Frequently asked questions

Six to eight weeks is comfortable for most destinations. We can work to much shorter notice, but container space and packing crews are finite — especially between June and September, when most families move around the school year.

Volume first, then destination, then access and services. A three-bedroom house to Auckland costs more than the same house to Marseille because of distance and sailing frequency. Difficult access, long carries, storage and part-deliveries all add cost, which is why we survey rather than guess.

Video is enough for most moves and takes about fifteen minutes — you walk through the house on your phone and we assess volume and access as we go. For larger properties, or where there are antiques, pianos or awkward access, we'd rather come and look.

Standard carrier liability is limited and rarely enough. We offer marine transit insurance based on a valued inventory that you complete, so the cover matches what your belongings are actually worth. We'll explain the difference clearly before you decide.

Aerosols, paints, fuels, gas cylinders and other hazardous goods are prohibited. Beyond that, restrictions vary sharply by country — food, plants, timber, animal products, wooden furniture and outdoor equipment are commonly quarantined or refused. We'll give you a written list for your specific destination.

Yes, at either end. Containerised storage in the UK before shipping, or at destination on arrival. It's billed monthly and your goods stay sealed in the same containers they were packed into.

By volume, in cubic feet or cubic metres, not by weight. A shared container consignment is billed for the space you occupy; a sole-use container is a flat rate for the box whether you fill it or not. That is why the shared-or-sole decision matters so much, and why an accurate survey is worth the fifteen minutes.

Below about 300 cubic feet, shared is almost always cheaper. Above roughly 1,200, a sole-use 40ft usually wins on both cost and time. In between it is a genuine trade-off between money and two or three weeks, and we will show you both prices rather than choose for you.

Yes. You get the vessel name, the sailing date, the bill of lading number and the container number, which lets you follow the ship. What we cannot promise is precision: schedules move, and a vessel that misses a berthing window can lose days. We tell you when it changes.

Tell us early and we move the goods into storage at destination before the port's free days expire. Leaving a container at the terminal is the expensive option, because demurrage is charged daily and rises the longer it sits.

It is not compulsory, and we would still strongly advise it. Carrier liability is limited to a fraction of what your belongings are worth, and general average means you can be asked to contribute to a shared loss even when your own goods are untouched. Cover is priced on the value you declare.

In a sole-use container, usually yes, and it is normally cheaper than shipping the vehicle separately. Whether you should is a different question: import approval, emissions and safety standards vary enormously, and in several countries a UK car cannot be registered at all. Check the destination guide first.

Aerosols, paints, fuels, gas cylinders and other hazardous goods are prohibited outright. Beyond that the restrictions are set by your destination: food, plants, timber, soil and outdoor equipment are commonly quarantined or refused. We give you a written list for your specific country before packing.

Rarely, and usually we advise against it. A lorry reaches most of Europe in a few days for less than a container costs, with no port handling at either end. See our European road freight page. Sea makes sense for Cyprus, Malta and the more distant islands.

It is priced per kilo of chargeable weight, and the rate depends on the destination and how full the aircraft is that week. Rather than quote a number that will be wrong by the time you read it, use the calculator above to work out your chargeable weight, then send it to us and we will price it properly. As a shape: a handful of cartons to Dubai is a very different figure from two hundred kilos to Auckland.

Usually, once you are past one extra bag. Airlines charge a fixed fee per additional piece and then a steep rate per kilo, and it is paid at the desk when you have no leverage. Freight is priced in advance and scales far better. The exception is a single extra suitcase, where the airline is often simpler and no dearer.

Because of volumetric weight. Aircraft run out of space before they run out of lift, so airlines charge on whichever is greater: what your box weighs, or what a box that size would weigh at average density. Divide length by width by height in centimetres by 6,000 and you have the figure. Bulky and light is the expensive combination.

You can send it, but somebody has to receive it. A hotel will rarely accept a freight delivery, and storage at destination is charged daily. If your address is not confirmed, it is usually better to hold the shipment with us for a week than to have it sitting in a customs shed abroad. We will say which is cheaper.

