One of the main causes of friction between customer and remover is when the van turns up for a small unvisited job to find it bears little resemblance to the job quoted.

There are several reasons why the cost of your removal ends up being either higher than you expected, or higher than necessary. It's often the problem you haven't, or maybe nobody could ever have thought of, that causes most grief. Removers are used to that- Like the 3 seater sofa that had to come in through a sash window which was subsequently double glazed.

Here are ten things to think about to minimise the risk of falling foul of the small print.

Pitfalls when Preparing for your own move:-

1) Incorrect estimation of your volume:- People usually book a remover before they have packed. It is usual for them to underestimate the volume of their possessions when boxed.

2) Failure to box up everything. Unboxed items not only are at risk of loss or damage, but cannot be tidily stacked on a van - increasing the transport space needed.

3) Breakage caused by poor or minimal protection of fragile items:- If it was expensive to buy take the trouble to wrap it properly.

4a) failure to disassemble furniture, which wont fit through the door. 4b) Attempting to disassemble old flatpack/chipboard items, which will never 'make it'.

5) Not being ready for the van on the day.

Communicating with Removal firms:-

1) Paying too much for a remover's own insurance cover. Get your own, it will be cheaper and more effective (for personal items). You may wish to take up a removers insurance, but don't accept heavy pressure. 2) Moving things you don't need and later throw away.

3) Booking a part-load...then changing the date so the remover's schedule collapses.

4) Not seeking the right size of firm, and when you do, not then phoning around sufficently to find one whose travel schedules coincide with yours:- Whereas large firms may be expensive, the smallest may or may not have enough enquiries to organise a part load.

5) Failing to consider or describe problems of access at either end, or failing to organise immediate access at the delivery end. Examples include narrow walled driveways, road repairs, known parking congeston, stopping for lunch when you've got the only keys(!)

You can read advice on small moves, packing and insurance, at www.student-movers-for um.com. Also listed are suitable small move/partload specialist removers.See:-removal companies.