Self-Move with a Rented Van: A Practical Guide

Moving yourself with a rented van is perfectly possible: a category B licence is enough for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross weight, which covers most vans offered for hire. You save money, but you pay in time, energy and risk. This guide helps you prepare the move and spot what is better left to professionals.

Licence and vehicle: what to check

A category B licence allows you to drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross weight. Above that, you need a C1 or C licence. Before booking, check the gross weight stated by the rental company: a large truck can exceed this limit.

A few points to check when booking:

• Usable volume: estimate the volume of your belongings (number of rooms, bulky furniture, boxes) and ask the rental company for advice. A vehicle that is slightly too big is better than two trips.
• Insurance: read what the rental insurance covers and the amount of the excess, meaning the share of any damage that remains your responsibility.
• Mileage: some contracts include an allowance, others charge per kilometre. Work out your route, including return trips.
• Return times: a late return may be charged. Allow some margin.

The periods around the usual moving dates are in high demand: book early.

Preparing the move

Preparation saves more time than any trick on the day itself.

1. Estimate the volume and sort. What you are not keeping does not need to be transported. If the sorting is heavy going, the house clearance page presents one possible kind of help.
2. Gather your equipment: sturdy boxes, straps, removal blankets, a hand truck, tape, marker pens for labelling. The packing and boxes guide explains the method in detail.
3. Recruit helpers. Plan for more people than you think you need: a team that is too small makes the day longer and increases fatigue, and therefore risk.
4. Dismantle what can be dismantled (beds, shelves) before the day, and keep the screws in a labelled bag. For delicate assembly work, furniture assembly and disassembly can be entrusted to professionals.
5. Follow a list. The moving checklist helps you forget nothing, from administrative formalities to handing back the keys.

Loading and securing properly

A well-planned load protects your belongings and the handling of the vehicle.

• Load heavy items low and towards the cab: washing machine, boxes of books, solid furniture. The weight should not be at the back or high up.
• Put light and fragile items on top, never under a heavy object.
• Fill the gaps with boxes or blankets so that nothing moves.
• Secure with straps: anything that could slide or fall when braking must be held in place.
• Protect furniture with blankets, especially corners and varnished surfaces.
• Keep essentials accessible (keys, papers, medication, chargers) in your own vehicle.

When driving, go slower than usual: the vehicle is longer and heavier, and its braking is different.

Parking, stairs and permits

A removal truck parked in front of the building sometimes occupies the public road. Depending on the commune, prior permission from the commune or the police may be needed, for example to reserve the space or to set up a furniture lift. Find out a few days or weeks in advance; the guide to parking permits for moving day explains the procedure.

Also think about access: floors without a lift, narrow staircases, pedestrian lanes. If a piece of furniture will not fit up the stairs, a furniture lift can prevent damage and injuries.

What is better not to do alone

Moving yourself means accepting certain limits. Some items call for know-how and equipment:

• the piano, very heavy and fragile (see piano transport);
• the solid wardrobe or the safe;
• bulky household appliances;
• valuable or fragile items.

Fatigue is another factor: a poorly prepared day of carrying exposes you to back injuries or falls on the stairs. If in doubt about an item, do not force it.

In French-speaking Switzerland: what changes by location

Parking, permit and calendar rules vary from one commune and canton to another. Check with the commune concerned before the day itself.

• In a city (for example Lausanne or Fribourg): narrow streets, limited parking, pedestrian zones and older buildings without a lift make permits and access trickier.
• In a medium-sized town such as Yverdon-les-Bains, parking is often simpler, but demand remains high around the usual moving dates.
• In the mountains: winding roads, slopes and winter conditions make driving a loaded vehicle more demanding.
• Near the border: if your route crosses a border, see international moving instead.

The deadline for notifying your change of address to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants) is set by the canton; the notification can often be made online via eMoving (eUmzugCH).

Doing it yourself or getting help

A private individual can very well manage a small home or a short journey alone with friends, good boxes and a suitable van. Moving yourself costs less money, but more time and risk.

A mixed approach is often the most sensible: hand the large furniture, the piano or the floors without a lift to professionals, and do the rest yourself. This site passes your request on to professional removal companies in the region, who provide a free, no-obligation quote. You can request a quote to compare, or see the residential moving page.

Frequently asked questions