Air freight is treated as unaccompanied personal effects, exactly like a sea shipment, so the same reliefs and the same rules apply at your destination. If you qualify for duty-free entry on your container, you qualify on your air consignment. The paperwork is the same, and we prepare it either way.

All three, frequently. Bicycles need the pedals removed, the handlebars turned and the tyres partly deflated, and they must be clean if the destination is Australia or New Zealand. Instruments travel in their cases inside a crate. We will tell you how to prepare each one.

That is a large part of what we do. There is no minimum household to qualify: students, single postings and people sending a term's belongings ahead are all routine. Below about 20kg a courier is usually cheaper, and we will tell you so rather than take the booking.

That is the most common arrangement, and the one we usually recommend. A small air consignment lands with you and covers the first month; the container follows with everything else. One survey, one consultant, two shipments, and we make sure nothing is on both lists or neither.

It depends on how many, how big, where they are going and whether they fly or sail. As a shape: a handful of cartons by sea to a well-served port is the cheapest international shipping there is, and the same boxes by air cost several times that. Tell us the number and the destination and we will price both.

Past one extra bag, almost always. Long-haul excess is commonly twelve to eighteen pounds per kilo, charged at the desk. Freight is priced in advance and scales far better. The airline wins only for a single extra suitcase you need the moment you land.

Yes, and plenty of people do. We would still recommend our cartons for anything fragile: they are double-walled, they stack squarely, and a suitcase in a container gets crushed in a way it never does in an aircraft hold. Mixing the two is fine.

Someone does, to hand the boxes over and sign. It does not have to be you. For students we often collect from a hall of residence or a parent's house, and we can agree a window in advance.

By sea, three to fourteen weeks door to door depending on the destination, because your boxes wait for a container to fill and then clear customs as part of a group. By air, five to ten days. Both are estimates, and consolidation is the part that varies.

Possibly. Customs and quarantine can examine any shipment, and owner-packed cartons attract more attention than professionally packed ones because nobody official has seen inside. A clear itemised list makes examination less likely and much quicker if it happens.

Yes, until collection. Tell us before the driver arrives so the paperwork matches what is actually loaded. Turning up with four more boxes than the manifest says is the one thing that genuinely causes problems at the port.

Perfectly normal. We need the recipient's full address and contact details, and in most countries they will need to provide identification to clear the shipment. Some destinations only grant duty-free entry to the person actually relocating, so tell us the situation and we will explain what applies.

It is priced on three things: how many containers you fill, how long you need them, and the value you declare for cover. A two-bedroom flat for a couple of months is a modest monthly figure; a five-bedroom house for two years is a real decision. Use the calculator above to work out your volume, then let us quote it properly against your dates.

Yes, with notice, and there is a charge. Retrieving a single item means bringing your container down from the rack, opening it, finding the item and resealing. If you already know you will need regular access to particular things, tell us at packing and we will put them in a separate, accessible container — or suggest self storage instead.

Storage is billed monthly from a single month. To release, we normally need one to two weeks' notice so the containers can be pulled and a vehicle booked. Longer notice is better in June, July and August, when everyone in the country is moving at once.

For a move, almost always. With self storage you unload the vehicle into a unit, then load it out again later, so everything is handled two extra times and that is when damage happens. You also pay for the empty space around your belongings. Self storage wins only when you genuinely need frequent access.

Not in a dry, ventilated warehouse, which is what furniture and household goods need. The risk is in unheated garages and shipping containers left in a yard. Genuinely humidity-sensitive things — art, wine, some instruments, leather in quantity — need climate control, and we will say so rather than take the booking and hope.

Vehicles, yes, through partners with the right facilities, and they must be stored drained and disconnected. Wine needs proper temperature-controlled storage rather than a warehouse rack. Both are arranged alongside your move rather than crammed into it.

Yes, and it is very common. Once your shipment clears customs our agent holds it in their warehouse until you have keys. If your residence status means clearing early would cost you the duty relief, we use bonded storage instead and clear when the timing is right.

