What to Look for in a Perth Moving Company
Choosing a Perth moving company is one of the most important decisions you make before a house, apartment or office move. Get it right and moving day runs smoothly. Get it wrong and you risk hidden fees, damaged furniture, or a no-show crew. Tommy's Transport & Removals (ABN 63 652 591 258), based at 130 Balcatta Road, Balcatta WA, charges $160/hr + GST for a 2-person team and has put together this practical checklist so you can independently vet any removalist before handing over a deposit. We see the aftermath of poor hiring choices regularly, so we want to help you avoid them.
Why Choosing the Right Perth Removalist Matters More Than You Think
Perth's housing stock creates wildly different moving conditions depending on where you are. Older Fremantle and Subiaco properties come with narrow heritage streetscapes, tight front gates and limited truck parking. A 26-tonne rigid truck simply cannot access some of those streets, and a company that hasn't scoped this out beforehand will waste time and charge you for it.
At the other end of the spectrum, newer outer suburbs like Ellenbrook, Canning Vale and Baldivis offer wide residential streets and generous driveway access. For those moves, distance from the depot is the primary cost factor rather than access difficulty. A move from Ellenbrook to Fremantle, for example, involves roughly 60 km of travel and will cost more in time than a local move across Morley - even if the Morley job is more physically complex.
High-rise apartments in the Perth CBD and West Perth add another layer entirely. Building managers require coordinated lift bookings, loading bay compliance and sometimes strict body-corporate time windows - often between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday only. Miss those windows and your move stalls.
Perth's low rental vacancy rate and strong intra-city migration also mean that reputable companies book out fast, especially on weekends and end-of-month dates. Good removalists in Perth are often booked out well ahead during peak periods. Knowing how to vet a company quickly matters.
The Verified Checklist: How to Vet Any Perth Moving Company
Use this checklist before you pay a deposit to any removalist. Every point is something you can verify independently.
1. Confirm the ABN
Search the company's ABN on the Australian Business Register at abr.business.gov.au. The business name, state and GST registration should all match what they tell you. An unregistered operator cannot issue a valid tax invoice and has no legal accountability trail. Tommy's ABN is 63 652 591 258 - you can look it up right now.
2. Check AFRA Membership
The Australian Furniture Removers Association (AFRA) audits members on vehicle standards, staff training, insurance and WH&S compliance. Membership also gives you access to a formal dispute resolution process if something goes wrong. Verify any claimed AFRA membership at afra.com.au directly - do not rely on a logo on a website.
3. Request a Certificate of Currency
Ask for a current Certificate of Currency covering both public liability insurance and goods-in-transit insurance. Public liability covers damage to the property - walls, floors, lifts, loading bays. Goods-in-transit covers your actual belongings during the move. You need both. A verbal assurance is not enough. Ask specifically whether the transit policy excludes electronics, artwork or antiques.
4. Ask About In-House vs. Subcontractor Crews
Some companies operate as brokers. They take your booking and assign it to a subcontracted crew on the day. Those subcontractors may not be covered under the company's insurance and may not be police-cleared. Ask directly: "Are the removalists on the day your own employees?" Choose companies that will tell you clearly who is turning up on the day.
5. Get a Written Quote With Inclusions Listed
A legitimate quote should state the hourly rate, GST treatment, crew size, truck size, what's included (disassembly, reassembly, furniture blankets, moving straps), and what incurs extra charges (stairs, long carry distance, weekend surcharges, fuel levies, travel time back to depot). If a quote is just a single dollar figure with no breakdown, walk away.
Comparing Quotes the Right Way: Apples to Apples
A low hourly rate often hides extras that push the final bill far higher. Here is what to compare line by line across any quotes you receive.
- Hourly rate vs. crew size: A lower hourly rate for two people sounds cheaper than $160/hr, but if the cheaper crew takes two extra hours because they are understaffed or inexperienced, you pay more. At Tommy's, our rate is $160/hr + GST for a 2-person team.
- Truck size vs. your volume: An undersized truck means multiple runs. Each run adds time. Ask what cubic meterage the truck holds and whether it suits your job.
- Travel time back to depot: Some Perth removalists charge for the drive back to their depot after your move. Others cap it. Confirm this upfront.
- Stair and long carry fees: Common in Scarborough apartment blocks and Subiaco terrace houses. Ask whether stair fees apply and how they are calculated.
- Weekend and public holiday surcharges: Legitimate operators charge these. A company that offers the same rate seven days a week may be cutting corners elsewhere.
- Fuel levies: Ask whether fuel is included or added as a separate line item.
For context, a typical 3-bedroom house move in Osborne Park takes 4 to 6 hours with a 2-person team. A 2-bedroom apartment in the Perth CBD with a lift booking takes 3 to 5 hours depending on floor level and access. Use these estimates as a reality check when assessing quotes. If someone quotes you 2 hours for a 4-bedroom Joondalup home, the maths simply do not work for a legal operator paying award wages.
For a broader look at comparing move costs, our post on the red flags for removal companies in Perth covers how to think about removalist pricing in detail.
