Who is liable if something breaks?

For damage to your goods we are liable under the German Commercial Code, under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre of loading space. For antiques or valuable heirlooms, additional insurance makes sense. With family help there is no such contractual liability – that is one of the main differences.

How does the planning of a senior move work?

After a survey with the floor plan, we clarify what comes along, what should be packed and where the lorry can stop; we then give you a fixed price. Giving notice, applications to the care insurance fund and choosing the date are up to you and your family. Allow two to three months of lead time in total.

Do you also support with the move into a care home?

Yes, we transport furniture and boxes to the care home and set them up in the room. Clarify beforehand with the home which furniture is allowed and how much space there is – often only an armchair, a chest of drawers and pictures fit. A special rule under § 32 BMG applies to registration there. We set up the bed and favourite armchair first.

Can relatives be present at the move?

Yes, relatives are welcome at the survey and the move. On moving day, a familiar person who accompanies and answers questions is in fact the most important thing. Relatives do not have to carry anything – we do that. At the survey the whole family hears the same answers, and questions can be cleared up straight away. For moving day, plan one person who accompanies the parents the whole day.

Do you also offer a clearance of the old flat?

Yes. Whatever is not coming along we take away for disposal on request; for larger quantities a household clearance makes sense. Clarify this before the survey, so the fixed price is right. Charity shops are often glad to take furniture in good condition.

How much time should be planned for a senior move?

Two to three months for preparation, because that is how long the notice period and sorting out take. With a moving company, moving day itself is often done in one day for a smaller flat; with family help it usually takes longer. With family help, plan several weekends and agree early who can help when – especially if the children live in other cities.

Do you also take over long-distance moves for seniors?

Yes, we are based in Berlin and also plan moves to other cities, for example when parents move closer to their children; routes under Long-distance moves . That is exactly when a moving company is worthwhile, because a hire van, the return journey and helpers for two days become expensive. The older person is best travelling separately, accompanied.

What is a part load and when is it worth it?

With a shared load , your goods travel with other consignments on the same route. This is worthwhile for a few pieces of furniture, for example for a care home room, and is a middle way between family help and a full move. You get a time window instead of a fixed date. We tell you after your enquiry whether a suitable route is running.

Do you also help with dealings with authorities during the move?

No, dealings with authorities and applications – registration, care insurance fund, pension insurance – are done by you or your relatives. We take care of packing, transport and assembly. You will find a list of the necessary documents in our senior move checklist in the guide. Relatives should sort out a power of attorney early in case the parents cannot attend appointments themselves.

How do you handle valuable keepsakes?

Decide together and without time pressure what comes along. We transport keepsakes in separate, clearly labelled boxes that are loaded last and unloaded first; many families prefer to pack very personal things themselves. Photos can be digitised, and individual pieces passed on to children or grandchildren.

How does a senior move differ from a normal home move?

A private move is usually about speed and distance. A senior move focuses on downsizing, keepsakes, barriers and sometimes the care insurance fund; packing and unpacking are booked more often, and relatives are more closely involved. Moving day itself is calmer, with the bed and armchair first.

STRESS-FREE MOVING

A Senior Move with Professionals: The Advantages

The family helps – but is that enough? What a moving company takes off your hands in a senior move and what stays with relatives.

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FROM BERLIN-MOABIT

Senior Move

Moving your parents: what the family can manage itself and where a moving company takes the strain

The advantages

Unsere Firma is based in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and does the carrying so that the family has time for the parents.

When parents move into a smaller flat or a care home, many children want to manage the move themselves – out of a sense of closeness and to save money. For a few boxes and an armchair that can work well. A senior move out of a large flat is harder: solid wood wardrobes, a piano, four floors without a lift, and often the children do not live in the same city. Then there is the question of who pays if the display cabinet breaks while being carried – with family help there is no contract that governs liability. To be honest about the sums, days off, travel and the risk of getting hurt while carrying also count.

A moving company takes the physical work off the family and is liable under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre of loading space for damage to your goods. The family keeps what nobody from outside can take on: deciding with the parents what comes along, submitting applications, being there on moving day. Part of the costs can be deducted from tax. How we support senior moves is described under Senior move. And anyone with a care level (Pflegegrad) should ask the long-term care insurance fund (Pflegekasse) before the move about a grant for measures to improve the living environment.

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PERSONAL CONSULTATION

Have the effort assessed

Survey, then a fixed price – you decide

Whether a moving company is worth it is shown by a concrete price. Call us on 01625978461; we survey the flat calmly, the family is welcome, and then give you a fixed price. The survey is free of charge. Afterwards you can calmly compare it with a hire van, travel and the family's days off.

Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.

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COMPARED

What a moving company takes off the family's hands

Four differences from family help

We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and bring a lorry, blankets, straps and tools to the senior move. We pack on request, dismantle wardrobes, carry even from the fourth floor and set everything up in the new flat according to the floor plan. We are liable for your goods under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre; for antiques, additional insurance is possible. Decisions, applications and accompaniment stay with the family.

Nobody carries themselves sick

Movers carry heavy wardrobes and boxes with straps and blankets – children and grandchildren save their backs and their energy for the senior move.

