How London Housing Providers Handle Removals and Storage During a Decant
Three London housing providers describe different ways to handle a decant. A2Dominion says it covers required removals and storage, Kensington and Chelsea sets out who arranges the move and return, and Haringey also describes how tenants can request help with reasonable costs if they arrange the move themselves.
- Direct contact with Sandy Movers
- Itemised quotes and invoices
- Packing, transport and return moves
Key takeaways
- The published policy tells you what to ask about. The written decant agreement confirms your individual arrangement.
- Agree the mover, invoice recipient, inventory, storage access and return instruction before the job starts.
- Sandy Movers can coordinate the removals directly with the authorised housing contact.
What the published documents say
Sandy Movers checked the three public documents below on 7 November 2026. We compared how each describes removals, storage and the return in a temporary move. This is a selected sample of providers and describes written arrangements. It does not measure how individual moves were delivered.
| Housing provider | Removals and storage | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| A2Dominion | Its resident guidance says it covers the cost of removals and storage where belongings need to be taken out. | Ask which belongings can remain and what the decant agreement approves. |
| Kensington and Chelsea Council | The council arranges removal before works. Belongings may go to temporary accommodation, storage or a suitable place in the original property. | The policy describes an inventory, condition photographs and return of possessions when works are complete. |
| Haringey Council | The policy describes organising removals and paying for storage where items cannot fit in alternative accommodation or stay in the original home. | If the tenant chooses to arrange removals, the policy describes requesting help with reasonable costs. Check the approval route first. |
Three details that prevent a hold-up
Agree the payer and invoice recipient before sending the mover to site. Decide what stays, goes with the resident or goes to storage. Record who can approve the return move, including any extension to storage if works overrun.
For a resident with access needs, include them in the move plan early. Agree where essential items should go, what needs assembling and whether the resident can access stored belongings before the return.
Specify a resident removals and storage job before issuing a purchase order
A resident decant can involve one household and several instructions: packing before repairs, a split delivery to temporary accommodation and storage, and a return once the property is ready. Put each leg on the work order or ask the supplier to quote it separately. The West Kent Housing Association contract award is a separate procurement example of removals and storage being bought together.
Give the mover the date the property will be safe to access, who meets the crew, the rooms to clear and the approved destinations. Ask the contractor to confirm the handover record and how it flags an item missing from the inventory or too large for the agreed route. A storage facility, landlord and transport contractor may hold different responsibilities, so name the person responsible for each handover.
| Stage | Agree before work | Record for the case file |
|---|---|---|
| Move-out | Named approver, access clearance, resident support, packing and inventory scope. | Work order, item list, condition notes where agreed and first delivery receipt. |
| Storage handover | Named storage provider, who holds the storage contract, which items go in and who can authorise retrieval. | Handover receipt, agreed contact, review date and any access instructions. |
| Works overrun | Who can extend storage, any agreed cost limit and who updates the resident. | Written approval and a new review date. |
| Return move | Written release that the home is ready, destination access, priority items and reassembly scope. | Delivery sign-off, exception notes and invoice references. |
A short brief for housing teams
- Send the date, access arrangements, the inventory by destination and any packing or reassembly needed.
- Name the officer who can approve changes, the entity receiving the invoice and any purchase-order or work reference.
- List the storage provider and who contracts with it. Price move-out and return as separate lines if the return date is uncertain.
How Sandy Movers can help
Send the brief to our team. We can discuss the removals with the authorised housing officer, confirm the packing and transport scope, and provide an itemised quote and invoice. We can quote for move-out and return separately where the work requires two visits.
Can Sandy Movers speak directly with the housing officer?
Yes. Send the authorised officer’s work contact and the reference. We can confirm scope, address the quote and invoice to the agreed payer, and record how changes will be approved.
Can we get a separate quote for the return move?
Yes. We can price move-out and return separately so you can approve the first job while the works timetable is still provisional. State which items are returning and whether any furniture needs reassembly.
Can one move serve temporary accommodation and storage?
It can if the two destinations, inventory split, access and handover arrangements are agreed. Include both legs in the brief and confirm who books and pays the storage facility.
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