But, choosing this season less in demand when it comes to moving can prove to be a good financial bargain for those who decide to hire a professional mover in particular. Overview of the advantages and disadvantages of moving in winter.
Take advantage of your winter holidays to move house
Moving, as we know, requires having time available well in advance of the planned date, to properly prepare boxes, mobilize labor and find a truck to rent for those who move by their own means, or find a mover for those who prefer to call on a professional.
Moving is also synonymous with numerous procedures to be carried out, in particular with organizations for which it is necessary to notify your future change of address, with energy suppliers to cancel your subscriptions and take on others for your new residence, register his children in their new school, etc.
However, the law does not provide for the granting of specific leave for a move. While some employees or civil servants can nevertheless benefit under certain conditions from authorized days off when they move house, many people take part of their annual leave at the end of the year. Free days that can therefore be used to consider moving in winter!
Be careful however, it is preferable to avoid the winter school vacation periods to organize your move. Periods that are already very busy in this area for professional movers, but also which can complicate the search for available labor among friends or family for those who move by themselves.
The possibility of benefiting from more attractive prices for moving in winter
Choosing to move in winter, especially for those who wish to hire a professional mover, can be a good opportunity to save money.
Indeed, this period of the year is much less requested in terms of organizing removals than in particular during the summer, apart from the winter school holidays and the end of year holidays.
In winter, professional movers are generally less in demand. It is therefore, on the one hand, easier to plan your moving date according to your wishes because the choice of date is more important but also, on the other hand, it is possible to benefit from more attractive prices because the movers have more need to fill their order books.
Taking advantage of lower prices from a mover by choosing to move in the winter can also allow you to choose a more advanced moving formula than the one originally planned. For example, to opt for a standard moving formula (the mover takes care of a large part of the necessary preparations) rather than a basic formula for which the mover essentially takes care of the transport of the goods.
Moving in winter is also a good time for those who move on their own because it is easier to find a moving truck to rent at this time, and also, most often, at lower rental rates than the rest. of the year.
Not be liable for housing tax when moving in winter
The housing tax, which is an annual local tax payable by the owners and tenants of a furnished dwelling, whether it is their main or secondary residence, has been phased out since 2018. It will disappear from 2023 for most households, but it will still be relevant for households with a second home.
Moving in winter may have the effect of not being liable for this tax which is due for all housing occupied on January 1 of each year. Indeed, by moving after this date, the housing tax is not due for his new residence that year. In addition, leaving your old home before December 31 and waiting until January 2 to move into your new home is an interesting tip for those whose housing tax for their new home is higher than that applied to their old home.
That’s why moving in winter requires taking extra precautions. First, it is necessary to further protect the goods to be transported. If simple cardboard or bubble wrap protection, for example, can be enough in summer, winter and its not always good weather conditions require you to be more vigilant and meticulous.
In winter, it is essential, in fact, to plan in particular to reinforce your moving boxes to prevent them from taking on water in the event of rain or snow and that the belongings stored in them are damaged. The best solution: pack your goods in 2 superimposed boxes rather than in one.
In winter, it is also a good idea to wrap fragile objects (clothes, books, etc.) in more waterproof plastic protection. The same is true for particularly delicate objects that are sensitive to cold or humidity, such as electronic equipment or plants.
Depending on the region, snow and ice can also occur on moving day in winter. These climatic conditions are to be taken very seriously to avoid disappointments. In the event of snow, it is imperative to clear and salt the accesses to the accommodation concerned in order to facilitate the passage of the vehicle intended for the move and the personnel present. The moving truck must also be equipped accordingly (chains or socks for snow) to be able to drive without risk.
It must of course be borne in mind that bad weather conditions in winter can have consequences on a move. Transport of goods from one home to another may be delayed due to less passable roads. At worst, a move can be canceled if the weather really does not allow it to be carried out safely, whether it is organized by a professional mover or by his own means.
