Pets feel at home because they can pick up on familiar smells including their own scent. In a new home there will be a lot of scents and smells that they don’t recognise which will make your pets anxious. A great way to help rectify this is to scent profile your new house using a soft cloth and rubbing it around your pet and then rubbing it on furniture and other areas of the house at pet level.
Outdoors
This is where cats & dogs truly differ. There is no need to keep dogs inside your home but ensure that they are taken out for exercise on a lead and ensure that your dog has a clear and up to date dog collar and microchip. This until you feel that your dog is confident enough to be let off and understands where its new home is.
Cats are slightly different in the sense that they should be kept inside for three or four weeks so they can regard your new home as a safe place that is their own. When you start letting them outside then do it just before mealtime so that they can be attracted back inside when hungry. Only let them out for short periods and with clear points of re-entry until they start acting confident when outdoors.
At Holdsworth’s, we are proud of our impact and the service that we have run. The people in our business are the heart of it. The expertise and trust that Holdsworth’s have developed in the removals industry and within Leeds has been developed over time and the story and history is a big part of the company.
Our History
Holdsworth’s have been helping people move home and business for nearly a century. For over 95 years, the red Holdsworth’s vans have been moving people and their belongings across Leeds, Yorkshire and the UK. Our expertise and contacts have helped people move overseas. A lot has changed in that time since 1920, the year that Holdsworth’s Removals were established.
The first Bentley cars arrive in the UK
The second longest serving Pope, John-Paul II is born.
Rupert Bear appears for the first time as a cartoon in the Daily Express
1966 World Cup winning England manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, is born.
The second UK garden city, Welwyn Garden City is founded. The 2011 census says Welwyn Garden City now has a population of around 50,000.
Where we are
Holdsworth’s have spent nearly a century serving Leeds and are still based in the city. The headquarters have moved around the city in that time but we are currently based on Harrogate Road in Moortown, just off the Leeds Ring Road. Leeds has grown as a city in that period from being an industrial town to being one of the cultural and financial centres in the north of England. Leeds is now the largest legal centre in the UK and has a huge financial and insurance services industry. It has also developed as place of study with the fourth highest student population in the country.
Holdsworth’s as a removals and storage company has helped Leeds with its’ development either by moving people or businesses or providing secure storage options.
The Team
The Holdsworth’s team provide a combination of expertise coupled with a personal touch. Many of the staff at Holdsworth’s have enjoyed over two decades with the company and whether it is our removal consultants, move coordinators or removal crew – they all have the know-how and expertise to go with Holdsworth’s long history in the industry.
The 15th October marks World Student’s Day. Originally it was a day of commemoration of students at the University of Prague that lost their lives in World War II. The day has grown to become an occasion to celebrate the acts of students all over the world and their contributions to society. At Holdsworth’s, we wanted to show how we can help students get through a life-defining period of life on World Student’s Day
Student Storage
Life as a student can often mean moving lots of belongings around at the start and end of term time which is often a rather laborious task – especially if you live a long way from where you study and cannot be helped by parents. Holdsworth’s have an easy solution to that issue with short term storage options in our container or self-storage units. Our location in Leeds makes us ideal for those studying at Leeds University, Leeds Metropolitan University and Leeds Trinity University whose family home is further afield.
Removals
When living in a new city like Leeds, it can often mean moving between halls of residence and student houses. This can be a slightly tough task and could take a couple of days to complete. While using a removal service might seem like a pricey option, clubbing together with housemates for a removal service could be a quick and easy way to get through this with little stress. Holdsworths’ removals quotes are put together after a free visit from one of our move coordinators. Given a student move is often simply personal belongings rather than heavy and big materials, it might be cheaper than you think.
International Removals
Leeds University alone attracts over six thousand international students to the city every year. Holdsworth’s expertise in the field of international removals is ideal to help these students move their belongings across the world. Holdsworth’s can draw from experience and a network of partners not only in Europe but further afield to help make an international move as easy as possible.
Shredding
Student life can also lead to a lot of paper being generated that could be used for identity fraud. It doesn’t take much for a fraudster to find what they need in waste and not disposing of something as simple as a letter from your university could provide them with the information they need. Ensuring that documents like this are disposed of is a Holdsworth’s speciality once it has been destroyed; you have the presence of mind that your confidential information is safe while also helping the environment.
When it comes to such a big decision like a removal, there are no stupid questions. So given that 28th September has been dubbed “Ask A Stupid Question Day”, this article aims to provide answers to some of the many the many questions that our move coordinators receive in an attempt to satisfy any concerns prior to your removal or when choosing a removal company.
Can You Provide A Rough Idea of Price?
Holdsworth’s move coordinators can provide a rough estimate on the back of some basic information either via our online enquiry form, over the phone or in our shop on Harrogate Road in Leeds. But to get an exact quote on the cost of a removal, we arrange an appropriate date for one of our surveyors to visit a property and complete a visual survey of the property and the belongings. After this visit, an exact quotation price will be provided.
Why Can’t I Move In One Day?
Completing a removal depends on many things such as access to the property, distance between the two properties, the volume of belongings or whether time needs to be spent packing. The duration of the move will be determined when the surveyor completes the full quotation and will be done to ensure that the removal is carried out professionally, safely and efficiently.
Do You Have Availability?
When it comes to a home removal, timing can often be out of your hands. It is advised that getting the quotation and choosing a removal company is done as soon as possible so that when you have a desired move date you can work with your chosen removal company immediately. The removals industry has peak and off-peak periods so keeping in contact with your removal company is key.
More FAQs
As mentioned previously, when it comes to a big decision like a removal, there are no stupid questions. Holdsworth’s staff are available to settle any issues that are on your mind either over the phone, via email or in person. You can also take a look at our main Frequently Asked Questions page to see if an answer to your question can be found there.
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