Nothing dramatic. It rolls on monthly. Tell us when you know, because rates are usually better on longer commitments and it is worth revisiting the quote rather than paying short-term pricing for two years.

Route first, then method, then the size of the vehicle. RoRo to a well-served port is the cheapest; a crated classic in a sole-use container to an inland address is many times that. If you are already shipping a household, adding the car to that container is usually far cheaper than sending it separately, and that is the first thing we will check.

Often, honestly, no. Between the freight, the import duty, the compliance work and the local registration, you can end up paying more than the car is worth and more than an equivalent vehicle costs locally. Where that is true we will say so. It is a different calculation entirely for a classic, something rare, or a car you are attached to.

Not on RoRo — the vehicle must be completely empty, and terminals do check. In a container, often yes, but everything must be declared on the inventory and some countries prohibit it outright. Undeclared goods found in a car are the fastest way to turn a routine clearance into an examination.

Three to twelve weeks door to door depending on the route, plus whatever the approvals take at your end. Australia in particular requires import approval before the vehicle can be loaded, and that is measured in weeks. Start earlier than you think you need to.

You keep the registration number only if you retain it on a certificate before exporting, which has to be done while the vehicle is still UK-registered. Tax and insurance run until the car leaves, then you notify the DVLA using the export section of the V5C and any remaining tax is refunded.

Yes, in a container — it is winched in rather than driven. RoRo is not an option for a non-runner. Restoration projects, accident-damaged vehicles and barn finds all travel regularly, and they need crating and careful securing rather than anything exotic.

Considerably. The battery is classified as dangerous goods, carriers set a maximum state of charge, some vessels will not take EVs at all, and a few destinations restrict them. It is all workable, but only if we know at the quotation stage rather than on collection day.

Regularly. Bikes are drained, the battery disconnected, and each one crated to export standard before sharing a container with others going the same way. It is one of the more economical things we ship, and a common first enquiry from people who are not moving house at all.

Volume first, then distance, then whether you need a dedicated vehicle or can share one. A one-bedroom part load to northern France and a four-bedroom dedicated vehicle to the Algarve are different by an order of magnitude. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing.

In the vehicle, sealed, at a secure guarded compound. On a longer run the driver's mandatory rest is taken at a monitored truck stop, not a roadside lay-by. On a part load, goods may be consolidated at our depot before departure, where they are held in your own containerised storage rather than loose on a warehouse floor. We will tell you which applies to your move.

Food is the one that surprises people. Since Brexit the EU prohibits personal imports of meat and dairy products from the UK, which includes the opened packets in your kitchen cupboards. Empty the fridge and the larder. Alcohol can travel but sits outside the transfer of residence relief, so it must be declared and duty is payable — a serious wine collection needs a decision and a budget, not a hopeful box.

Three to four weeks is comfortable, and eight is better if documents like a Portuguese certificado de bagagem or a Spanish padrón are involved. Part loads run to a schedule, so a specific week matters more than a specific day. July and August are the busiest months on every European route.

Below roughly a two-bedroom flat, a part load is almost always cheaper and the extra few days rarely matter. Above a three-bedroom house, a dedicated vehicle usually costs little more once you account for the volume, and it buys you fixed dates at both ends. Between the two we will price both and show you the difference.

Someone does, to direct where things go and sign for the shipment. It does not have to be you — a friend, a relative or an agent with written authority works. What matters more is that the customs paperwork was correct before the vehicle left Britain.

Not inside the removal vehicle, but we arrange vehicle transport alongside the move. Registering a UK car in the EU means an import declaration, a certificate of conformity from the manufacturer, and a technical inspection, and the cost varies enormously by country. Ask before you assume it is worth bringing.

Constantly, and the return leg is often cheaper because vehicles are coming back anyway. You will need HMRC Transfer of Residence approval before your goods arrive in Britain. Apply early: in summer the decision can take several weeks, and the load cannot clear without the approval number.

