BAR Member vs Non-BAR Removals Companies

The British Association of Removers (BAR) is the UK’s principal trade body for the removals industry. Founded in 1900, it sets minimum standards for member companies across staff training, vehicle condition, complaints handling, and financial protection for customers.

BAR membership is not automatic. Companies must apply, pass an inspection, and agree to operate within the BAR Code of Practice, which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI). Members are subject to ongoing monitoring rather than a one-off check.

One of the most practically useful aspects of booking with a BAR member is the Advanced Payment Guarantee. If a BAR member company that participates in the scheme ceases to trade after you have paid a deposit or the full amount, the Guarantee provides a route to recover those funds.

This does not apply to non-BAR companies. If a non-member firm takes payment and then closes, you have no trade-body protection and would need to pursue a claim through your bank, card provider, or the courts. For anyone booking a move weeks or months ahead, that difference is worth weighing. It is a separate opt-in within BAR membership, so it is worth confirming a company participates in it specifically, not just that it is a BAR member. We participate in the scheme.

Some companies hold accreditations that go beyond BAR membership. One is BS EN 12522, the British Standard written specifically for furniture removal services for private individuals. It covers processes, vehicle condition, staff training, and storage in more detail than BAR membership alone, and it is held by relatively few independent removers. We are certified to it.

Checkatrade certification and Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman membership are further signals that a company has agreed to independent oversight of its service and complaints handling. We hold both. When comparing companies, it is fair to ask directly: which accreditations do you hold, and can you show evidence of them?

Stranks Removals & Storage, based in Ashford, Kent, holds full British Association of Removers membership and participates in the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee. We are also certified to BS EN 12522, are Checkatrade certified, and are a member of the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman scheme.

The business has traded as a family removals firm since 1941, across four generations of the Strank family. We operate from a 13,000 sq ft owned warehouse in Ashford with up to 250 storage containers, a fleet of 4 trucks and 5 vans, and a team of 17. You can read more about the family and the firm’s history on our About Us page.