In November 2015, 91-year-old Joan Howard downsized from a large four-bedroom house that she had been living in for 30 years, into a more manageable three-bedroom house. From hearing how flexible, accommodating and friendly House & Carriage were from neighbours and friends, she made the removals company her first and only choice.
House chain worries solved
For Joan and her daughter Alison, their main concern was that the buyers of Joan’s house were in a chain. They had consequently needed to change the move date a number of times. There was also uncertainty as to when Joan was able to move into her new home. Because of this, the move date had to be cancelled completely on two occasions.
Yet this didn’t faze Oxfordshire removals company House & Carriage at all they worked with Joan to approximate dates. Then held appointment windows open until everyone in the chain was ready to move.
“The House & Carriage team were brilliant – so accommodating and flexible which helped to put my mother’s mind at ease.” according to Alison.
Assisted packing and speedy storage
Joan’s family did most of the packing. However, House & Carriage were on hand to help with trickier items such as glassware and china. They also provided the packing materials including boxes and tape.
In addition to the removals service, Joan decided to use the House & Carriage Oxfordshire storage facilities. She needed to keep all her belongings together while she stayed at her daughter’s house for a few months before moving into her new home. Joan and her family were pleased to see that all the items that were packed and put into storage came back exactly as they went in. Everything was sealed up, held in secure storage facilities in Oxfordshire, and taken to her new home when the time was right.
The fact that House & Carriage were able to store items for Joan meant there was “no backwards and forwards – everything was ready to move when it was needed.”
Independence for a vulnerable client
Joan wanted to do most of the removals process herself, although her family were on hand to help too. With House & Carriage, Alison felt that her mother could do as much or as little as she was able to at the time, because House & Carriage were so helpful and understanding.
According to Alison: “They are all really lovely. Mum felt at ease around them, they were discreet, kind, efficient and accommodating, not minding when we asked them to move a few items to different locations. We felt that although we were there too, we could have left House & Carriage alone with mum and she wouldn’t have felt vulnerable.”
Value for money
While Alison believes that the House & Carriage removals service might have been priced slightly higher than competing companies, she feels they were very competitive for the service that was provided. “Mum definitely got her money’s worth,” she says. “They didn’t skimp on service and gave us reassurance throughout.”
Definitely recommended
Alison and Joan will definitely consider House & Carriage for future moves. They were more than happy with the service and the team. “We would definitely recommend them,” says Joan. “They are genuinely there to help you, so pleasant and sympathetic – an absolute delight.”
For your next move, even if you foresee chain problems, contact House & Carriage for your removals and storage solutions. We are always more than happy to help and talk to you about any removals or storage challenges.
We are BAR Accredited!
House & Carriage is a member of the British Association of Removers (BAR). Which is the largest trade association in the removals sector, dedicated to promoting excellence in the removals and storage industry.