Volume is the main driver, then container type, then how far your delivery address sits from the port. A few boxes in shared space and a four-bedroom house in a sole-use 40ft container are different orders of magnitude, so any figure quoted before a survey is guesswork. We survey, then quote in writing with the inclusions and exclusions listed. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a rough sense of scale first.

Below about 300 cubic feet, shared space is almost always cheaper. Above roughly a two-bedroom house, sole use usually wins on both time and handling. In between it is a genuine trade-off between money and weeks, and we'll show you both prices rather than choosing for you.

Generally not, for used personal effects you have owned for twelve months or more before arriving. New purchases, alcohol, tobacco and commercial goods are treated differently and can attract duty and GST. Concessions depend on your visa and residency circumstances, so we confirm your position before shipping rather than after.

Yes, either inside a sole-use container alongside your furniture or separately. The critical point is timing: you need a Vehicle Import Approval before the vehicle reaches Australia, and vehicles must meet Australian Design Rules to be registered, which can mean modification. Older cars may also need asbestos testing on brake and clutch parts. Start this at least three months ahead.

Anything cheap and bulky, anything running on 240V that you would replace anyway, most garden chemicals and paints (which are prohibited), and food. Australian appliances run on the same voltage as the UK but different plugs, so kettles and lamps travel fine. We'll walk the house with you and say honestly what is not worth the freight.

Eight to ten weeks is comfortable. December and January are the busiest months on this route because of the school year, and container space tightens well before then. We can work to shorter notice, but the cheaper shared sailings go first.

Yes. Returning residents may qualify for Transfer of Residence relief on UK import, which needs applying for in advance. We handle the ToR application alongside the move and collect from any Australian address.

Volume first, then container type, then how far your delivery address sits from the arrival port — which matters more in New Zealand than most countries, because road distances from Auckland and Lyttelton are long. Any figure quoted before a survey is guesswork. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing.

Below about 300 cubic feet, shared space is almost always cheaper. Above roughly a two-bedroom house, sole use usually wins on both time and handling, and it typically saves around two weeks on this route. In between it is a real trade-off, and we will show you both prices.

In practice, yes. Australia risk-assesses and inspects a proportion of shipments; MPI inspects every consignment of household effects. The rules themselves are broadly similar, but the certainty of being looked at means preparation matters more. Nothing about that is a problem if you clean properly before packing.

Usually not, but the test is about you rather than your possessions. Migrants qualify where they hold permanent residency, a work-to-residence visa or a work permit valid for at least twelve months when the goods arrive. Returning New Zealanders generally need to have been away for more than twenty-one months. In both cases the goods must have been owned and used overseas beforehand, and you need to be in the country when they land, or arrive within six months against a bond. New purchases, alcohol and tobacco fall outside the relief entirely.

Common, and manageable. You can nominate someone in New Zealand to act for you with a letter of authority, copies of your passport and visa, the inventory and your NZCS 218. Alternatively we clear against a bond and hold the shipment in storage until you land. Both routes cost something, so tell us your flight dates and we will pick the cheaper one.

Customs and MPI clearance usually takes one to two weeks after arrival. If MPI select items for inspection, the examination and any cleaning or treatment are charged to you rather than to us, and typically run between NZ$215 and NZ$585 depending on the size of the shipment and how clean it is. That is the strongest practical argument for scrubbing the garden tools before we pack them.

Yes, and UK cars have an advantage: New Zealand drives on the left, so right-hand drive is already correct. The work is in the preparation. The vehicle must be steam-cleaned inside, underneath and in the engine bay to satisfy MPI, and it needs entry certification against NZTA standards before it can be registered. Some models require modification. Allow at least three months.

Anything cheap and bulky, garden chemicals and paints (prohibited), food, and honey in any form. Plugs differ but voltage matches the UK, so lamps and kettles travel fine. Wooden garden furniture is often more trouble than it is worth once treatment costs are counted. We will walk the house and say plainly what to leave.

