After a pair of Olive Press readers lost €25,000 furniture to a bogus removal firm, these are the crucial checks every expat must make before moving abroad.
MOVING house is usually ranked as one of life’s biggest strains, even when one is only relocating to a neighbouring town.
Add country borders, languages, and cultures into the mix, and moving becomes a whole different challenge.
When it’s heading to Europe post-Brexit and particularly, stringent Spain, put the ordeal up with marriage and divorce.
With companies in the UK rarely being able to ship or even accompany goods to Spain and hefty price tags attached to overseas removals, those dreaming of their move abroad are faced with difficult decisions regarding their possessions.
As the Olive Press revealed last month, a British couple ended up losing €25,000 of their possessions after spending close to €5,000 on a removal man who never showed up in Spain.
Caroline and Brendan Bennett are now liaising with police probing conman Jonathan Perry who picked up their furniture from a UK garage but never delivered it to their home in Malaga.
As the couple are awaiting further updates from the police, they urge fellow Brits moving to Spain to triple check removal companies, and, above all ‘never pay up front’.
To make things easier for any soon-to-be expats, here’s a simple guide on the different removal options that exist and the accreditation needed to trust a firm to do the job properly.
READ MORE: Spain’s usually conservative supermarkets are branching out to target fast-growing ‘expat’ market
Checklist for moving abroad
The first thing to check is that the removal company is either a member of the FIDI Global Alliance or the British Association of Removers Overseas Group (BAR OVERSEAS).
The former is accredited by the FIDI Accredited International Mover Standard (AIM) and the latter covered by IMMI (International Movers Mutual Insurance) Advance payment guarantee scheme.
Firms under these associations have been independently audited and must follow codes of practice. This means they are regulated and experienced.
They will also have public liability insurance, employers’ liability and goods-in-transit insurance.
This cover alone however may not be up to ‘full replacement value’ so it is always recommended you check exactly what each company’s insurance policy is… what is included and if they recommend adding a further policy.
Due to Brexit, all goods moving between the UK and Spain must go through customs so make sure the company you select is prepared for this. Inventory lists are often required, and sometimes need to be translated into Spanish. Other documents may also be needed and the top firms will guide you through the paperwork.
Once you know that your removal company is accredited and insured it’s time to pick how you’ll get your goods from A to B.
If time is of the essence, air freight might be the best option, although it is by far the most expensive way to move goods overseas.
A number of Spanish airports, including Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga, offer Air Freight which sees belongings delivered within a week.
Removals by road are the most popular with companies coming to pick up goods and driving them over to Espana. All companies offer different services so it is important to triple check what is being included in your deal.
Shipping containers are chosen by some companies who load belongings into the vessels, seal them up and send them overseas. This option comes with flexibility; you can choose whether your possessions are sent from port to port or door to door.
No matter what route belongings take, the most important thing is that they end up at their intended destination and, therefore, it is vital that companies are checked over and goods are covered by insurance.
Do not make the same mistake as the Bennetts and put full trust in a mover without checking the details, even if it is a personal recommendation. Make sure you do your research.
As Caroline Bennett told the Olive Press: “Whatever you do, do not try and cut costs and check, check, check.”
Click here to read more Explainer News from The Olive Press.
