Man with a van in Old Trafford

Doorways, stairs and lifts in Old Trafford

Blocks in this part of Trafford run one goods lift and a timed bay. We book both at survey, and if the lift is out the quote already carries the stair-carry hours rather than adding them on the day. Priced the same whether you are moving inside Old Trafford or across to Stretford.

Where the van stands on the day

Trafford Council sets the loading, suspension and permit rules across M16. Where a bay suspension is needed near Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground and Old Trafford stadium we apply for it in advance and the cost sits in the written quote, not on an invoice afterwards. Local context matters here: laid out from the 1860s for merchants and clerks; lancashire county cricket club moved here in 1857 and united in 1910, which is why the access varies so much between neighbouring streets.

Traffic and start times

Inner Trafford district between the two famous grounds and Manchester's south-west edge, with grand Victorian streets and heavy match-day traffic. Loads out of here run best on an early start, before the Trafford school and commuter peak closes the approach roads. We plan the route with that in mind rather than quoting an optimistic drive time. In Old Trafford that usually means a lift booking and a timed loading bay before the crew sets off.

The four things that change the price

A five-minute video walk-through covering every room, the stairwell and the street is enough to fix the price. Anything you add later is quoted before we start, never after loading. Trafford Council loading rules on the M16 end are checked before the slot is confirmed.

Four weeks before — book and confirm

• ☐Confirm the move date and slot for your Old Trafford address in writing.
• ☐Book the van size against your property type — Large Victorian and Edwardian terraces with tiled paths and bays, interwar semis, and new apartment blocks along the Chester Road corridor.
• ☐Check whether Trafford Council needs a parking dispensation or suspended bay on your street.
• ☐Tell your landlord or agent the exact handover date and key-return time.
• ☐Book any end-of-tenancy or pre-move-in clean for the day either side of the move.
• ☐Start using up freezer food, cleaning products and anything that cannot travel.

Two weeks before — paperwork and access

• ☐Apply for the Trafford Council permit or bay suspension (allow 5–10 working days).
• ☐Book the lift or service entrance if your building near Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground and Old Trafford stadium has one.
• ☐Redirect post and update your address on the M16 electoral roll, bank and insurance.
• ☐Notify energy, water, broadband and council tax with opening and closing dates.
• ☐Register with a new GP, dentist and vet if you are leaving the area.
• ☐Arrange school transfers or nursery notice periods.

One week before — pack room by room

• ☐Label every box with the destination room, not the room it came from.
• ☐Pack a 'first night' box: kettle, mugs, chargers, bedding, toilet roll, medication.
• ☐Photograph the back of the TV and any flat-pack you are dismantling.
• ☐Drain the washing machine and fit its transit bolts.
• ☐Dispose of paint, oils and garden waste through the Trafford Council tip — the crew cannot legally load them.
• ☐Set aside valuables, passports and jewellery to travel with you.

The day before — final prep

• ☐Charge phones and keep a paper copy of the crew's number and the new address.
• ☐Defrost the fridge-freezer and towel it dry.
• ☐Take meter readings at the old property and photograph them.
• ☐Put cones or bins out to hold the loading space if Old Trafford parking is tight.
• ☐Bag bedding and clothes, and strip the beds you are taking.
• ☐Confirm arrival window with the crew and the key-collection time with the agent.

Moving day — loading

• ☐Walk the crew through the property and flag fragile and do-not-load items.
• ☐Protect carpets, stair noses and door frames before the first box moves.
• ☐Load heavy furniture first, boxes second, soft furnishings last.
• ☐Keep the first-night box and paperwork with you, not in the van.
• ☐Check lofts, sheds, the garden and every cupboard before the van leaves.
• ☐Final meter readings, lock up and hand back keys.

Moving day — unloading and sign-off

• ☐Direct each box to its labelled room as it comes off the van.
• ☐Build beds first so the day can end even if boxes are still packed.
• ☐Test the boiler, hot water, smoke alarms and the consumer unit.
• ☐Take arrival meter readings and photograph them.
• ☐Check items against your inventory and report damage before the crew leaves.
• ☐Break down boxes and book a recycling collection or clearance slot.

Old Trafford local notes (M16)

• ☐Housing stock: Large Victorian and Edwardian terraces with tiled paths and bays, interwar semis, and new apartment blocks along the Chester Road corridor.
• ☐Access landmark for the crew: Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground and Old Trafford stadium.
• ☐Council for permits and waste: Trafford Council.
• ☐Local context: Inner Trafford district between the two famous grounds and Manchester's south-west edge, with grand Victorian streets and heavy match-day traffic.
• ☐Busy times to avoid: school runs and events around: Match-day crowds, Seymour Park, the Somali and Caribbean communities along Ayres Road and Stretford Road's independents.