The real cost of moving, and how to plan for it

Moving home is exciting, but the costs can creep up fast, and they catch a lot of people off guard. Even a mutual exchange, which saves you the huge expense of buying or renting privately, still comes with real costs on moving day and in the weeks around it. The good news is that almost all of them can be planned for, and many can be kept low if you know what's coming. Here's an honest breakdown so there are no surprises.

What moving actually costs

The big relief with a mutual exchange is that the move itself is free. There's no estate agent, no solicitor, no stamp duty, and no survey. Your landlord can't charge you to swap. So you avoid the thousands of pounds that buying or renting privately would cost.

But moving day and the weeks around it still come with real costs, and they're the ones worth planning for:

• Getting your things moved. This is usually the biggest cost. A self-hire van for the day might run from around £40 to £80, plus fuel. A small removal firm typically costs more, often £200 to £500 depending on distance and how much you have. Doing it yourself with help from friends or family is the cheapest option if you can manage it.
• Setting up utilities and broadband. Gas, electric, water, and broadband all need sorting at the new place. Switching is usually free, but watch for broadband, where leaving a contract early can mean an exit fee, and starting a new one sometimes has a setup cost.
• Furniture and white goods. Sometimes things that fit your current home don't fit the new one, or appliances aren't included. Replacing a fridge, cooker, or washing machine can add up, so it's worth checking what's staying before you commit.
• Time off work. If you can't move on a day off, taking unpaid time can be a hidden cost that's easy to forget when you're budgeting.
• Royal Mail redirection. Optional, but worth it. Redirecting your post for a few months costs a small fee and saves you missing anything important while you update your address everywhere.

Roughly what to expect

A lean, do-it-yourself move can cost very little, perhaps under £100 if you borrow a van and have help. A move using a small removal firm, with a few new bits of furniture and a broadband setup, might come to a few hundred pounds. Either way, it's a world away from the thousands that selling or private renting would cost, which is one of the quiet advantages of swapping.