Eight to ten weeks is comfortable. Sailings to New Zealand are less frequent than to Australia and shared container space to the South Island in particular fills early, so late bookings tend to lose the cheaper option rather than the move itself.

Yes. If you have lived outside the UK for at least twelve consecutive months and are resuming residence here, you may qualify for Transfer of Residence relief, which must be applied for before your goods arrive. We handle the ToR application alongside the move and collect from any New Zealand address.

Volume first, then which coast, then how far inland you are going. An east coast address in a sole-use 20ft container and a Denver address in shared space are very different propositions. Any figure quoted before a survey is guesswork; use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale and let us quote properly after that.

It is a set of details about your shipment that must reach US Customs a full day before your container is loaded in the UK. It requires your US delivery address, so we cannot make it while you are still deciding where you will live. If the filing is late or wrong, the penalties are substantial and they attach to the shipment. It is the single most common reason we push customers to firm up their plans early.

Generally not, for used household goods and personal effects you have owned and used abroad for a year or more and are bringing for your own use. New items, goods for resale, alcohol and tobacco are treated differently. Your entitlement also depends on your visa or residency status, which we confirm before shipping.

Usually the honest answer is don't. A vehicle must comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards and EPA emissions rules, or be at least 25 years old to qualify for the classic exemption. Most modern UK-market cars satisfy neither, and conforming one is expensive where it is possible at all. Classic and collector vehicles are a different story and we ship them regularly.

Customs can select any shipment, without cause and without notice. Depending on what they order, the container is X-rayed, partially opened or fully unloaded and repacked. It adds one to three weeks, and the port and handling charges are billed to the importer. A precise inventory materially reduces the chance of being selected, which is why we spend time on it.

Mostly no. The US runs on 110 volts at 60 hertz, so British appliances need a transformer and motors run at the wrong speed regardless. Lamps, kettles, vacuum cleaners and washing machines are cheaper to replace than to ship. Audio equipment, tools and anything of genuine value can be worth transforming.

Yes. If you have lived outside the UK for at least twelve consecutive months and are resuming residence here, you may qualify for Transfer of Residence relief, which has to be applied for before your goods arrive. We handle the application alongside the move and collect from any US address.

Volume first, then which coast, then how far inland. Halifax and Toronto are among the cheapest long-haul destinations we serve; Calgary and Vancouver are considerably more because of rail and canal routing. Any figure quoted before a survey is guesswork — use the estimator on our home page for scale, then let us quote properly.

It is the personal effects accounting document, and yes. You present it at the border when you arrive, listing what you have with you and what is still in transit, with values. Goods that arrive later but were never listed can be taxed rather than admitted free under the settler's concession. We prepare both lists during your survey and give you a copy to travel with.

Generally not, on household goods and personal effects you owned and used before arriving to settle. New purchases, goods for resale, alcohol and tobacco are treated differently, and there are restrictions on disposing of duty-free effects within the first year. Returning Canadians fall under a separate rule with its own ownership period.

Only if it is on Transport Canada's list of admissible vehicles, or is at least fifteen years old, in which case it is exempt from the approval programme altogether. Most modern UK-market cars are not on the list, and this is the single most common expensive surprise on this route. Check before you plan around it. Classic vehicles over fifteen years travel routinely.

Substantially. A full-size trailer cannot get down many residential streets between November and March, so we shuttle with smaller vehicles, which takes longer and costs more. Delivery windows are weather-dependent, unheated storage is unsuitable for some items, and the St Lawrence Seaway closes to ice, which reroutes eastern shipments through Halifax. We plan all of it into the quote.

Mostly no. Canada runs on 120 volts, so British appliances need a transformer and motors run at the wrong speed. Kettles, lamps and washing machines are cheaper to replace. Good audio equipment, tools and anything genuinely valuable can be worth transforming.

Yes. If you have lived outside the UK for at least twelve consecutive months and are resuming residence here, you may qualify for Transfer of Residence relief, which must be applied for before your goods arrive. We handle the application alongside the move and collect from any Canadian address.

