Sandy Movers

    Housing and resident moves

    Decant Removals for Housing Associations & Councils

    We pack and move residents’ belongings across West London and the nearby Home Counties. Your Sandy Movers coordinator handles the move-out, storage transfer and return, and gives your housing team an itemised quote and invoice.

    Request a decant quote
    Movers carrying blankets and boxed belongings beside a Sandy Movers van on a residential street.
    From first call to return

    How Sandy Movers handles the move

    Brief us once

    Send the collection postcode, target date and what needs to move. We’ll agree the scope with the housing contact and confirm the resident’s priorities.

    We pack and move

    We label by destination and take the agreed belongings to the temporary home, new address or storage facility.

    We handle the return

    When the housing team confirms the property is ready, we book redelivery and complete the agreed reassembly.

    Request a decant quote

    Send us the collection postcode and a short brief. We’ll confirm the crew, what needs moving and who should receive the quote.

    Speak to our team on 0203 8888 188

    Tell us what needs moving, whether packing is needed and what is known about access. Leave resident names, flat numbers and documents for follow-up.

    What we can take care of

    Planned decants, urgent moves and permanent transfers

    Use this service when a home needs to be cleared for major repairs, refurbishment or regeneration, or when a resident needs to move to another property. For an urgent move, give us the collection postcode, what needs moving first and when we can get access. We’ll confirm the crew and timing.

    • Temporary decant: take essentials to the temporary address and move the rest to an agreed storage facility if required.
    • Permanent move: pack and transport the agreed household inventory to the new home. Tell us which furniture needs dismantling and reassembly.
    • Return move: quote the return separately so the move-out can proceed while the repair timetable is still provisional.

    Give the resident and crew the same moving plan

    Agree what goes with the resident, what stays and what goes into storage before moving day. Check which furniture is already provided at the temporary home, what fits through the access route and which belongings the resident needs as soon as they arrive. Flag any lift booking, parking restriction or assistance needed without sharing sensitive information on the enquiry form.

    Direct liaison and itemised billing for housing teams

    Give us the housing officer or contractor’s details and permission to speak to them. We’ll confirm the scope, who can approve changes, and who receives the quote and invoice. We can include your purchase order or work reference.

    • Separate packing labour, materials, dismantling, move-out and return so your team can approve the right work.
    • Name the storage facility, the account holder and the person who can approve retrieval or extra weeks.
    • Need cover for one job or extra capacity across several moves? Ask us to quote a trial or overflow job and send us your supplier requirements.
    Practical guide

    How to plan a resident decant without losing track of belongings

    1. 1

      Plan around the temporary home

      Check what the temporary home already has. A furnished flat may need only clothes, bedding and selected furniture. Keep medication, IDs, school bags and chargers with the resident. If someone needs a particular chair or bed set up first, flag it so the crew loads it to come off first.

    2. 2

      Give every room a destination

      On the inventory, mark each item or box as temporary home, storage or stays in place. Use short labels such as “Kitchen 04 → storage”. List dismantled furniture with its fittings, and agree who can retrieve anything needed before the return.

    3. 3

      Book move-out and return as separate jobs

      Get the move-out approved with a named officer and agreed payer. Put a storage review date on the job and name who can authorise an extension. When the repairs team releases the home, confirm the return date, access and what needs reassembling.

    4. 4

      Give finance an invoice it can match

      Put the agreed purchase order or work reference, service date and billing entity on the invoice. Split packing, transport, additional stops and return work. Keep any approved change against the original reference so your team can reconcile the bill.

    Example quote schedule for a split decant

    Illustrative scope for a furnished temporary flat during major repairs. No prices or customer details are shown.

    Quote lineWhat we priceWhat to confirm
    Packing and dismantlingAgreed rooms, materials and furnitureConfirm who needs help packing and what stays.
    Move to temporary accommodationDay-to-day furniture and essentialsConfirm access and the resident’s priority items.
    Transport to storageRemaining furniture and labelled boxesConfirm the facility, account holder and handover.
    Return moveCollect from agreed destinations and redeliverPrice separately. Book when the housing team releases the property.

    What published housing contracts tell us

    Around 300 tenants

    Brent’s September 2026 market engagement outlined South Kilburn moves for around 300 secure tenants, plus borough-wide emergency removals and possible storage. Programmes like this need a repeatable brief for each address.

    London Borough of Brent market engagement

    £200,000 incl. VAT

    West Kent Housing Association’s 2025 award covered ad hoc resident removals and transport to storage. It included work from decant and allocations teams. We scope removals and storage transfers separately so each instruction is clear.

    West Kent contract award on Find a Tender

    Frequently asked questions

    Who pays for housing association decant removals?

    Usually the housing provider arranges or pays for the removals it approves. Check your decant agreement or put us in touch with your housing officer. We can confirm the scope with them and invoice the agreed payer.

    Can you arrange removals for a resident in temporary accommodation?

    Yes. We can move approved belongings to the temporary address and deliver the remainder to agreed storage where included in the quote.

    Can you quote for move-out and return separately?

    Yes. We quote the move-out and return separately so you can book the first leg while repairs are still being scheduled.

    Who books storage and pays for an extension?

    Agree the facility, account holder and approved storage period first. Sandy Movers can quote for transport into and out of the facility. Ask the authorised payer to approve any extension before it is booked.

    Can a resident contact you directly?

    Yes. Send the collection postcode and a brief description. If you expect the housing provider to pay, ask it to approve the scope before booking or put us in touch with the authorised officer.

    Can you help with an urgent decant?

    Call us with the postcode, what needs moving first and when we can get in. We’ll confirm the earliest crew and help agree what goes to temporary accommodation and what goes to storage.

    Can you accept a purchase order from a council or housing association?

    Yes. Send the billing details, purchase order or job reference and the name of the officer who can authorise changes. We’ll carry the agreed reference through to the final invoice.

    What if the resident needs help packing or setting up essentials?

    Tell us what the resident needs first. We can quote full or partial packing, furniture dismantling and reassembly. We’ll plan the load so priority items can come off first.

    How much does a decant removal cost?

    We price the packing, volume, access, crew, trips and destinations. Send the postcode and a short inventory for an itemised quote. Storage facility fees can be shown separately from the removals.

    Can you help with permanent decants or managed moves?

    Yes. We can quote packing, transport and agreed reassembly for a permanent move, rightsizing or transfer. Tell us what is going to the new home and whether anything needs a second destination.

    Related guides and services

    Independent guidance: Housing Ombudsman guidance on temporary moves

    Request a decant quote
    WhatsApp