Man and van hire

Typical jobs

• Moving the contents of a one-bedroom flat across town in a Luton, with two people loading
• Collecting a second-hand sofa and armchair and carrying them up to a second floor flat
• Taking boxes, a bike and a desk from a student house to a parent's garage 40 miles away
• Moving a washing machine and a fridge freezer to a new rental where the van can only stop on a loading bay
• Shifting furniture and boxes into a self-storage unit while a kitchen is being refitted

A man and van is a driver with a van, often with a second person to help, hired by the hour for local moves, single items and small jobs. A removal company usually surveys the home first, quotes a fixed price, brings a larger crew and lorry and offers packing; Checkatrade suggests one for large family homes, full packing and long distance moves (August 2026). Crew size sets the hourly rate. A third person adds to it: Checkatrade gives £68 to £120 an hour for three, and MyBuilder £55 to £90, with MyBuilder's one and two person ranges also lower, at £35 to £60 and £45 to £80 (both August 2026).

Van size decides how much goes in one trip. Hello Vans' size guide (May 2026) gives a small or SWB van about 3 to 4 cubic metres and a 500 to 800 kg payload, an LWB high roof 11 to 15 cubic metres and 1,000 to 1,300 kg, and a 3.5 tonne Luton about 17 to 19 cubic metres. A medium (MWB) van sits between, at about 5 to 7 cubic metres; Enterprise gives its medium van 5 to 6.5. Enterprise lists its Luton with tail lift at about 19 cubic metres, 4.0 by 2.2 by 2.2 metres inside, with an 800 to 1,200 kg payload and a lift rated to 500 kg, and notes it can be driven on a standard UK licence. On a heavy load a Luton reaches its weight limit before it is full.

How the hours are counted differs between firms. Compare the Man and Van bills loading, travel and unloading time, with fuel and mileage built into the quote for the route (March 2026). Some firms start the clock when the van leaves their base and stop it when it gets back; others count only from arrival at your door. Checkatrade notes some charge mileage separately on longer jobs, and its removals guide gives about £35 an hour plus £1.50 a mile as a ballpark for long distance work (April 2026). Rates vary by city too: Compare the Man and Van lists basic hourly rates of £40 to £60 in London, £35 to £55 in Manchester, £35 to £50 in Birmingham and £30 to £40 in Leeds and Glasgow (March 2026).

In London two daily charges are often added to the bill. The ULEZ is £12.50 a day for a van up to 3.5 tonnes that misses the standard, which is Euro 4 for petrol (most vans registered from January 2006) and Euro 6 for diesel (most sold from September 2016). It applies every day except Christmas Day, and the penalty is £180, or £90 if paid within 14 days (TfL, October 2026). The Congestion Charge is £18 a day, or £21 if paid by midnight on the third day after, from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and noon to 6pm at weekends and on bank holidays (TfL, October 2026). Parking is the other moving-day cost. A bay suspension or dispensation comes from the council that manages the road, and Compare the Man and Van says most London boroughs want 5 to 7 working days' notice, many 10 or more (March 2026). MyJobQuote puts temporary permits at around £20 to £50 (September 2026).

A man and van that takes away rubbish, rather than moving your belongings, is carrying waste and needs an upper tier waste carrier registration. GOV.UK sets the fee at £191.02 for 3 years, renewing at £130.25, and a business that carries waste without registering can face an unlimited fine (October 2026). A firm that only moves your own goods from one address to another does not need one.

No law requires a man and van to hold goods in transit or public liability insurance, and A2B Moving's guide confirms there is no specific UK law forcing a removals firm to carry goods in transit cover (May 2026). Employers' liability insurance becomes compulsory only once a firm employs staff. So ask three questions. What is the goods in transit limit per load and per item? A2B Moving says typical policies cover £10,000 to £50,000 a load, with per-item caps of £40, £100 or £500 unless items are declared, and some pay only about £1.30 per kg. What does it exclude? Boxes you packed yourself, cash, jewellery and laptops are common exclusions. Is there public liability cover for damage to the building, such as a scraped stairwell or a split door frame? Ask to see the certificate.

Get the quote in writing and check how it is worked out: the hourly rate and minimum, whether the clock runs from the firm's base or from your door, what happens if the job overruns, and whether fuel, mileage, the Congestion Charge and the ULEZ are included. Checkatrade also suggests asking about waiting time, stair carries, dismantling and VAT (August 2026). AnyVan lets London customers edit or cancel up to 48 hours before the move; ask a local firm about its deposit and cancellation terms before paying anything.

Tell the firm about access before the day: the floor at each end, whether there is a lift, how close the van can park and whether a suspension is booked. Compare the Man and Van timed London loading at nearly 2 hours for upper floor flats against 1 hour 38 minutes on the ground floor, about 20% longer (March 2026). If you want to ride in the van, ask; Checkatrade notes some firms allow passengers and some do not.

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Common questions