Moving In / Moving Out

Move In / Move Out

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How to Apply for Removals

Removals can now be booked online on the internet. Click here to visit the Agility Logistics GRSM website and follow the instructions. Agility Logistics GRSM now have the contract instead of M & S Shipping.

Be aware that, although the initial application is electronic, you will be required to print off a report which must then be signed by the Unit Designated Officer (UDO) and either faxed, or scanned and e-mailed to Agility Logistics. So although modern technology now means that you don’t need to track down a paper Removals Application form whenever you move, there is still a need to revert to paperwork before your application can be fully processed.

Pre-payment Cleaning Scheme

The Pre-payment Cleaning Scheme sponsored by MODern Housing Solutions (MHS) is now available in most parts of the England and Wales. The only exceptions to the scheme are those living in PFI accommodation and SSFA who will need to make alternative arrangements. Unit moves are also excluded from the scheme due the volume of SFA involved. Basically it works like this:

At pre-move out the DIO Housing Officer will outline the pre-payment cleaning scheme to you.
If requested, a representative from Ideal will then visit you and provide a free of charge, no obligation, quote. This quote is specific to your house and will reflect the amount of work required to get that particular property up to move-out standard.
If you decide to take up the service you then contact Ideal who will re-visit the property and provide a ‘final’ quote with your agreement. The service is then paid for over the phone by debit or credit card.
You can then move out of the property on your agreed move-out date and Ideal clean the quarter following handover.

The advantage of the scheme is obvious. It reduces the stress of move-out as all cleaning is guaranteed to move-out standard and is carried out after the family has handed their quarter over. It should be noted that occupants are still liable for any damages to the property such as stains on carpets that cannot be removed, and they are still required to prepare the garden to move-out standard.

Move Out charges

Let’s be honest, we all would prefer not to pay any charges at all at move-out. Unfortunately, move-out charges are sometimes simply unavoidable. Whether it is little Johnny’s work of art on the bedroom wall with his favourite crayons, or the house guest that knocks over a glass of red wine on the oatmeal carpet, there are times when the Housing Officer is simply going to have to raise a charge against us for damages at move-out.

Unlike our civilian counterparts we do not have to pay a deposit for living in Service Families Accommodation (SFA) and therefore charges must be raised as an invoice and paid following move-out. Overseas this is usually taken straight from pay for Army families. But in the UK, a somewhat longwinded and bureaucratic invoicing process means that we sometimes find the charges bill catching up with us several weeks, or even months, after we’ve moved on to our next posting. The invoice can be paid all at once, or an arrangement can be made with the invoicing agency to pay by instalments using a debit/credit card or by standing order. Unfortunately this flexibility has led to some abuse of the process and currently £1.7 million is owed to the MOD in unpaid move-out charges. This money, although not directly used to repair the actual item charged for, does deprive the overall housing budget of much needed funds for upgrading bathrooms, kitchens etc. So, by not paying, all we are doing is depriving ourselves and our fellow families of better military housing.

Examples of Move-out Charges in England and Wales (note: charges are approximate and may vary depending on work required and region):

Carpet replacement £43.50 per m²
Window Cleaning £17 - £20
Curtain Hanging £35 per house
Repaint £12 per m²
Cooker clean (full) £60
Extra cleaning £20 per hour
Lost Key replacement £25 per set
Limescale removal £20 per property

Carpet Charges Case Study

In our experience charges for replacing a damaged carpet are the most unpopular and misunderstood amongst Army families. The following case study may help explain how the Housing Officer reaches the final bill:

Cpl and Mrs Smith are being charged for a lounge carpet on which they dropped an iron and burned a hole through it. The carpet is 7 years old.

