International Removals

What counts as an international removal

An international removal is the shipment of household and personal effects from one country to another as part of a genuine change of residence, covering furniture, personal belongings, appliances and often a vehicle moving alongside them. It is distinct from commercial freight both in how it is packed — with attention to breakages and sentimental value rather than just volume — and in the customs treatment it can qualify for.

Removals range from a single room's worth of boxes shipped as part of a shared groupage container to a full house of furniture requiring a dedicated container, and the right option depends on volume, budget and how quickly the goods are needed at destination.

Transfer of residence relief on household goods

Many countries, including the UK, offer relief from import duty and VAT on used personal and household effects brought in as part of a genuine relocation, provided the goods have been owned and used for a minimum period and are not sold or disposed of within a set time after import. Qualifying for this relief depends on being able to show the move is genuine — proof of the change of main residence, an inventory of the goods, and evidence of prior ownership are all typically required.

This relief is not automatic on arrival; a claim has to be made with the customs authority at destination, supported by the right evidence, and we prepare this alongside the shipping booking so the claim is ready before the container arrives rather than assembled afterwards under time pressure.

The survey, inventory and packing process

A pre-move survey — in person or conducted remotely by video — lets us estimate volume accurately and agree what is travelling, what is being sold or disposed of, and what needs special handling. From this we build a written inventory, which becomes both the packing reference for our crew and the customs document supporting any relief claim.

Fragile and high-value items are individually wrapped and, where appropriate, crated; large furniture is blanket-wrapped and protected in transit. Good packing reduces claims risk under any insurance arranged for the move as much as it protects the goods themselves.

• Pre-move survey and written inventory
• Export packing materials and crating for fragile items
• Dedicated container or shared groupage by volume
• Vehicle shipment alongside household goods where wanted
• Destination clearance, delivery and unpacking

Choosing dedicated container versus groupage

A dedicated container is loaded, sealed and travels with only your goods inside it, which suits larger household volumes and anyone who wants the fastest possible transit once the vessel sails, since there is no consolidation or devanning of other people's goods involved. Shared groupage suits smaller volumes and is priced by the cubic metre, but adds time at both ends for consolidation before departure and deconsolidation on arrival.

We calculate the volume from the survey and quote both options side by side where the volume sits near the breakeven point, since it is not always obvious in advance which will be cheaper or faster for a given move.

Vehicles, restricted items and what cannot travel

A car, motorcycle or motorhome can often travel inside the same container as household effects, or separately on a RoRo sailing, and coordinating this under one file keeps the whole move under a single point of contact rather than two unrelated shipments. Certain items are restricted or banned at many destinations regardless of ownership history — firearms, some foodstuffs, plants and certain electronics among them — and we flag these during the survey stage rather than at the port.

Alcohol, aerosols and anything flammable typically need to be declared or excluded depending on the mode and destination, and getting this wrong can hold up an entire container rather than just the item in question.

What we handle and what you supply

We survey the property, supply packing materials, pack fragile items, arrange the container or groupage booking, prepare the export and import customs documentation including any relief claim, and coordinate destination delivery and unpacking through our agent. You supply the inventory detail we cannot see for ourselves — ownership history, intended new address and confirmation of anything restricted or high-value that needs particular handling.

For moves with a fixed deadline, such as a job start date or a lease expiry, we plan the shipping schedule backwards from that date so the customs and transit timeline is realistic rather than optimistic.