A day in the life of a high-net-worth move consultant

Anyone who has ever moved house knows that it can be one of life’s most stressful experiences. Even the simplest relocation takes weeks of careful planning to ensure a smooth move. And as we all know, life is rarely straightforward.

So when Chris Littley and his partner Jane had a house move coincide with a planned month away in Cape Town - with exchange, completion and moving day all scheduled to fall halfway through the holiday - the question became: cancel or not? A call to Pam White, Senior Move Consultant at Knight Frank’s Home Solutions, meant both the holiday and the house move were saved.

“After preliminary meetings at both the old property and the new one, she arranged movers to pack up a seventh floor apartment and move everything to the new house, where she oversaw the positioning of all the furniture, clothes, shoes and kitchen equipment. She even managed to replace the huge amount of books in the bookcases in the same position, which will save hours of reorganising,” they explain.

“She co-ordinated the work of a builder, a decorator and curtain fitter. She contacted the local councils and all the utilities at both properties to close down old accounts and start new ones. Throughout, Pam sent regular emails - including photographs - so we could see the progress being made. When we finally returned to London, the house looked like home: boxes unpacked, beds made, milk in the fridge - and even Sky TV was working.”

Why choose a move consultant

The service was created more than a decade ago from a desire to provide a seamless, end‑to‑end journey for clients - buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords alike, whether moving within the UK or internationally. “Both the client and Knight Frank can work tirelessly for several months to get a deal across the line - but if completion day timings are a nightmare for reasons out of their control, that will be the lasting memory,” says Pam.

Her team leaves nothing to chance, providing a personalised service that project‑manages the physical logistics of a move. “It enables our clients to carry on with their everyday lives,” she explains. “They may be busy working, elderly, absent from their property or a landlord based overseas. There are all sorts of reasons why organising the logistics becomes a headache, and that’s where we step in as a one‑stop shop for everything they need.”

An end-to-end service for those moving and relocating

Pam notes that one of the team’s core strengths is the depth of contacts built up over years in the industry. Working with trusted partners, they regularly arrange removals, storage and the sale of items at auction. They also manage the administrative side of moving, including working with a utilities technology platform to shut down and set up services - from gas and electricity to water bills and council tax - at the optimum time.

The process of helping people declutter has, on occasion, led to unusual finds and complex arrangements. These range from handling high‑value artworks to managing specialist collections. “A recent client had a phenomenal stamp and coin collection, which we are arranging to be sold through specialist auction houses. They were delighted because they didn’t know where to start,” Pam says. And her work isn’t limited to physical possessions: one memorable move involved sensitively rehoming an entire pond of koi fish.

For Pam, the most rewarding part of the role is being able to support clients through what can be one of the most emotionally charged times of their lives. “Not everybody is moving for a pleasurable reason, and sometimes people bury their heads in the sand because they don’t want to deal with it,” she says. “We’re able to look after them by providing both practical guidance and emotional support. We make sure they feel completely at home in their new place, and we won’t leave until they’re settled.”

Pam’s top tips for moving house

• Start planning early
  

  “It’s never too soon to start thinking about the logistics of your move and making lists of what you want to keep, sell or get rid of.” 
  
  

• Use trusted services
  

  “When it comes to services such as removals, seek out personal recommendations and advice rather than relying solely on online reviews.”
  
  

• Consider booking a hotel for completion day
  

  “Deadlines often slip on completion day, and trying to move into a house late in the afternoon when everyone is tired can add unnecessary stress. Having a contingency plan gives you peace of mind.” 
  
  

• Always pack a bag of essentials

  “There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve put in a box something important like your charger, glasses or medication. Keep enough essentials to hand to last at least 12 hours before you need to start unpacking.”