Advice on shipping boxes from Spain to UK needed...

[Sweet FA]

Currently in Spain helping aged in-laws move 60 years of stuff. They're massively downsizing and I'm looking at boxes of photos/slides/docs etc etc. There must be companies who can come and pick it up and ship it back to the UK?

Any help/advice much appreciated.

 

[existentialist]

It might be worth having a nose around on FB for suitable expat groups. My ex is in France, and there are quite a few groups where people advertise journeys back to the UK and accept part-loads.

 

[Sweet FA]

Good shout, thanks.

 

[sparkybird]

Sweet FA
Which area are they in?
I'm just about to make the opposite move (UK to Spain) and found a couple of companies recommended on the area FB group who regularly go to and from Cádiz.
I also Googled to find more general (and bigger) companies. Ended up going with a smaller one as they were a bit cheaper and more responsive.
Good luck with it all!

 

[dessiato]

We did this move two years ago. We shipped our stuff by shared load because it was more economical and we weren't in a hurry.

We found the company through an expat forum on FB and doing as much research online about the companies.

From our experience get a company that can deal with the import and duties that might be applicable. Our boxes were opened and resealed by customs so make sure you boxes properly list the contents. Also make sure you get strong boxes. We had some from a moving company and some from a chino. The chino boxes barely survived, the others were great.

We've also done the UK to Portugal and UK to Spain. We did it pre Brexit so moving was easy, however, the same thing applies, sturdy boxes and a reliable company.

 

[A380]

I'm happy to pay for a hire van for them to drive back to the UK, All I need is for them to let me have it overnight in a small industrial unit on my own after they have loaded it and then the same as soon as they get back to the UK...

 

[Silas Loom]

We did this move two years ago. We shipped our stuff by shared load because it was more economical and we weren't in a hurry.

We found the company through an expat forum on FB and doing as much research online about the companies.

From our experience get a company that can deal with the import and duties that might be applicable. Our boxes were opened and resealed by customs so make sure you boxes properly list the contents. Also make sure you get strong boxes. We had some from a moving company and some from a chino. The chino boxes barely survived, the others were great.

We've also done the UK to Portugal and UK to Spain. We did it pre Brexit so moving was easy, however, the same thing applies, sturdy boxes and a reliable company.

Wossa chino?

 

[dessiato]

I'm happy to pay for a hire van for them to drive back to the UK, All I need is for them to let me have it overnight in a small industrial unit on my own after they have loaded it and then the same as soon as they get back to the UK...

If you do this remember to get all the paperwork in order beforehand. I've heard of extensive delays due to inaccurate paperwork.

If you hire a van make sure you can take it outside the UK. Not all companies allow you to take vehicles out of the UK. And make sure that it's properly insured for outside UK use. Again, not every company does full proper insurance beyond the most basic.

Don't forget your triangles and beacon if you're driving it in Spain. The hire company will probably have them. Make sure they're there though. Don't give the police excuses to be difficult.

Also get a bipdrive. It's a box for the tolls. You just drive through the telepeage lane and the toll is charged to your associated card. If you choose the right package you only pay fees for the month you use it and the tolls. It's a lot easier than trying to use a card or cash. You can use the same box for car park charges and other payments.

As I think of other things we did I'll post them here

 

[dessiato]

Wossa chino?

A chino is type of shop selling a wide range of cheap goods.

 

[Silas Loom]

A chino is type of shop selling a wide range of cheap goods.

Ah, thanks. Etymology seems to be a bit iffy, but when in Spain . . .

 

[Boudicca]

I've heard of people buying vans and reselling them afterwards, but again Brexit has probably messed that alternative up.

 

[Sasaferrato]

If you do this remember to get all the paperwork in order beforehand. I've heard of extensive delays due to inaccurate paperwork.

If you hire a van make sure you can take it outside the UK. Not all companies allow you to take vehicles out of the UK. And make sure that it's properly insured for outside UK use. Again, not every company does full proper insurance beyond the most basic.

Don't forget your triangles and beacon if you're driving it in Spain. The hire company will probably have them. Make sure they're there though. Don't give the police excuses to be difficult.

Also get a bipdrive. It's a box for the tolls. You just drive through the telepeage lane and the toll is charged to your associated card. If you choose the right package you only pay fees for the month you use it and the tolls. It's a lot easier than trying to use a card or cash. You can use the same box for car park charges and other payments.

As I think of other things we did I'll post them here

I think you totally missed the point of the post.

 

[A380]

I think you totally missed the point of the post.

TBF when I was in the soodcraft folk as a kid there were a couple of the older leaders who regularly spent a couple of months in Morocco every summer in a camper van they had converted them selves....

On reflection they seemed to have a much higher standard of living than one would have expected from a couple where the husband had been a fitter in the print and the wife a primary school teacher. both long dead by now so I don't feel I'm dobbing them in to Border Force...

 

[The39thStep]

If you do this remember to get all the paperwork in order beforehand. I've heard of extensive delays due to inaccurate paperwork.

If you hire a van make sure you can take it outside the UK. Not all companies allow you to take vehicles out of the UK. And make sure that it's properly insured for outside UK use. Again, not every company does full proper insurance beyond the most basic.

Don't forget your triangles and beacon if you're driving it in Spain. The hire company will probably have them. Make sure they're there though. Don't give the police excuses to be difficult.

Also get a bipdrive. It's a box for the tolls. You just drive through the telepeage lane and the toll is charged to your associated card. If you choose the right package you only pay fees for the month you use it and the tolls. It's a lot easier than trying to use a card or cash. You can use the same box for car park charges and other payments.

As I think of other things we did I'll post them here

lol

 

[shakespearegirl]

I’d definitely recommend Algarve removals, they have an office in Malaga.

We’ve used them 3 times to Portugal, pre and post Brexit. Loads of our friends have used them as well.

All over the paperwork side and very reliable.

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