Student moves in Southampton
Halls to a shared house, one student house to another, or the end-of-term run home. Student moves are a big share of what we do in Southampton, including end-of-term runs home, and this page is written for the questions students ask.
Nothing is taken until your driver confirms. Pay them the rest when the job is done.
The usual jobs
- Halls to a house. A room's worth of boxes, bedding, a clothes rail and a desk lamp, moved across the city at the end of the first year.
- House to house. A room in one shared house to a room in another, often in the same few streets.
- Home at the end of term. Everything back to a family address somewhere else in the country, with the longer drive built into the price.
- Into storage over the summer. Boxes to a storage unit in the city and back again in September.
Recent student bookings here included moves in Portswood and Highfield, a move from Polygon to Swaythling, and end-of-term runs home across the country. Nearly all of them used a Medium van.
What it costs
A student room usually fits in a Medium van with about an hour of loading and unloading in total, and a short drive across the city. The form shows local drivers and their price for that job before you book anything. For a run home the drive is longer, and that is built into the price you see. The prices page explains every part of the price.
Two housemates moving to the same house can share one booking. Book a Large van, allow a little more loading time, and split the cost between you.
When to book
Southampton has two universities with different term dates, and the days around the start and end of term are the busiest of the year for vans. The week before the autumn term, the last days of the summer term and the end of tenancies all fall within a few weeks of each other. If your move is in one of those spells, book as early as you can and be flexible on the time of day. The student move dates guide has both universities' dates for the year ahead and explains which weeks to avoid if you can.
Parking near the universities
Much of the area around the universities is controlled parking, and many student streets have resident bays. A van can usually stop on a yellow line to load and unload, but it cannot wait there, so have everything by the door before it arrives. If the street has pay and display bays, the council will reserve one for the day for £14. The parking guide has the detail.
Questions students ask
Can I ride in the van?
Often, if the van has a spare seat. Ask the driver when they get in touch after accepting the job. Otherwise you can meet the van at the other end.
Do I need to help carry?
The driver loads and unloads with you in the time you book. Most students help, which keeps the time and the cost down. If you would rather not, or there is a lot of heavy furniture, choose a driver who can bring a helper.
Can my parents pay?
The deposit is paid online by card when the booking is made, and the balance is paid to the driver on the day. Whoever is paying needs to be able to do those two things.
Can I move today?
You can request a same-day job with no surcharge. Whether a driver is free depends on the day, and in the busiest weeks of term the answer is more likely to be no. Send the request and you will hear from a driver, or the deposit is released.
Packing a student room
Boxes rather than bin bags, because boxes stack and bags burst. Books in small boxes. Clothes left on hangers in a bag. Bedding in a vacuum bag. Take the desk lamp apart. Label the box with the kettle so it is the first one opened. Everything by the front door before the van arrives, and the loading is done in minutes.
Booking
Enter the two postcodes and the loading time, then pick a driver with a Medium van unless you are sharing. A deposit is held on your card until the driver confirms, and if no driver can take the job the hold is released. You pay the rest to the driver on the day. See also single items and furniture for a single bed or desk, house removals for a whole shared house, and the home page for the overview.
Nothing is taken until your driver confirms. Pay them the rest when the job is done.