Moving firm won't pack

[Livingintheclouds]

I have been trying to get quotes from moving firms but they are pretty booked up and I don't have a firm completion day yet (though it will be in less than three weeks)!
On the websites they say they can do a packing service, and on the forms they ask if you want a full packing service or just removals. So I got one that said they could do the two possible completion dates, I've sent them the inventory, now they say they aren't packing due to covid! I have a large house and this has thrown me. Is this true elsewhere? I'm not sure if this precaution is really necessary, though of course I can't make them pack! It's just me and the kids and was relying on the movers to pack!

Friend had packers and during the first lockdown so I would keep shopping around?

Thanks @Atalune I will of course do that, but was wondering if this was industry wide or just this particular firm.

It's hard when I don't have an exact date - I have been hassling my solicitor!

We've had 3 quotes recently and all will be packing, so it sounds as if it's just bad luck with that firm OP.

No way would I do a move without a packing service (5 bed house), gives me the shivers just thinking about it!

We've just moved and had a packing service. It was brilliant - worth the money 10 fold.
I did have a company ghost me after initially saying they had availability, so I do think you need to shop around.

We moved when the last lockdown lifted and movers were offering a packing service then. I've always packed myself though as it saves money and I can go through things as I pack. Packers are faster but they literally just pack everything.

Could you make a start on packing with your children's help? I gave away lots via a facebook page because I didnt want it, was moving somewhere smaller and you pay more if you take more. In the end I got it all down to just one van whereas moving just 17 months previously we had 2!

Yes kids will help, though one is up to her eyeballs in gcse assessments up to and including (potential) move day. But packing myself will make an already stressful move all the harder (we will not be completing on our purchase for a few more weeks so it's hotel, other hotel, and then holiday let).
I have decluttered loads and will be selling or giving away most of my furniture. But still there's tons of stuff, I have about 50 paintings for example, and just wrapping those alone will take some considerable time!
Tomorrow I hope to get a firm date out of solicitor and then it's hitting the phone!

@Livingintheclouds Can't advise on packers, but I can advise on packing, having recently packed a four bed house myself. You need a skip, a ton of boxes, a tape gun, lots of marker pens, some large rolls of bubble wrap and several rolls of stretch wrap. Large paintings can be quickly and safely packed in bubble wrap and stretch wrap. Wrap drawers in stretch wrap, no need to pack them. Wardrobe stuff gets hung up in wardrobe boxes and straight back into wardrobes at the other end. Stretch wrap also takes care of large/oddly shaped/ difficult to pack items. The tape gun is a life saver. All of these things can be bought on Amazon for next day delivery. It can totally be done in three weeks. Good luck!

Put a box in each room. Newspapers, bubble wrap and tape. And throughout the day, every day just fill one box then label the box.

The paintings will take you one hour to bubble wrap surely??

I know it seems overwhelming but it can be done.

That's bad luck. I got quotes from 4 firms ALL were VERY keen to pack!!!

I'm just having a mate come over the day before. Will get in a bottle abd takeaway. Sorted, with a bit of girly chat time!!!

I just moved last week and the movers packed (and unpacked).

I think you’ve been unlucky with your choice of firm here. All the companies that we got quotes from would pack. They seem to prefer it actually as it makes insurance easier. (We paid less for removals insurance including packing than we would have done if they’d not packed, no idea why.)

Assuming you’re in the UK — look at the BAR website and filter by your start location. A reputable firm will want to do a pre-move consult (which will likely be by video call) to assess how many rooms, how much stuff etc.

Don’t pack yourselves. It’s utterly shit and makes a tough job ten times tougher. You won’t struggle to find a removals company who will pack.

We moved during proper lockdown and they would pack but there were restrictions on how they did it. Eg the paperwork made it look like they wouldn't pack any clothes or bedding but they actually just packed all of our clean clothes and bedding the day before and left us boxes to put our dirty bedding and clothes in on the morning of the move.

Probably worth a phonecall or email to clarify the details.