Man and van in Croydon
A booked lift in a town-centre tower, a split terrace in Thornton Heath or a driveway in Selsdon: which one you are leaving shapes the whole day.
Covering Croydon town centre, Thornton Heath, South Norwood, Purley, Shirley and Selsdon.
Concierge towers, split terraces and Selsdon semis
Most moves here start in one of three kinds of building. The town centre is high-rise: tall residential blocks and office buildings turned into flats, with concierges and lifts. Thornton Heath and South Norwood are Victorian terraces, many split into flats. Shirley, Selsdon and Purley are interwar and post-war semis and detached houses, most with a driveway.
Which one you are in decides where the time goes. In a tower, the lift sets the pace. In a split terrace, it is the stairs. From a semi the carry is short but the load is big, because this is house removals, not a few boxes.
Booked lifts in the towers, upstairs flats in Thornton Heath
Town-centre blocks normally want moves through the service entrance, using a lift you book ahead. Ask the concierge which door to use and how long the slot runs, then book a man with a van for the same window.
In Thornton Heath and South Norwood, many Victorian terraces are split into flats, so give your floor when you book.
No stopping on the tram streets, room on the drives
Trams run on-street through the town centre. Vehicles cannot stop on the tram-only sections of George Street and Church Street, which rules out much of the kerb that looks closest. With the centre's own one-way system on top, give the driver the street your service entrance is on, not just the postcode.
Further out, driveways and uncontrolled roads make loading straightforward. Mention your drive when you book so the driver plans to load from it.
Six districts across CR0, CR2, CR7 and SE25
Outside the high-rise town centre the borough is suburban, and hilly towards Sanderstead and Selsdon.
- Croydon town centre: towers and office conversions, a service entrance and a booked lift.
- Thornton Heath and South Norwood: Victorian terraces, many split into flats.
- Shirley and Purley: interwar and post-war semis, mostly with a drive.
- Selsdon: semis and detached houses on the hilly side, towards Sanderstead.
A man and van in Croydon: book for the drive, not the van
You are at the southern edge of London, well away from the middle. A move into central London is a long drive, so the hours you book matter more than the size of van.
On the hillier roads towards Sanderstead and Selsdon, mention a steep drive or steps to the door.
- No stopping on the tram-only sections of George Street and Church Street.
- Town-centre blocks: find the service entrance and book the lift before the day.
- Many terraces in Thornton Heath and South Norwood are split into flats, so give your floor.
- Heading into central London? Book hours for the drive rather than a bigger van.
Congestion Charge and ULEZ in Croydon
The whole borough is outside the Congestion Charge zone, so loading or unloading here adds no charge to the day.
ULEZ and any charge are in the driver’s price. How pricing works
What a move from Croydon costs
Other areas close to Croydon
BR1 to BR7, SE20
SW2, SW4, SW8, SW9, SE11, SE27
SM1 to SM6
SE4, SE6, SE8, SE13, SE23
Moving in Croydon: your questions
Not on the tram-only sections of George Street or Church Street. Town-centre blocks normally have a service entrance for moves, so ask the concierge where it is and book the lift for the same time.
It follows the building: a booked lift in a town-centre tower, the stairs in a split terrace, or a driveway semi further out. A move ending in central London adds a long drive.
More time is usually the better buy. The drive in from the southern edge of London is long, so make sure the hours cover it as well as the loading at both ends.