Move house? We’d rather have major surgery, it’s less stressful

With prices continuing to surge, the heat of the market is starting to show with UK couples ranking moving home as more stressful than divorce in the current market.

The survey found that 41 per cent of Brits rank moving home as life’s most stressful activity, ahead of having major surgery (15 per cent) and getting married (13 per cent) and even getting divorced (14 per cent).

The study by property website Buzzmove suggests that moving home really does put a strain on relationships.

On average it takes less than two hours into moving day for couples to get into arguments with each other about the move.

Nearly a quarter of consumers questioned admitted to arguing with their partner within half an hour of waking up on the day they move home.

Packing up items was deemed to be the most stress-inducing element of the process according to 55 per cent of people, followed by being worried those precious items will be damaged by movers (32 per cent) and concerns about the overall cost of the move (29 per cent).

Other causes of stress included filling in removals companies’ lengthy inventory forms (13 per cent) and the removers being late on the day of the move (17 per cent).

Buzzmove’s founder and chief executive Becky Downing said: “Moving home in the current rising housing market is clearly causing significant undue stress for home movers when in fact, moving home should be a new and exciting chapter in peoples’ lives.

“However there are ways to make moving home less stressful. Make sure you book your move with a properly vetted company which will turn up on time and treat your belongings with professional care. This in itself will save a lot of heartache.

“I would also consider packing services and insurance in advance of the day of the move as such services make life so much easier.”