Red Flags: How to Spot a Dodgy Perth Removalist
Walk away from any company that shows two or more of these signs.
- Cash-only pricing. No ABN, no paper trail, no recourse if your belongings are damaged.
- Vague hourly estimates with no inventory basis. A professional removalist asks about your property, number of rooms and access before quoting. A vague estimate without that information is not a real quote.
- Rates that are mathematically impossible for a legal operator. In 2026, Perth removalists paying award wages, running insured trucks and carrying proper licences cannot profitably operate at rock-bottom hourly rates for two people. If it looks too cheap, it is.
- Large upfront payments. A deposit to secure your move date is normal, and Tommy's Transport & Removals takes one. A demand for a large payment before you have a written quote is the red flag.
- Cannot explain their insurance. If a company cannot tell you clearly what their insurance covers, they may not have it.
- No physical address or verifiable ABN. A suburb, a mobile number and a Facebook page is not a business. Check the ABN register.
If you want to see how a Perth moving company with no hidden fees structures its service, you can review our Perth house removals page for a clear breakdown of what is included.
Why Perth Locals Choose Tommy's Transport & Removals
Tommy's Transport & Removals operates from Balcatta, giving us fast access across the entire Perth metro - from Butler and Wanneroo in the north to Armadale and Canning Vale in the south. We carry full public liability and goods-in-transit insurance and operate with completely transparent pricing at $160/hr + GST for a 2-person team with no surprise fees on the day.
Our 5-star Google rating reflects the standard we hold ourselves to on every job. Every move we take on is backed by the MoveSure Guarantee, which means if something is not right, we fix it. We use professional furniture blankets, moving straps, trolleys and the right truck for the job - not a rented van and guesswork.
We are proud to be a straightforward Perth-based operation. No hidden fees.
Book Your Perth Move with Tommy's
Ready to move? Start with a no-obligation conversation. Our team will ask the right questions about your property, access conditions and timeline - so you get an accurate, written quote with everything included. Every booking is backed by the MoveSure Guarantee. Call us on 0478 590 024 or get a free quote online and we will get back to you promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between public liability insurance and goods-in-transit insurance - and do I need both from my Perth moving company?
Yes, you need both. Public liability insurance covers damage to third-party property during your move - think scuffed walls, scratched floorboards or damage to a building's lift or loading bay. Goods-in-transit insurance covers your actual belongings while they are being transported. Always ask for a Certificate of Currency, not just a verbal assurance. Also check whether the transit policy excludes high-value items like antiques, artwork or electronics - some policies do, and you may need separate cover for those.
How do I know if a Perth moving company is using subcontractors instead of their own crew?
Ask directly: 'Are the removalists who will show up on the day your own employees or contracted labour?' Some Perth companies operate as booking agents and assign jobs to whoever is available. Subcontractors may not be covered under the company's insurance policy, may not be police-cleared, and if damage occurs, accountability becomes difficult to establish. The safest choice is a company that will tell you clearly who is turning up on the day and confirm that crew is covered by its insurance.
What Perth suburb-specific access issues should I tell a moving company about before getting a quote?
Be upfront about anything that affects truck access or timing. In Fremantle and Subiaco, narrow heritage streetscapes can limit where a large truck can park. In CBD, West Perth and inner-city apartment buildings, you will need to book a lift and loading bay with your building manager - often with strict time windows. In outer suburbs like Ellenbrook, Baldivis and Canning Vale, access is generally easy but distance from the depot adds travel time and cost. Disclosing these details upfront means your quote is accurate and there are no surprise charges on the day.
Is AFRA accreditation important when choosing a Perth moving company, and how do I verify it?
AFRA accreditation - from the Australian Furniture Removers Association - means a company has been independently audited against standards covering vehicle condition, staff training, insurance and workplace health and safety. It also gives you access to a formal dispute resolution process if something goes wrong, which is a meaningful protection. To verify membership, check afra.com.au directly. Some operators display the AFRA logo without holding current membership, so taking their word for it is not enough.
What questions should I ask a Perth removalist before hiring them?
Ask these before committing: Are your crews in-house employees or subcontractors? Can you provide a Certificate of Currency for both public liability and goods-in-transit insurance? Is your ABN registered and are you GST-registered? What is included in your hourly rate - blankets, disassembly, fuel? Do you charge for travel time back to your depot? Are there stair fees, weekend surcharges or call-out fees? What is your deposit policy? A reputable removalist will answer every one of these questions clearly and in writing.
How can I tell if a Perth removalist quote is unrealistically low?
In 2026, a legitimate Perth removalist paying award wages, running a roadworthy insured truck and holding proper licences cannot profitably operate at very low rates. If a 2-person team is quoted at a rate far below the going rate, the numbers rarely add up for a legal operator. Other warning signs include a quote with no inventory questions asked, no written breakdown of inclusions, or a cash-only payment requirement. Use the Tommy's rate of $160/hr + GST for a 2-person team as a reference point when assessing whether other quotes are realistic.
