Cancellation policy
Plans change. Here's how we handle that.
Most cancellations happen with plenty of notice and there's no charge. The closer you get to move day, the more it costs us (and our moving operator) to back out — so the fees scale to keep things fair on both sides.
48 hours or more before your move
Free — no charge
Cancel 48 hours or more before your scheduled arrival window and we'll release your card authorisation in full. No charge, no questions.
24–48 hours before
50% of your booking total
Closer to the day, your moving operator has already blocked their schedule. We retain 50% to compensate them and cover dispatch costs.
Under 24 hours before
75% of your booking total
On the day of (or just before), the moving operator's van and crew are committed. We retain 75% so they're paid for the day they set aside for you.
No-show on move day
100% of your booking total
If we arrive and there's nobody there / nothing to move, the full booking value is retained. Most of this goes to your moving operator for the wasted day.
How to cancel
Cancel from your booking confirmation page (the link in your booking email), or call us on 020 3143 1719 (Every day, 8am–8pm, UK time) or email hello@movesmith.uk.
Any fees are settled against the card authorisation on file. Refunds typically appear in your statement within 5–10 working days, depending on your bank.
Rescheduling instead?
Your first reschedule is free with 48 hours' notice. Reschedules inside 48 hours — and any further reschedules — carry a £35 admin fee. The new date must be within 90 days of your original booking, otherwise it's treated as a cancellation. We confirm availability for the new date; the same moving operator is not guaranteed. Any change to your move requirements or price needs your approval.
If we or your operator have to cancel
The fees above only apply when you cancel. If we can't assign an operator in time, or your operator cancels or doesn't turn up, you're always refunded in full — and we'll work to line up another verified operator as fast as we can.
For a late operator cancellation or a no-show, we also add a Movesmith service credit towards your next move on top of the refund: 5% of your quote for a late cancellation, 8% for a no-show, from £25 up to £150. This applies where you booked at least 48 hours before the move, and the credit is applied to a future booking rather than paid in cash.
Fixed-date move: no 14-day cancelling period
Your move is booked for a date you choose. So the 14-day cancelling period in the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 doesn't apply to it.
Cancel free up to 48 hours before your arrival window. After that, the fees above apply.
Packing kits are different: you have 14 days to cancel them for a refund.
Nothing here affects your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.