10 to 12 weeks prior to moving day
- Walk through your property and identify which items you will throw away, sell or donate to charity.
- Call us to arrange a free pre-move survey
- Begin visa applications if required and make sure all passports and official documents are valid. If you plan to ship your car, you may require a vehicle import license.
- Place valuables together such as passports, birth certificates, legal documents and ensure that they will not be shipped!
- If you have children, make sure you secure their school selection.
- If you have pets, you will need to arrange either finding them a new home or if you intend to take them with, this is definitely the time to check out any quarantine issues.
- Look into housing at destination. If you are buying or building a property, make sure you have suitable accommodation for the interim period.
- If you are looking to purchase anything for your move, keep receipts as you will be able to reclaim the VAT.
Six to eight weeks prior
- Confirm your removal date
- Apply for an International Driver’s License.
- Arrange overseas banking and fund transfers.
- Inform friends and family of your proposed moving date and pass on any forwarding addresses and contact details.
- Make arrangements for all innoculations and medicals.
- Inform all household suppliers of your leaving date and make the necessary final payments. Remember many providers will require a 30 day notice period in writing. Providers include:
- Gas, electricity and water.
- Telephone and mobile.
- Mail – for a nominal fee the Post Office will re-direct.
- Internet service.
- Insurance.
- Landlord or managing estate agent.
- Banks.
- Gym membership.
- Inland Revenue.
- Local council.
Four weeks prior
- Complete the customs and insurance paperwork for your move. The insurance form may take some time as you will need to list and value all items you want to insure.
- Open a web-based email account if you do not already have one (yahoo, hotmail, gmail). Once at your destination it is important to remain in contact even if you do not have a contact telephone number.
- Arrange parking permits through your local council, unless we agree to do that for you.
- Defrost foods in your deep freezer and clear dry foods from the cupboards.
- Hire a skip to dispose of any items not going.
Three weeks prior
- Ask for final accounts with water, gas and electricity providers and take meter readings.
- Cancel any final subscriptions such as magazines, clubs and DVDs.
Two weeks before
- Disassemble any items (plasma TV) or furniture if not previously arranged with us.
- Obtain medical certificates.
- Cash in on car tax.
- Steam clean garden tools and statues.
- Place all items you intend to take with on the plane in one part of your property. This should include enough clothing, valuables (passports, jewellery, legal documents, birth and marriage certificates etc) and some familiar toys for any children.
One week before
- Confirm banking facilities at the country of your destination.
- Purchase enough local currency to see you through at least the first few days.
- Confirm your own travel arrangements.
- Empty freezers and ensure they are dry.
- Take down any curtains, disassemble bookcases and other furniture pieces that are too big to transport as one piece.
- If you are packing some of your own boxes, ensure that they are clearly marked (name, destination and reference number).
- Make a clear photocopy of the picture page of the shipper’s passport and ensure that all relevant paperwork is complete. Post it to us or keep it to hand to the crew.
- Ensure that you have a good night’s rest!
Moving Day
- Ensure that any reserved parking place is available.
- Greet the removals team and go with them room by room to confirm the items to be packed. This will allow them to identify the order in which to pack and load your effects.
- Before the crew depart, walk around your property and make sure everything has been packed.
- Sign and obtain a copy of the packing inventory for the crew
- Hand the foreman your insurance and customs forms together with a copy of the picture page of your passport.
At Destination
- Make contact with our agent about a week prior to the ETA of the vessel to ensure they have all relevant paperwork.
- Please ensure you are there to receive your shipment.
- Check all pieces and labels as they enter your property – you will have a copy of this from the crew who packed at your UK residence.
- Decide on where all your furniture items will go in advance.
- Unless you specifically request, all cartons will be placed in respective rooms and not unpacked and all debris from furniture items will be removed.
Should you wish to upload a PDF version of our checklist, please click here.