Volume first, then which emirate, then access. A one-bedroom flat in shared container space and a four-bedroom villa in a sole-use 40ft are very different figures. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing.

You can ship, but you cannot clear. Goods arriving before your residence visa is issued sit in bond and accrue storage. Sometimes that is still the right call, if you have a firm date. Often it is cheaper to hold the container in the UK for a fortnight, and we will say so.

Most will. Candles, cosmetics, vinyl, some electronics and anything with a lithium battery may not, and solid wood furniture can move in the dryness. We flag the specific risks in your home at survey rather than issuing a generic warning.

Usually not. The UAE drives on the right and right-hand-drive vehicles cannot generally be registered. If you are shipping a left-hand-drive car or a classic for a collection, that is straightforward and we do it regularly.

It cannot go in your household shipment. Residents can apply for a personal licence to buy locally in most emirates, and Sharjah is dry. Packing a few bottles is a genuinely bad idea: it puts the whole container at risk, not just the bottles.

Most buildings require a booked service lift, a delivery window, proof of insurance and sometimes a deposit. Some restrict moves to weekdays or to particular hours. We handle the booking with your management company, but we need your building details early.

Yes. If you have lived outside the UK for at least twelve consecutive months and are resuming residence here, you may qualify for Transfer of Residence relief, applied for before your goods arrive. We handle the application alongside the move.

Volume first, then port, then how far inland. Cape Town and Durban are comparable; Johannesburg costs more because of the road leg. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing.

They have been significant at Durban and Cape Town for several years and they fluctuate. We build a realistic figure into your quotation and tell you the current position rather than a best case. Where routing through a different port helps, we will suggest it.

Not if you qualify for change of residence relief and the declaration is complete and lodged correctly. New, unused items and goods for resale fall outside it, and there are conditions about keeping the goods rather than selling them on.

Only with an ITAC import permit, which is generally available to returning South African citizens and permanent residents rather than to people on temporary visas, and usually limited to one vehicle per family that you have owned and used abroad. If you do qualify, the car itself fits: South Africa drives on the left.

Not for the clearance, but your documents do. Many people fly ahead, and the shipment follows. What matters is that the paperwork was completed before arrival and that someone can accept delivery.

They need their own permits, applied for well ahead, and they do not travel in the household container. Tell us at survey and we will explain the process rather than discovering it at the port.

Yes. If you have lived outside the UK for at least twelve consecutive months and are resuming residence here, you may qualify for Transfer of Residence relief, applied for before your goods arrive. We handle the application alongside the move.

Volume first, then access. Because the island is small, the delivery address barely changes the freight, but a shophouse with a hoist costs more to deliver into than a condominium with a service lift. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote.

Probably not. Apartments are smaller than British houses, many come part-furnished, and storage is expensive. We will walk the house with you and say honestly what is not worth the freight. It is the single biggest saving available on this route.

You may be able to claim relief on used household effects when transferring residence, provided the claim is made correctly at entry. Alcohol and tobacco are dutiable regardless. We prepare the claim as part of the service.

Realistically, no. Vehicles more than three years old cannot be imported at all, and any car faces the certificate of entitlement, which commonly costs more than the vehicle itself. We would rather tell you that now than quote for a shipment you will regret.

The one that catches British movers is vaping equipment, which is prohibited to import or possess. Chewing gum in quantity, obscene material and unapproved radio transmitters are the others we see. We give you a written list before packing.

Considerably. Leather, paper, photographs, artwork, wooden instruments and anything with adhesive suffer at Singapore humidity, especially in an apartment that is air-conditioned only in the evenings. We pack for it and advise on what is better left with family in the UK.

Yes, and onward across Southeast Asia. Returning to Britain after twelve consecutive months abroad may qualify you for Transfer of Residence relief, which must be applied for before your goods arrive.

Volume first, then access, and access matters more here than anywhere else we ship. A Discovery Bay delivery by ferry or a Mid-Levels hoist costs materially more than a modern Kowloon tower with a service lift. Use the volume estimator on our home page for scale, then let us survey.

