Since 2021 a move to Europe has been a customs job as well as a removals job. That is the single biggest change in this part of the trade, and it is the reason quotes vary so much. Household goods leaving the UK for the EU now need formalities that nobody had to think about before, the requirements differ by country, and mistakes surface after the load has gone rather than before.
Britannia Fleet ships to Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Cyprus, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe from the Knowsley depot, with the paperwork handled by someone who has been doing it for 25 years.
A typical job of this kind
| Move type | European removal |
| Destinations | Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Cyprus, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe |
| Load types | Part load sharing a vehicle, or a sole-use load |
| Services used | Survey, export packing, customs documentation, door to door delivery |
| Handled by | An international coordinator with 25 years in the industry |
| Also available | Storage at the Liverpool end, before or after the move |
Part load or sole use
The survey decides this and everything else follows from it. A full load travels directly from your door. A part load goes into consolidation and travels with other consignments heading the same way, which costs less and takes longer because the vehicle waits until it is full.
Neither is better. It depends on how much you are moving and how firm your date is at the other end.
The customs paperwork
This is where European moves go wrong. Documentation is prepared and checked here, before anything leaves, because an error found in Knowsley costs an afternoon and the same error found at a border costs considerably more.
Amanda Tierney coordinates the international side and her particular strength is customs procedure. Knowing what paperwork is needed and what to expect is the difference between a move that clears and one that sits.
Export packing
European loads are packed to travel, with specialist export materials and a complete inventory for your records. The inventory doubles as the basis of the customs declaration, which is why it is written properly rather than as a rough list.
Ireland
Ireland is our busiest European route and the one people most often assume is simple. It is more straightforward than most, but it is still a customs movement and it still needs the paperwork done. Worth planning with the same care as anywhere else.
Delivery at the other end
Door to door through Britannia’s network of destination agents, who handle the arrival end and deliver to the property. The job finishes at your new home rather than at a depot in a country where you do not yet speak the language.
Storage either side
A UK sale completing before a purchase abroad is the usual reason people need storage on a European move. The Knowsley warehouse covers the gap and goods can be dispatched straight from store once the date firms up.
Accreditations
- BAR Overseas Group member, covering European and international moves
- Member of the British Association of Removers
- Independently audited against BS EN 12522
- Established 1972, with access to Britannia’s network of overseas destination agents
Book a free survey
Tell us the destination and roughly what is moving, and we will tell you whether a part load or a sole-use load suits you. Call 0151 482 0432, email sales@fleetremovals.co.uk, or use the quote form.
Related pages
European Removals | Moving Abroad | International Removals | Storage Solutions
