Smartmove Removals
At a glance
Removal Dude scores Smartmove Removals 76/100, with a verdict of Check Before Booking. Google rates Smartmove Removals 4.9 / 5 from 393 reviews. Removal Dude verified 6 facts about Smartmove Removals against independent public records. This listing documents 3 complaints about Smartmove Removals in full, each with the company's reply. Smartmove Removals holds no BAR, NGRS or FIDI membership. Removal Dude last checked every fact about Smartmove Removals on 24 August 2026.
Verification summary
Every item is independently verified from public records unless marked “advertised” - those are claims the company makes that we could not confirm from the outside.
Key facts
| Legal name | Smartmove Removals & Haulage Limited |
| Company number | 08921255 |
| Incorporated | 4 Mar 2014 |
| Status | Active, 2 directors |
| Address | Wainbrook House, 1 Hudds Vale Road, St George, Bristol BS5 7HY |
| Phone | 0117 911 7703 |
| Website | smartmovebristol.co.uk |
| Areas | Bristol and the South West |
| Storage | Own compound with CCTV (advertised) |
| “Established in 1999” claim | Advertised; company incorporated 2014 |
| Goods in transit cover | Advertised, not verified* |
| “Most reviewed in the South West” | Advertised; plausible, unchecked |
What customers say
| Platform | Score | Reviews | One and two-star |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9 / 5 | 393 | 12 of 393 (8 one-star, 4 two-star) |
What people love about this company
We read the lowest-rated and highest-rated Google reviews end to end, including the company's replies where they exist:
The recent record is strong: customers name the office team (Justine, Sarah and Jen), describe crews who are kind to children on moving day, and one reviewer tells of an extra van arranged on the spot when the load would not fit. Several reviews mention flexibility when completion dates slip, and the company looks after customers' plants on site. The negatives are the thing to weigh: eight one-star and four two-star reviews out of 393, most of them three to eight years old and most carrying no company reply. The themes are damaged items, a quoted number of vans that did not turn up, and slow responses after the move. We cannot judge from outside whether those claims were fair. What we can say is the recent reviews we read show the problems those old reviews complained about being solved on the day, and the checklist below exists because of the ones that were not.
The complaints, and the company's answers
Smartmove has more negative reviews than any other firm on this directory so far: 12 out of 393 on Google. Most carry no company reply. Here are three exchanges, one of which the company answers. We note, we don't accuse.
Google one-star - three vans quoted, two sent
Google one-star - damaged items, no resolution
Google one-star - “Useless and unreliable”
Two of these one-star reviews describe the same pattern from different years: a promise on the quote that did not hold on the day, followed by silence. The third is a two-line review the company says is a hoax, and it says so in writing. What stands out is the contrast between the old reviews and the new ones: the recent five-star reviews we read include a customer describing an extra van arranged on the spot when the load would not fit, which is exactly the problem the 2019 review complains about. Make of that what you will. Items 2 and 5 in the checklist below exist because of reviews exactly like these.
Sources: Google Maps listing (distribution, visible reviews, owner replies), read 24 August 2026. Review texts and replies cross-checked via DataForSEO business data, 24 August 2026.Before you book, ask for these six things
- The insurance schedule, not a summaryGoods in Transit and public liability, with the policy number and cover amount, valid on your moving date. Any firm can say “fully insured”; the schedule is proof.
- A written quote that states what is includedPacking materials, fuel, congestion and ULEZ charges, stairs, waiting time. The most common complaint in this industry is a price that grows on moving day.
- Deposit terms in writingAmount, when it is taken, and refund conditions. If the firm belongs to the BAR, deposits are additionally protected by their Advance Payment Guarantee.
- Who will actually turn upAsk directly: is this job subcontracted, and if so, to whom? The name on the van should match the name on your contract.
- What happens past the quoted hoursMany quotes are “2 people and a van” with a minimum charge (often 3 hours). What rate applies after that, and when does it start counting? Get it in writing before moving day.
- A name and number match Especially with this company: the contract name, phone number and address should match the registered details (company number 08921255, Wainbrook House, 1 Hudds Vale Road, St George, Bristol BS5 7HY, 0117 911 7703).
Memberships
We checked the public member directories of the three bodies that matter in UK removals on 24 August 2026:
| BAR | Not a member | Code of Practice, regular inspections, Advance Payment Guarantee on deposits |
| NGRS | Not a member | Code of Practice, quality monitoring |
| FIDI | Not a member | FAIM certification, audited international standard; mainly for overseas moves |
Frequently asked questions
Is Smartmove Removals legit?
Yes, as far as public records show. Removal Dude independently verified 6 facts about Smartmove Removals against outside sources: Companies House records, public review platforms and trade body directories. Smartmove Removals appears at Companies House under company number 08921255, incorporated 4 Mar 2014. Smartmove Removals scores 76/100 on the Removal Dude score with a verdict of Check Before Booking, last checked 24 August 2026.
Is Smartmove Removals insured?
Smartmove Removals advertises free goods in transit liability cover on every move, but insurance on this listing is an advertised claim, not an independently verified fact. The UK has no public register of removals insurance, so no outside checker can confirm cover from records alone. Before booking, ask for the policy schedule itself: policy number, what it covers, the amount, valid on your moving date. Any firm can say it is fully insured; the schedule is the proof.
Is Smartmove Removals BAR registered?
No. Smartmove Removals is not a member of the British Association of Removers (BAR); Removal Dude checked the BAR public member directory on 24 August 2026 and found no entry. BAR membership is voluntary and most UK removal firms hold none; it adds a Code of Practice, inspections and deposit protection, so treat it as a small positive signal, not a requirement.
How good are Smartmove Removals reviews?
Here is what the public review platforms show for Smartmove Removals: Google shows 4.9 / 5 from 393 reviews, and 12 of them are rated one or two stars. Smartmove Removals has 3 complaints documented in full, verbatim, with the company's reply as of 24 August 2026.