On household goods, no. Hong Kong is a free port and duty applies only to liquor, tobacco, hydrocarbon oils and methyl alcohol. It is the simplest customs position of any destination we serve.

We measure. At survey we ask for your building’s lift internal dimensions and door width, the staircase turns, and the flat’s door widths. Anything that will not go up the lift is either hoisted, dismantled or left behind, and we tell you which before you ship it.

Lifting items up the outside of the building by rope or crane and in through a window or balcony. It is routine in Hong Kong for sofas, beds and large cabinets in buildings without a service lift. It needs permission, insurance and a clear approach, all of which we arrange.

Mechanically yes — Hong Kong drives on the left. Financially, think carefully: first registration tax is charged at a high percentage of assessed value, and parking is scarce and expensive. We will give you the figures rather than a shrug.

Between May and October the port can suspend operations for a day or more at a time, and deliveries stop when a signal is raised. It rarely changes a move by more than a few days, but it is worth knowing if your dates are tight.

Yes, and onward into mainland China and the region. Returning to Britain after twelve consecutive months abroad may qualify you for Transfer of Residence relief, applied for before your goods arrive.

Volume first, then distance from the port. A condominium in Bangkok and a villa on Koh Samui can take the same container and cost quite different amounts to deliver. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing.

Usually not, if you hold a qualifying long-stay visa, your goods are used and they arrive within the permitted period after you do. New items, duplicate appliances, alcohol and tobacco can be assessed for duty and VAT. We check your position before shipping, not after.

In almost every case, yes. Clearance normally needs your passport with the right visa and entry stamp, so plan to be in the country when the container lands. If you are not, the goods wait in the port and the storage charges start.

Realistically, no. Private imports of used cars need permission that is very rarely given, and the combined duties can run to several times the car’s value. We would rather tell you that now than quote for a shipment you will regret.

The one that catches British movers is vaping equipment, which is illegal to import or possess. Some prescription medicines are controlled, drones must be registered, and pornographic material is prohibited. We give you a written list before packing.

Most small ones will. Thailand runs at 220 volts, so kettles, lamps and laptops work with a plug adaptor. Large white goods are usually cheaper to buy locally than to ship, and some may not suit the voltage or the climate.

Yes. Returning to Britain after twelve consecutive months abroad may qualify you for Transfer of Residence relief, which must be applied for before your goods arrive. Note that Buddha images and antiques bought in Thailand need Fine Arts Department permission to leave the country, so tell us early.

Volume first, then the port and the access at the door. Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor all have their own ports, so delivery costs on the peninsula are reasonably even; East Malaysia costs more. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing.

Usually not, if you are transferring your residence on an employment pass, a long-stay residence programme or as a returning Malaysian, and the goods have been owned and used. Alcohol, tobacco and new items are treated differently. We prepare the exemption application as part of the service.

Yes. Malaysia uses the same three-pin plugs as the UK and runs at 240 volts, so your kettle, lamps and televisions simply plug in. That makes it one of the few Asian destinations where shipping appliances can make sense.

Possibly, but rarely sensibly. Malaysia drives on the left, but private imports need an Approved Permit, eligibility is narrow, and duty and excise are steep. We check your eligibility before quoting, and will tell you if it is not worth it.

Food, plants, soil and anything that has been in the garden without a thorough clean. Alcohol in quantity, replica weapons and drones need decisions or permits in advance. We give you a written list before packing.

Many people do. We can deliver into Johor through Pasir Gudang or by road from Singapore, and store goods on either side of the causeway while your tenancy or pass is confirmed.

Yes, and onward across Southeast Asia. Returning to Britain after twelve consecutive months abroad may qualify you for Transfer of Residence relief, which must be applied for before your goods arrive.

Volume first, then the city. A container delivered in Mumbai or Chennai, close to the port, costs less to land than one that has to travel inland to Delhi or Hyderabad. Duty is the other variable, and depends on whether you qualify for transfer of residence. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote.

