Moving to Tenerife - Household Shipment to Tenerife FAQ

Moving house is said to be one of the five most stressful experiences in life. How much more nerve-wracking is it then when a family decides to move house and home to another country?

We asked the professionals at Bargate International, specialists in shipping from the UK to the Canary Islands, to supply a list of questions that they were most often asked by those planning a move to Tenerife.

If you have any questions about household shipments to or from Tenerife that are not answered here, then please send them by email and we will add the question and answer to the FAQ below.

Q. Can I leave all the packing to the removal company?

A. Certainly. A professional packer can save you a great deal of time as well as packing items to ensure that they arrive safely.  It should also be borne in mind that the removal company cannot assume responsibility for any items that arrive damaged that were not packed by them. 

Q. How are fragile and breakable items packed? 

A. All such items are individually wrapped, then stored in strong corrugated boxes, always keeping in mind the clients wishes concerning items of special importance and those, which might be easily damaged. 

Q. How much does it cost? 

A. Firstly, the shippers require to know the current location of the goods and the final destination. The usual procedure would be to then arrange an initial on-site visit in order to calculate the volume of goods to be shipped, including any heavy or oversize items.  Upon receipt of such information a formal quotation would be offered. 

Q. What are the pre-requisites before the move may start? How much notice should be given? 

A. Anyone seeking to re-locate needs to take into consideration the actual shipping time required to reach the final destination. The shipper will be able to advise on shipping schedules. These may be daily, weekly or less frequent depending on the destination.  Based upon this information the shipper will advise the time required prior to shipment, in order to collect, pack and deliver to the port of departure.  When goods arrive at the port of destination time will be required for customs clearance (where necessary), unloading and delivery to the final premises. 

Q. How long will my goods take to get to my final destination?

 A. Transit times vary depending upon destination and method of shipment.  i.e. Road / Sea or Air.  An indication of transit times would be given to the client once this information is known. 

Q. Are there any restrictions in re-locating abroad or is it possible to take all one’s belongings? 

A. Depending on the destination, there could be many restrictions. Customs and Import regulations vary from one country to another.  It is recommended that the client contacts the Embassy of the country they intend to reside in to ascertain any such restrictions. 

Q. Is it necessary to purchase insurance for the period of removal or is it automatically included in the contract?

 A. The removal company’s liability is strictly limited and therefore it is highly recommended that you purchase ‘All Risk’ marine insurance to cover any loss or damage to your goods whilst in transit. 

Q. If something breaks, how is the damage indemnified ? How is the value determined?

 A. For ‘All Risk’ insurance the client defines the value of each item before shipment by way of an inventory with each item valued. Should any damage be incurred during transit a representative of the insurance company will inspect the damage and ascertain the cost of repair / replacement

Q. Is it better to dismantle furniture or keep it in one piece (smaller cupboards, tables)?

A. It is best not to dismantle the furniture. However, if the stairs and doors do not allow easy access to the property the pieces will need to be dismantled. Sometimes very large pieces need to be dismantled in order to protect them.

Q. When moving abroad, what should be done about antiques, works of art, etc?

A.  Export regulations for works of art and antiques are usually quite strict and in some cases importation may even be forbidden.  It is recommended you contact the Embassy for clarification.

Q. How do you transport the goods?

A. Goods going outside Europe are collected by truck and taken to the warehouse for packing. They are packed into containers for onward shipment by sea or air.  Goods being delivered in mainland Europe would usually be collected and delivered by truck.  For destinations further afield, either air or sea would be used.

Q. What about picking up the shipment?

A. Whatever you do do not forget to present your D.N.I. when collecting your shipment. If you do not you will pay over the odds on tax and duties.

 

Contributed by Bargate International Limited,  specialists in household shipments from UK to Tenerife.  If you are planning a move to Tenerife visit the Bargate International website or contact Geoff Eade by email.

© Bargate International Limited 2003