Plan removals

This standard outlines the skills and knowledge required to gather accurate information and plan effective household or business removals. It covers how to carry out detailed pre‑move surveys to determine the resources needed—including vehicle type, team size, equipment, and packing materials—while also identifying access limitations, risks, and any specialist requirements.

The standard emphasises the importance of communicating clearly with customers, assessing and documenting all items to be moved, and ensuring legal, organisational, and health and safety requirements are met throughout the planning process.

It is relevant to anyone responsible for organising and planning removals as part of their job role

1. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in line with the relevant legislation and organisational requirements
2. identify hazards and assess risks as you carry out the activity and wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) where required
3. confirm that the relevant training has been received to carry out the work, recognise the limits of your competence and seek access to further training where required
4. maintain effective communication with customers when planning removals
5. confirm accurate details with customers including addresses, property size, desired moving dates and requirements for storage of goods
6. assess and record potential access obstacles at both current and new properties in line with organisational procedures
7. compile detailed inventories of all items to be moved and any special requirements in line with organisational procedures
8. identify items which require special handling in line with organisational procedures
9. identify items which require specialist attention such as from electricians, plumbers or gas engineers before moving and agree with customers who will take responsibility for this
10. discuss and agree arrangements for packing with customers in line with organisational procedures
11. discuss and agree any requirements for storage of goods in line with organisational procedures
12. estimate the resources required to carry out removals including vehicle size, equipment, number of team members and packing materials
13. estimate time required to complete removals, taking into consideration legal restrictions on working hours
14. estimate any additional costs that may be incurred in line with organisational costing methods
15. plan and schedule all aspects of removals in line with organisational procedures
16. confirm customer requirements for insurance cover in line with organisational procedures
17. provide customers with detailed quotations for the removal services in line with organisational procedures
18. complete required documentation and records in line with relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures

1. your responsibilities under the relevant health and safety legislation and organisational requirements
2. how to identify hazards and assess risks as you carry out the activity and the requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE)
3. the importance of discussing and agreeing all aspects of removals with customers
4. the importance of recording potential access obstacles at both current and new properties
5. what needs to be recorded when compiling inventories of items to be moved and how to do this
6. items which require special handling and how this can be provided
7. the importance of measuring all furniture, appliances and large equipment, doorways, hallways, and staircases to determine which items require dismantling
8. why it is important to agree responsibility for activities such as disconnection of appliances and packing arrangements with customers
9. how to make arrangements for the storage of goods
10. how to estimate the resources required to complete removals
11. how to plan and schedule removals and what needs to be taken into account
12. the different types of insurance and liability cover and why this is important
13. the organisational procedures for providing customer quotations and what needs to be included
14. the relevant legal and organisational requirements and industry codes of practice for removals
15. the information and recording systems used by the organisation and the legal and organisational requirements for maintaining records, including data protection legislation and organisational procedures for data security

Access obstacles: stairs, lifts, tight corners, narrow doorways, parking restrictions, security issues

Additional costs could include: avoiding low bridges and weight restricted roads, driver’s hours restrictions, tolls, ferries, professional technicians, customer requirements

Health and safety includes mental and physical wellbeing

Items which require special handling could include: safes, pianos or other heavy items of furniture or equipment, antiques, clocks, barometers, chandeliers, fragile goods, pictures, artwork, valuables

Legal and organisational requirements: could include

• Driving, vehicle and transport regulations
• Machinery and equipment regulations
• Workplace safety regulations
• Working time regulations
• Codes of practice
• Organisational requirements
• Environmental, ethical and social considerations

Quotation: based on the volume of items, transport and labour required, distance, time, access information, and any requested additional services (like professional packing or technical assistance with the disconnection of equipment)