I am going to begin this article by saying that not all removal companies work to the same high standards. This may seem self-evident, but I maintain that you need to get firsthand, personal recommendations upfront and not simply believe the advertising blurb that all removal companies will give you.

If you don’t have a friend or perhaps a colleague who has moved abroad or even a local estate agent who has clients who have, then request references from your removal company of choice and follow them up. I say this because I have heard of some absolute disasters, some of which were caused by well-known removal companies. Be warned!

Okay – how do removal companies work?

Firstly, you need to set up an appointment with the removal company at your home and ask them for a removal quote. If they do not arrive, or if they are late without phoning to warn you of this, I would take this as a warning of indifferent service. And if they want you to get a quote on the Internet, get someone else…the end. 

Never accept a quote from a company that estimates the cost of removal based on the cubic foot/metre area of your home. Rather they need to assess your home’s contents and estimate the cost based on packaging of fragile goods, electrical goods, books and so on, plus they should include things like insurance.

You may want to visit the removal company’s offices. This way you will ascertain if they have their own (not rented) delivery trucks, removal equipment and professional removal packers and staff. A reputable removal company will have their name on their vehicles and any equipment they use: if this is not so they may well be sub-contacting – beware!

Ask questions about the services they will be providing and costs entailed. Possible services may include storage and removals, house packing service, full or fragile packing service, unpacking service, international removals or employee relocations.

A lot of the companies providing international removals are members of FIDI, the International Furniture Movers Association. This provides assurance of their professionalism and the quality of service they provide. It’s always a good idea to go with a company that belongs to some sort of professional body.

Bear in mind that we are talking about removals abroad and not a small move two blocks down your local high street. The company concerned needs to be aware of all the rules and regulations concerning the country you are moving to, and they need to inform you of these upfront. They should handle all the necessary paperwork regarding export customs formalities, port charges and customs and quarantine clearance.

Generally when moving abroad, the removal company will do the packing for you. This ensures not only that the goods have been packed safely and with the minimum risk of breakage but also that all legal requirements have been adhered to.

Each country has a list of prohibited items that may include food, cash, jewellery, fireworks, gases and perishable goods which an overseas removals firm is not allowed to carry. If the removal company packs your contents themselves they can then attest to the fact that no forbidden goods are sent and it will allow them to clear customs for your goods both leaving the country of origin and on arrival.

Your removal company will arrive at your new home on a predetermined date, bringing with them all the materials needed to pack your goods, be they glass, electric goods or clothes. ALWAYS remove anything from the house that you do not want packed!  

Be careful to read all documentation thoroughly before signing on the dotted line, and make sure that you understand all exclusions and exceptions. An estate agent I spoke to in Crete had this to say: “If we had to do it all over again, I would ask potential removal firms the following questions:

1. When you say you are an ‘international’ removal company, what exactly do you mean?

2. Have you any previous experience of removals to Crete (or the place/ island you are moving to…)?

3. Will you confirm in writing that your costs include any customs duty levied when the goods arrive in Greece?

4. Are you responsible for the contract from beginning to end, or will you be handing it over to others? This is particularly important if you are moving to an island…

5. Can you guarantee delivery within the timescale you quote? If there is a delay, do you pay a penalty? ”

When I moved abroad, I used a company recommended to me by a friend’s parents. They had moved from South Africa to Canada and back again within two years and were very happy with the company they used. Good start…

So…in came a charming lady, ran a practised eye over all my possessions and quoted me a humungous figure for which I could probably have bought all the stuff twice over. Before you could say ‘knife’ it was all packed away, next to be seen at my new home far across the sea. Or so I thought.

A phone call put paid to that. They had misquoted me, and I would either have to pay a whole bunch more money, or leave some of my possessions behind. Reproachfully two coffee tables, three bookcases and a bed gazed at me from the warehouse floor of the removal company as I abandoned them. Lesson? No matter how hard you check things can still go slightly awry!

Having said that, my things arrived in the UK without a single breakage. They were cleared through customs and stored in the UK until I was ready to take delivery. They were then delivered and unpacked in my new flat as arranged – job done.

I couldn’t have been happier with my removal company’s service and I think that you too deserve service of this calibre so please make sure that you do your homework - and check those references! 

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