That depends on how long you have lived abroad and how much time you have spent in India during it. If you qualify for transfer of residence, used personal and household goods are relieved up to a set value, with flat-screen televisions and some other items excluded. If you do not qualify, duty on household goods is substantial. We check your position at survey.

Yes. Your shipment is cleared against your original passport showing your arrival in India, and you will usually be asked to attend the examination or authorise our agent to act for you. Goods that arrive long before you do sit in the port accruing charges.

Rarely sensibly. Private imports are restricted to recent vehicles you have owned for a minimum period, and duty runs at well over the car’s value. We check your eligibility before quoting, and will tell you if it is not worth it.

Vapes and e-cigarettes, which are banned. Gold, jewellery and cash, which must travel with you and be declared. Drones, satellite phones, alcohol, food, seeds and plants all need decisions in advance. We give you a written list before packing.

Almost. We ship to more than 190 countries and territories through established agent relationships. The exceptions are places under sanctions, in active conflict, or where we cannot identify a partner we would trust. We would rather tell you that at the first phone call than discover it once your container has sailed.

No. The same survey, the same export packing, the same inventory, the same consultant. What differs is how much we can tell you from memory. For Auckland we know the answer; for Antananarivo we will check and come back to you, usually the same day.

Treat them as planning figures. Routes with weekly sailings are predictable; routes served by monthly feeder vessels are not, and a missed connection can cost three weeks. We quote a realistic range rather than a best case, and we tell you when it changes.

Then we say so. Some countries publish little and interpret their own rules differently at different ports, and anyone claiming certainty is guessing. In those cases we tell you the likely position, the range of outcomes, and what it would cost if the less good one happens.

Often, but check first. Vehicle import rules vary more than anything else we deal with, and pet import can require months of vaccination and paperwork. Read our vehicle shipping page for the general picture, then ask us about your specific country before you plan around it.

Yes, worldwide, with the same agent network. Commercial work has its own timetable and its own paperwork, and it is usually planned around your business rather than around a sailing schedule. Tell us what and where and we will scope it.

Landlocked countries are reached by road or rail from a coastal port, and that leg is the part to plan carefully. Zambia through Durban, Paraguay through Buenos Aires, Nepal through Kolkata. It adds weeks rather than days, and border crossings are where the delays occur.

Yes. For some destinations, and for some households, the freight and duty cost more than replacing the contents locally. That is a genuine answer to a genuine question and we would rather give it than sell you a container you regret.

Yes, if your belongings are coming from outside the UK. Nationality doesn’t affect customs: household goods arriving from abroad are imports, and without relief they can be charged import duty and VAT on their value. Transfer of Residence is how you avoid that, and it has to be granted before the goods arrive.

Volume first, then distance and the route. A part load from France by road costs a fraction of a full container from Sydney. Any figure before a survey is guesswork — use the estimator on our home page for scale, see what an international move costs for the published ranges, then let us quote properly.

HMRC doesn’t publish a processing time, so we won’t pretend to know one. Apply as soon as your survey is done and your dates are settled. If the goods are ready to sail before approval comes through, holding them at origin is usually cheaper than letting them wait at a UK port.

Of course — but your belongings won’t qualify for Transfer of Residence, so duty and VAT may be due on them. Things that left the UK with you and are coming back unchanged may qualify for a separate relief for returned goods. Tell us your dates and we will look at the options before you book.

Usually, yes. If you have owned and used it abroad for at least six months it can normally come in under Transfer of Residence. It then needs registering with the DVLA, and some vehicles need an approval test first. Shipping a car is not always worth it from a long way away, so we will give you an honest view.

Yes, and many people coming home do exactly that. Your goods clear customs, go into our containerised storage, and are delivered when you have a UK address. Storage is quoted by the week or month, with no minimum term.

Yes. We collect from over 190 countries through our network of destination agents. If you are coming home from somewhere not mentioned here, our guide to everywhere else covers regional transit times and what to expect.