Before you book any removalist, check four things yourself. First, whether they are accredited, checked on AFRA's own website rather than on their say-so; the NSW Government notes that smaller removalists may not be part of AFRA. Second, that your belongings are covered for the trip by insurance you have arranged or confirmed. Third, that the quote is written and itemised. Fourth, that a contract names the dates, the payment terms and what storage costs if things run late.
That is the core of the NSW Government's own advice in Choosing a removalist. Below, Hunters Hill Removals goes through each check, what it does and doesn't tell you, and how to hold three quotes side by side.
The short answer: four checks before you book
A logo on a website is the start of a conversation, not the end of one. The four checks above take about half an hour across three quotes, and they are the same for a one-bedroom unit in Huntleys Point as for a four-bedroom sandstone house in Woolwich.
What AFRA accreditation actually checks
AFRA describes itself as the peak industry body regulating and supporting the Australian removals industry, working through advocacy, compliance, training and education. It says it has been operating for 25+ years, with 250+ members across hundreds of locations.
| What AFRA says | Source |
|---|---|
| Years operating: 25+ | AFRA, Become an AFRA member |
| Members: 250+ across hundreds of locations | AFRA, Become an AFRA member |
| Member staff trained: 9,000+ | AFRA, Become an AFRA member |
| Applicants: rigorously screened, must meet high standards | AFRA, Why choose an AFRA member |
| Members: regularly audited for compliance | AFRA, Why choose an AFRA member |
| Insurance: all members carry public liability insurance | AFRA, Why choose an AFRA member |
The part that matters to you is the gate at the front. According to AFRA, all AFRA members are accredited. Applicants are screened before they join, have to meet set standards, and are audited regularly afterwards to check they still comply.
So the badge tells you a removalist has been checked by an industry body and keeps being checked. It does not tell you the price, which crew turns up on the day, or whether your belongings are insured on the road. Those are the next three sections.
Check the badge yourself, not on the removalist's say-so
The NSW Government's advice is to check whether a removalist is accredited through the AFRA website. Don't rely on a logo in an email signature or a line in a quote.
It's a simple habit. Search the business's exact trading name on AFRA's site and confirm the name and location match the business that quoted you. If the names don't line up, ask why before you go any further. Sometimes there's a plain explanation, such as a parent company. You want to hear it before moving day, not after.
Who covers your belongings on moving day
This is the gap most people miss, and it's worth a diagram.
AFRA says all AFRA members carry public liability insurance, and that most can also sell additional Goods in Transit Insurance through AFRA's preferred supplier. These are two different things. Public liability is the business's own cover. Goods in Transit cover, in the NSW Government's words, insures your goods while they are being packed and moved, including any storage. One is a standard part of membership. The other is optional and usually offered as an extra.
On top of both, the NSW Government advises movers to get your own insurance for the move. In practice, that means two phone calls.
- Your home and contents insurer. Ask whether your contents are covered while in transit and in storage, and what's excluded. Ask too whether boxes you packed yourself are treated differently from boxes the crew packed.
- Each removalist you're comparing. Ask whether they offer Goods in Transit cover, what it covers, the excess, how a claim is lodged, and any deadline for reporting damage.
Get the answers in writing. A conversation on the doorstep is hard to rely on three weeks later.
What a written quote and contract should spell out
The NSW Government's list is short and specific: a written, itemised quote, then a contract you actually read for the inventory, the pick-up and delivery dates, the payment terms, and the storage costs if delivery is delayed.
Our additions for the peninsula (our suggestions, not official guidance)
The second half of that checklist is ours rather than the government's. It comes from moving on this peninsula, where access shapes the job. A quote that doesn't mention the steps up to a terrace, the slope of a driveway or where the truck can legally stand is a quote written without looking. Our street-by-street notes in Where the Truck Stands and the route notes in The Three Bridges show the kind of detail worth seeing on paper.
The same goes for heavy or fragile pieces. If there's a piano coming down a period hallway, it should be named on the inventory, not folded into "contents". Our guide to a piano out of a period hallway explains why.
Questions to ask about the crew who turn up
AFRA says it has delivered professional training to 9,000+ member staff. That tells you the industry has a training pipeline. It doesn't tell you who will be carrying your sideboard.
So ask directly:
- Who will be on the crew, and how many people?
- Are they the company's own staff, or subcontracted for the day?
- What training have they had, and have they moved items like yours before?
- Who is in charge on the day if something needs a decision?
These questions matter most where a mistake is expensive: sandstone walls, original joinery, antiques and art. If that's your move, our pages on heritage house moves and piano, antique and art moves set out what to talk through.
Comparing quotes side by side
Prices are easy to compare. Everything around them is not. Put the quotes next to each other and tick off the same rows for each.
| Check | Removalist 1 | Removalist 2 | Removalist 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFRA accreditation confirmed on AFRA site | |||
| Written itemised quote | |||
| Inventory attached | |||
| Pick-up and delivery dates in contract | |||
| Payment terms clear | |||
| Storage cost for delays stated | |||
| Insurance offered and what it covers | |||
| Own insurance arranged | |||
| Crew and training asked about |
A cheaper quote with three blank rows is not cheaper. It's a quote that leaves you to find out the rest on moving day. When a row is blank, email the removalist and ask. How quickly and clearly they answer is part of the comparison too.
Put the same questions to Hunters Hill Removals
If you're comparing removalists for a move in Hunters Hill, Henley, Huntleys Cove, Huntleys Point or Woolwich, add us to your shortlist and hold us to exactly this list. Request a callback and have the worksheet in front of you when we ring.
Sources
- NSW Government, Choosing a removalist: https://www.nsw.gov.au/legal-and-justice/consumer-rights-and-protection/be-a-smart-consumer/choosing-a-removalist
- AFRA, Why choose an AFRA member: https://afra.com.au/about/why-choose-an-afra-member/
- AFRA, Become an AFRA member: https://afra.com.au/become-an-afra-member/
- AFRA, About: https://afra.com.au/about/