Moving to the UK

Once you've decided on the key items you want to take, you'll need to consider how to get it moved to the UK. There are two main options: air or sea.

Shipping

Sea freight costs are worked out by volume so it is the cheapest method of delivery. However, it is also the slowest way to get your belongings to your new home. You should also be aware that Customs and Excise do make random checks which they charge you for - anything from about £25 upwards. All shipping companies should quote for everything except insurance, which you will need to get. You need to nominate the value of the goods and then pay either 3.5 per cent of the value of the goods to cover loss only, or 5 per cent for full insurance. With shipping and insurance you need to shop around, www.intlmovers.com/ is a one-stop shop to source an international moving company that suits your needs. Just enter where you are moving from and to, and up pops a list of companies that can quote for your move.

Air freight

Air freight is a much quicker way of getting goods to your new country but is considerably more expensive, with the costs calculated based on weight. So you need to contact airlines and other air freight specialists and get some quotes. The cost may be prohibitive but is worth considering. Post one request and get many offers for both sea and air freight moves from www.OneEntry.com.

Whichever route you choose, make sure you choose a company:

that is well established and has a proven track record
that is committed to overseas moving as their core business
that assumes door-to-door responsibility worldwide
that is big enough to cope but small enough to care
that has its own packers and is in the business for the long run.