A Guide to European Removals

What do European Removals Companies do?

European Removal companies pack, load transport and deliver your household furniture and personal belongings so they arrive safely and securely at your new home with as little stress for you as possible. 

A removal company will take on most of the hard work of making your physical move, and guide you through everything else to take away that stress for you. Since Brexit, this support is more important than ever as moves going to or from the UK must clear Customs: requiring official paperwork to be completed and processes to be followed. 

As an overview your movers will typically help with the following:

• A pre-move survey to understand what your move involves to give you an accurate quote and move plan.
• Provide packing materials including crates for anything valuable or fragile. 
• Give you advice and assistance in preparing for the move including telling you what you might not be allowed to take with you and help you complete all the documentation and customs forms. 
• Pack and wrap your furniture and effects. 
• Load onto their vehicle and transport it to destination. 
• Keep you up to date with progress and keep you informed of key milestones. 
• Clear your items through customs
• Deliver and unload items at your new home

We've broken this down and given lots more detail in our article "What do European Removal Companies do?" if you'd like to learn more about how they can help.  

What are the transport options for European Moves?

If you're moving from the UK to mainland Europe your move will typically go by road (with a short transit for the vehicle by rail or sea to cross the channel). 

It's common to be offered  3 main options for transport to suit your schedule and budget. 

• Part Load Services - (Sometimes called 'economy' or 'groupage' services) this is typically the cheapest way to move if you don't need a full truck. You'll only pay for the space you need by sharing a vehicle with other customers moving along a shared route. You'll usually have to be flexible with your dates so that all the moves can be effectively scheduled in combination with each other. 
• Dedicated Dates service - this is similar to part loads as you only pay for space you need by sharing a truck with other customers moving along a similar route. However, with a dedicated date service, YOU choose the dates and the other customers fit in around you. This helps keep costs down at the same time as fitting in with your schedule if you can't be flexible. 
• Dedicated Vehicle - you choose the dates and have exclusive use of the vehicle. This is perfect for larger shipments or where you don't want to share space. The vehicle will usually be loaded at your home and travel straight to destination via. customs clearance facilities. 

We've broken these options down and given lots more detail in our article 'European transport options for household goods' if you'd like help choosing which services are right for you. 

How much do Removals to Europe cost?

European removals costs are different for each customer. They vary based on your personal requirement but are typically calculated on the following:

• Volume. (check out our volume calculator to see how much you have to move) 
• Timescales: How quickly you need the delivery and how flexible you can be with your move dates
• Access: at both properties
• Origin & Destination
• Services chosen
• Special care/handling items
• Any additional moving costs: such as import duties/taxes if you are taking any new items you've not owned for 12 months or are not eligible for duty-free import

We've broken this down and given lots more detail in our article 'How much do European removals cost' if you want to find out more, including why you may receive different costs from different moving companies. 

Pre-Move Surveys

Getting a pre-move Survey is the most accurate way to get a fixed quote for your European move and to avoid any surprise extra costs. This should be free and no obligation, regardless of method - most companies offer in-home or virtual video surveys, with some also offering self survey forms. 

A pre-move consultation helps the mover to:

• Understand what's important to you
• Explain how your move will work, the services they provide and your potential move plan
• Take an inventory of the items you want to move
• Check access for any unique requirements or restrictions
• Advise on customs rules such as restricted/prohibited items

Find out more about pre-move surveys and how to get the most out of yours in our guide: "Your international removals survey - a guide to your pre-move consultation"

You can also check out our handy list of questions to ask European removal companies to help you find out what you need to know during the visit. 

European Moving Certifications and Accreditations

A European move is somewhere between a UK move and an International move. There are higher risks than a move entirely within the UK because of the longer journey time and the complexities of customs clearance. 

For this reason, we recommend choosing a certified international mover to protect yourself and maximise the chance of a great move experience. Typically they will have been independently pre-vetted to ensure they are qualified, experienced and meet high quality standards. 

The two main international removals industry-specific accreditations to look out for are:

• FIDI FAIM
• BAR Overseas

Read our guide "Which certifications should my international moving company have?" to find out why.