A Home Move: Avoid These Mistakes
Private move
A private move without hitches: the mistakes that cost the most
Avoid these mistakes
The most expensive mistake in a private move often happens months before moving day: the missed notice period. Tenants give three months' notice, and the notice must reach the landlord no later than the third working day of a calendar month (§ 573c BGB). If you are a day late, you pay double rent for a month. The second classic is the missing parking restriction: if the lorry is parked fifty metres away, every box becomes a long-distance run, and the hours add up.
Other mistakes happen during packing and afterwards: overloaded boxes of books that split, valuables and documents in the lorry instead of in your own bag, damage that is only reported weeks later. You must report visible damage no later than the day after delivery, and hidden damage within 14 days. And registration with the registration office (Meldebehörde) is due within two weeks – if you forget it, you risk a fine. What we take care of when you move home is described under private move.
Catching mistakes at the survey stage
A fixed price after a survey instead of an estimate
Many hitches on moving day come from estimates over the phone. Let us survey your flat – on site or by video – and we will give you a fixed price with all items and clarify access, floor and parking restriction at the same time. Call us on 01625978461; the survey is free.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
How we help you avoid typical mistakes
Planning instead of improvising
We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and, for a private move, clarify the sources of error in advance: where will the lorry stop, will the wardrobe fit through the stairwell, is a furniture lift needed, when will the parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) be set up? On moving day we pad furniture, secure the load and reassemble according to plan. We are liable for your goods under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre; for very valuable items, additional insurance is recommended. Deadlines such as notice and re-registering remain with you.
Parking restriction sorted
Measurements checked beforehand
Boxes packed properly
Damage noted immediately
Six mistakes and how to fix them
Movers see these six mistakes in private moves again and again. Each one can be avoided with little effort – if you know about it in time. The order follows the move: from giving notice to re-registering.
Notice too late
No parking restriction
Boxes overloaded
Valuables in the lorry
Damage reported too late
Forgetting to re-register
Don't plan too big
Before,
during packing, afterwards
Mistakes in a private move happen in three phases: with deadlines and planning beforehand, during packing and carrying, and with the formalities afterwards. Which tasks are due in which week is shown in the overview Private move: checklist. If you are leaving the city, you will find tips under long-distance moves. For each phase you will find the typical mistakes and a simple countermeasure below – from the missed notice period and overloaded boxes to the forgotten damage report.
Mistakes in planning
Mistakes in packing
Mistakes afterwards
Questions about mistakes in a private move
The most frequent mistakes in the home move
Many people underestimate the time involved and only start packing a few days beforehand. This leads to a rush, badly packed boxes and breakages. Just as often there is no system: boxes without a destination room, screws without bags, furniture without a plan of where it goes. That costs hours during reassembly.
The second block is deadlines. Notice on the old flat must reach the landlord no later than the third working day of a month, otherwise the end of the tenancy moves back. After moving in, registration is due within two weeks (§ 17 BMG); if you miss it, you risk a fine. And you must report visible damage to your goods no later than the day after delivery. If you write these deadlines in a calendar, you avoid the most expensive mistakes.
How to avoid the typical mistakes
Plan backwards from the moving-in date: notice, moving date, survey, parking restriction, packing. Decide which furniture is moving and what will be sold, given away or disposed of – ideally before the survey, because the volume determines the price. Get boxes in two sizes and pack heavy items in small ones.
Get a fixed price after a survey that lists all items, rather than an estimate over the phone. Keep documents and valuables with you, photograph meter readings and check furniture on delivery. For moves to other cities, you will find tips under long-distance moves.
Moving costs by flat size
| Type of home | Starting price |
|---|---|
| One-room | €375 |
| Two-room | €599 |
| Three-room | €899 |
| Four-room | €1,329 |
| House/villa | individual quote |
| Long-distance move | €3.90/km |
Book your free survey now.
Moving price: the most important factors
The volume of your goods and the distance (from €3.90/km) form the basis of the calculation. Added to this are the floor, lift and any parking restriction zone. For furniture assembly and a shared load we charge separate rates.
These services we offer
The services we offer
These services help you avoid typical mistakes.
- Move with assembly – we take care of the complete reassembly: Move with assembly
- Office move – reliable planning for your business: Office move
- House clearance – for a clean fresh start: House clearance
- Private move – personal and flexible: Private move
- Shared load – the affordable way to your new home: Shared load
- Furniture transport – for individual pieces too: Furniture transport
Long-distance moves from Berlin
We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and also plan moves to other cities. Places with their own pages are shown in the locations overview, and routes from Berlin can be found under long-distance moves. The journey is included in the fixed price.
Related Articles