Size of carpet to be replaced 5m X 3m = 15 m²
Cost of replacing a carpet = £43.50 per m²
Age of carpet = 7 yrs (carpets have a 10 yr lifespan for charges therefore this carpet only has 3 years life left)
Total cost of replacing carpet = 15 m² x £43.50 = £652.50
Therefore cost per year = £652.50 ÷ 10 years = £65.25 per year
Final charge for replacing this carpet is £65.25 x 3 years (remaining lifespan of the carpet) = £195.75

Note – If the damage does not require the carpet to be replaced, the Housing Officer has the discretion to charge for reducing the life of the carpet instead of the full cost of replacing it.

Myths and Move-out advice

Every Army family is happy to pass on advice about move-out and how to avoid charges. Some of this advice is good but some is pure myth. The advice from the Army Families Federation is to take full advantage of the Pre-move out advisory inspection. Have a list of questions for your Housing Officer and write down the answers there and then. Then come move-out, there should be no surprises. And as for the myths……

Myth Buster 1 – If I refuse to sign for the charges I do not have to pay them.
NOT TRUE. Whether you sign to accept the charges or not an invoice will still be raised and sent to you for payment. You can of course challenge the charges by writing to the Area Housing Manager (AHM) at your Housing Allocations Service Centre (HASC) who will investigate your complaint. For this reason it is probably better to sign the move-out documentation at the time but annotate which charges you disagree with and why so that when your invoice arrives and you mount an official challenge the AHM will be able to refer back to the paperwork and see why you disagreed with the charges in the first place.

Myth Buster 2 – I don’t see why I should pay for stains on the carpet when the quarter was dirty when I moved in. NOT TRUE. If your quarter was in poor order at move-in then you should have complained at the time and had the problems rectified by the Housing Officer and the contractor, or included permanent damage on your 14 day observation report. In certain cases a Housing Manager will give a written undertaking that a property does not need to be cleaned for move-out, but unless you have this in writing then you should assume that you will have to prepare your quarter to move-out standard or risk incurring charges.

Myth Buster 3 – My proxy signed for the charges but I don’t agree with them and as I didn’t sign myself I don’t have to pay.
NOT TRUE. If you agree that a proxy will hand over your quarter for you then anything they sign carries the same weight as if you signed it yourself. When you sign the proxy certificate you actually agree to the following statement: ‘I agree to accept charges for SFA cleaning, loss/damage beyond fair wear and tear, as assessed by the DIO Ops Accommodation representative and witnessed by my proxy.’ So there is little room for come-back later.

If you have any questions or experiences relating to move-out charges that you would like to share with AFF then simply e-mail housing@aff.org.uk.

*Information obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request

14 Day Observation Report

Once you have moved in to your married quarter (including bulk hirings) you have 14 days to note down any concerns that you have about the condition of the property. At move-in your Housing Officer should leave you with a 14 Day Observation Report form to fill in, or you will have received one from the Housing Allocations Service Centre (HASC) with your move-in details. If not, visit the DIO OPS Acommodation website to download a form. Once you have completed the form you should date and sign it (obviously within 14 days of the move-in date) and send it off to your local HASC. Keep a copy for yourself so that you can refer to it when the time comes to move-out.

Common Errors when completing the 14 Day Observation Report

Families are often unsure about what to include on the 14 Day Observation Report. As a simple rule of thumb, include items that you do not wish to be charged for when it comes to your move-out e.g. stains on carpets, chips in skirting boards, burns on kitchen units etc. Do not include items that can be repaired, such as a cooker or boiler that's not working properly, dripping taps etc. These jobs should have been repaired prior to move-in but if they are outstanding, or new repairs need to be reported, then you should telephone the appropriate Helpdesk:

ENGLAND & WALES 0800 707 6000
SCOTLAND 0800 328 6337
NORTHERN IRELAND 0800 030 4651

The 14 Day Observation Report will then be held on your Housing File until the time comes for you to move-out. Any repair requests included on the form will not be actioned so do not include them - report them to the Helpdesk.

What is a ‘Proxy’?

