A Student Move: Avoid These Mistakes
Student moves
Student move: the mistakes that cost the most
and how to avoid them
Most mishaps in a student move do not happen on moving day, but weeks beforehand: the date is booked too late, the notice period for the old place is overlooked, and the books end up in huge boxes that nobody can carry any more. Things often get expensive afterwards too – when, without a handover report, there is an argument about whether the scratch in the parquet was already there, or when the registration in your university town is put off. If you know these pitfalls, you can get around them with little effort and save money and nerves along the way. The following sections go through the typical mistakes one by one – from scheduling and moving day to the deposit and the registration office (Bürgeramt).
Many mistakes can be answered with deadlines: register within two weeks of moving in, otherwise you risk a fine of up to €1,000. With a standard tenancy agreement, your notice period is three months. And damage to your belongings must be reported quickly: visible damage by the day after delivery at the latest, hidden damage within 14 days. If you are moving at the change of semester, you should also enquire early, because that is when many people want to move at the same time.
Avoiding the most common mistake: enquire early
Send photos, get a fixed price
The most common mistake is calling too late. Send us photos of your furniture or call 01625978461: after the inventory check you get a fixed price for your move. If nothing changes in the scope, that price stays the same – so you can plan your budget without guesswork.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
Where we prevent mistakes on moving day
Carrying, securing, assembling
We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and, in a student move, take over the work where amateurs most often break something: carrying furniture through narrow stairwells, securing it in the van against slipping, and dismantling and reassembling beds or wardrobes properly. Whether within Berlin or as a long-distance move to another university town: we give you the price as a fixed price after the inventory check. For damage to your belongings we are liable under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre; your laptop, ID and documents still belong in your rucksack.
No book-box disaster
Loading furniture safely
Professional dismantling
Parking restriction instead of hunting for a space
Six mistakes you can avoid
We see these six mistakes in student moves again and again. None of them is complicated to avoid – you just have to think of them in time, ideally when you sign the new tenancy agreement.
Booked too late
Notice period overlooked
No handover report
Registration missed
Wrong main residence chosen
Damage reported too late
No empty van for three pieces of furniture
A common false economy: renting a large van for a few pieces of furniture and then driving down the motorway alone. For small loads over a long distance, a shared load is often cheaper – your things travel with other consignments, and you just need a little flexibility on the delivery day.
Where
student moves go wrong
The mistakes in a student move fall into three groups: poor planning (too late, too few boxes), problems with carrying and transport (no parking restriction, unsecured furniture) and forgotten formalities (registration, main residence, deposit). If you are moving a whole flat, you will find advice under private move. How to get a parking restriction zone outside your building is explained in the article applying for a parking restriction zone.
Planning mistakes
Mistakes when carrying
Mistakes with money and authorities
Questions about typical mistakes
The most common mistakes in a student move
The classic is planning too late: if you only enquire a few days before the start of semester, you often cannot find a suitable date any more. Just as often, the number of boxes needed is underestimated – and books are packed into large boxes that then tear or can no longer be carried. Small boxes for books, large ones for bedding and clothes.
The wrong attempt to save money is expensive too: heaving bulky furniture through a narrow stairwell without help. Furniture gets broken, walls get dented and, in the worst case, someone gets hurt. If you get help for this, you should clarify beforehand who is liable for damage – with a moving company, § 451e HGB governs this.
Mistakes with deadlines and formalities
Many mistakes only show up after the move. Registration in your university town must take place within two weeks, with your ID and the landlord confirmation from your landlord or student residence. Your main residence is the home you mainly use – if it stays with your parents, the city may charge second home tax.
When moving out: a handover report with photos and meter readings, otherwise there will be an argument about the deposit. The broadcasting fee is paid by only one person per household; if you receive BAföG and do not live with your parents, you can apply for an exemption. And report damage to your belongings immediately, not weeks later.
Moving costs for every household size
Our pricing is simple: 1-room flat from €375, 2-room flat from €605, 3-room flat from €915, 4-room flat from €1,289. For a house or a villa we will be happy to prepare an individual quote. For a long-distance move we charge from €3.85/km. Take advantage now of a free survey.
What does your moving price depend on?
Besides the actual volume of your furniture, it is above all the distance (from €3.85/km) that affects the total cost. A floor without a lift or a required parking restriction zone can also increase the price. If you also book furniture assembly or a shared load, you should factor this in.
Our offer for you
Our offer for you
Take a look at our six main services in detail.
- Clearance - Household dissolutions and clearances from a single source.
- Part load - Small moving quantities we transport cost-effectively by part load.
- Home move - From the cellar to the attic, we pack everything professionally.
- Furniture transport - We transport your furniture gently and on schedule.
- Move with assembly - No more screwing and lugging, we take over the assembly.
- Company move - Your company is moving; we ensure a seamless transition.
Moving to another university town
We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and also handle moves from and to Berlin to other cities. Destinations with their own pages are listed in the locations overview, routes from Berlin under long-distance moves.
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