Liability by contract

With a removal contract, the statutory liability of €620 per cubic metre applies; with family help you usually bear damage to furniture yourself.

Packing and unpacking

On request we pack crockery and books and unpack them again in the new flat, so the parents do not live among boxes – with our packing service.

One day instead of three

What the family manages over several weekends, a moving team with a lorry and tools often does in one day – and the bed is up by the evening with furniture transport.

DIY OR HIRED

What the family should base the decision on

Whether to use family help or a moving company for a senior move comes down to a few questions. These six help with the family conversation. Answer them honestly – including with regard to your own health.

How much is moving?

The family can often manage a care home room with an armchair and a chest of drawers alone; a three-room flat with solid wood furniture hardly.

Who lives nearby?

If the children live in other cities, every moving day costs travel, holiday and an overnight stay – that belongs in the calculation.

Who is liable?

With a removal contract, the company under § 451e HGB; with family help usually nobody, if an heirloom or the door frame suffers. Clarify this beforehand.

How fit are the helpers?

The children are often over fifty too; carrying heavy loads over several floors is a real risk of injury for everyone involved.

What does it really cost?

Hire van, materials, travel and days off add up; compare this with a fixed price after a survey of the flat.

What do you get back?

20% of the labour costs, up to €4,000 a year, reduce tax (§ 35a EStG); with a care level, the care insurance fund may contribute.

FOR SMALL LOADS

The middle way: a shared load

A few pieces, without carrying yourself

With a shared load, several consignments share the loading area on the same route. For individual pieces of furniture or boxes, for example when sending things on to a care home or assisted living, this is often cheaper than separate transport, and nobody in the family has to carry anything. You get a time window instead of a fixed date; we tell you after your enquiry whether a suitable route is running.

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A GOOD DECISION

Weigh
up, discuss, decide

Three steps to a choice

This guide compares family help and a moving company for a senior move. The questions families ask most often beforehand – from the care insurance fund to the care home – are answered in the article Senior move: frequently asked questions. If someone is moving to the children in another city, you will find information under long-distance moves; for single pieces of furniture there is furniture transport. How the move is planned step by step and which mistakes families make most often can also be found in the guide – with a week-by-week checklist.

Estimate the effort honestly

Count the wardrobes, boxes and floors, check the route to the lorry and ask who can help on which day. Only then does it become clear whether the family can manage the senior move alone or whether a moving company should take the strain.

Discuss it in the family

Who keeps the list, who talks to the care insurance fund and the landlord, who accompanies on moving day? These roles stay with the family, whether or not furniture transport and packing are commissioned.

Share the tasks

You do not have to hand over everything: many families sort and pack personal things themselves and only leave the furniture, a packing service for the kitchen and the assembly to the moving company – this saves money and energy.

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FAQ

Questions: family or a moving company?

Costs, liability, planning, care home, relatives, keepsakes and differences – answered briefly.

The costs depend on volume, floor, lift, carrying distances and extras such as packing, unpacking or storage. Guide prices by number of rooms are in the price overview on this page; we give you the fixed price after a free survey. When comparing with family help, deduct the tax bonus under § 35a EStG and, with a care level, ask the care insurance fund.

What a moving company takes on in a senior move

It starts with a calm survey, the family is welcome. We go through the floor plan of the new flat and then give you a fixed price. On moving day we pack on request, dismantle, transport and set the furniture up again according to plan.

The family decides with the parents what comes along, submits applications and accompanies on moving day. This leaves the family time for what matters: being with the parents when they arrive in the new flat for the first time.

Family help and a moving company compared

Family help costs a hire van, materials, travel and days off – and energy. A moving company costs a fixed price, of which 20% of the labour costs are tax-deductible for privately arranged moves (§ 35a EStG). A good middle way: sort things out and pack personal belongings yourself, hand over the furniture and assembly. Do the sums honestly: with children coming from other cities, travel, overnight stays and days of holiday quickly cost more than expected.

Transparent prices for every type of move

Whether small or large – our moving prices are fairly calculated. A 1-room flat moves from €339, a 2-room flat from €584. For 3 rooms costs start from €899, for 4 rooms from €1,324. For a house or villa you always receive an individual quote after a survey. We charge long-distance moves from €3.90/km. Feel free to use our free survey to clarify all the details.

Calculating the moving price: these criteria count

Every price calculation is based on the volume and the distance, which is charged from €3.90/km. Then there are the floor, lift and any parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone). For furniture assembly and small transports we also recommend furniture assembly and a shared load.

Our offer for your move

You can book these services individually – even just some of them.

Furniture transport: reliable transport of your furniture. Furniture transport
Office move: moves for offices and businesses. Office move
Shared load: save by sharing transport routes. Shared load
Private move: personal service for your new home. Private move
House clearance: we create space where you need it. House clearance
Move with assembly: everything from a single source – including assembly. Move with assembly

Moving to other cities

We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and also plan long-distance moves, for example to the children. More under Long-distance moves and in the locations overview. The journey there is included in the fixed price.

Specialist Moves

Beste Umzug Redaktion

August 5, 2026

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Specialist Moves Senior Move Moving Tips