When it comes to taking or handing over a married quarter there is often some confusion about who can undertake this responsibility, sometimes resulting in postponed move-in/move-outs. Here are some helpful hints for families when the Service person is unable to handover/takeover the quarter themselves and needs to appoint a ‘proxy’.

1. The Service person to whom the quarter is allocated should, wherever possible, attend the takeover/handover of their property. This is by far the best way and makes the whole process run more smoothly.

2. If, for Service reasons, the Service person cannot attend move-in/move-out the Service person should appoint a ‘proxy’ i.e. someone who has authority to takeover/handover the property in his/her place. It should be noted that the proxy may have to sign for charges raised at move-out or for the standard of the quarter at move-in so the choice of who to nominate as a proxy should be carefully considered. The proxy will be acting with the full authority of the Service occupant and any subsequent disputes will be difficult to resolve if the occupant disagrees with anything the proxy has signed for; in short, the proxy’s decision should be considered final.

3. A proxy may be either another Serving person, or the occupant’s spouse or civil partner. However, in every case where a proxy is necessary, the Service occupant must complete a Proxy Certificate granting the necessary authority.

Families sometimes assume that their spouse or civil partner may routinely handover/takeover a married quarter or hiring. This is not the case. A Proxy Certificate must always be submitted to the Housing Allocations Service Centre (HASC) if the Service occupant is unable to be present themselves.

Download a Proxy Form

What is the Move-Out Standard?

When you move-out of your married quarter you will be expected to clean and prepare it to move-out standard. You should book a Pre Move-out Advisory Visit though the Housing Allocations Service Centre up to two months before your move-out date. At this visit your DIO Housing Officer will hand you a Pre Move-out Advisory Leaflet explaining what is expected. The leaflet is available on the MOD website, click here.

Move-In - Standard Inspection Checklist

The aim of this guide is for the Army Families Federation (AFF) to give you and, if relevant, your nominated proxy some basic information on inspecting your new Service Families Accommodation (SFA) on move-in.

Click here to download the Move-in - Standard and Inspection Checklist

Advice for Occupants leaving SFA regarding mail

MHS has produced a useful factsheet detailing how to help keep your personal details safe.

Download the factsheet Advice for Occupants leaving SFA regarding mail

Eligibility to final removals

If you are coming to the end of your Army career then you may be interested in a little known regulation that covers ‘Final Tour of Duty’ requests. Ordinarily, first and final house moves in the military are not paid for at public expense. However, provision does exist for paying both Disturbance Allowance (DA) and Removal of Personal Effects (RPE) at public expense for a final move providing that a request to reside in a particular area has previously been made to the appropriate Career Manager. Anyone who is due to complete their Service and receive an immediate pension (e.g. completed 22 yrs or for Officers, 16yrs reckonable service), and has completed a JPA Form F024 and submitted it to their Career Manager, may be eligible. Critically, if Career Managers are unable to meet the needs of the Service Person (i.e. by posting them within 50 miles or 90 minutes travel time of the requested area) then they may be entitled to DA and RPE for their final move. In summary, the main eligibility criteria are as follows:

The preferred location must be within the UK, and must be a Unit or Establishment in which an assignment exists that the claimant could fill if it were vacant
They are serving at a duty station more than 50 miles from a location for which they expressed a first preference
The Service Person is accompanied and resides in SFA or an alternative Residence at Work (RWA) address
Or, if single, they are a homeowner or householder
JPA Form F024 must be submitted during the Service Person’s penultimate assignment. For final postings more than 4 years in duration the form must be submitted and approved no later than 2 years before the end of Service

Further information on Final Tour of Duty eligibility can be found in JSP 752 Chapter 7 Section 4 (this is available on ArmyNet), or simply contact your Admin Office for more details. Given the high cost of removals these days, filling in one little form may well save you a great deal of money in the future - it’s worth a look.

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AFF is interested to hear your views or concerns about issues discussed on our website. Please email us at housing@aff.org.uk.