Tips When Moving from the UK to Europe

It doesn’t matter if you will relocate because of work or retirement because there are a lot of things you need to consider if you are planning to move from the UK to Europe. Below this paragraph is a list compiled by our international removals team.

Aside from the common chores you should do when moving house like notifying all your utility suppliers, getting your post redirected, and cancelling any milk order you have, you also need to plan about how you will move your stuff over a long distance, become familiar with a whole new culture, or even learn a new language.

To simplify your moving process, here are a few tips from our removals company, to remember during your move to Europe.

Things to Do ASAP

• Start researching about your new destination if you haven’t done it yet.
• Update all passports.
• Sort through your stuff and categorize the items you will take with you, those you will store, and those you will throw away. Remember that having more belongings with you can increase your shipping costs.
• Meet with your European move coordinator and set a date for the move.
• Learn the local language if you aren’t speaking it.

Things to Do 8 Weeks Before Your Move

• Confirm and check your travel arrangements like flights, ferry, or train reservations.
• Notify the local council and see if you are entitled to a Council Tax rebate.
• Advise your doctors and dentists of your upcoming move and furnish a copy of your medical records. Apply for EHIC or European Health Insurance Card and check if you will get cover for emergency healthcare in the specific area you will move to.

Things to Do 4 Weeks Before Your Move

• Talk to your European move manager.
• Check if your insurance and driving license covers you in your destination and update your MOT.
• List down the things you plan to take with you.
• Redirect your mail.
• Organise your credit card payments and finances.

Things to Do 3 Weeks Before Your Move

• Clear out your shed, garage, attic, or loft and recycle or throw away the things you won’t take with you.
• Talk to your move manager to arrange storage at your destination or at home.

Things to Do 2 Weeks Before Your Move

• Call the electoral office regarding postal voting forms.
• Arrange for professionals to disconnect your kitchen appliances.
• Dismantle large furniture items.
• Organise for utilities such as electricity, water, and gas metres to be read during the day of the move, for bills to be forward, and your phone to be disconnected.
• Arrange to collect rented items.
• Pay local bills and cancel newspapers and milk.
• Close or transfer bank accounts. If you want to keep your savings accounts open, don’t forget notifying them of your new address. Fill in the “Not ordinarily resident” form to ensure that you don’t pay tax on savings.

Things to Do 1 Week Before Your Move

• Empty and defrost your freezer and fridge.
• Collect important documents such as marriage and birth certificates.
• Have the final checks of the move with the European move manager.
• Pack luggage for the journey and take with you everything you will need upon arrival.
• Label furniture and draw a plan of the new house that indicates what goes where.

Things to Do 1 to 2 Days Before Your Move

• Arrange with neighbours to allot a parking area outside your house for the removals truck.
• Pack the stuff that you will travel with such as passports, travel documents, currency, medicines, clothes, and in your hand luggage.