A practical guide and checklist for relocation
Developed for NatWest Global Employee Banking in association with Ten
The key to an uncomplicated international relocation is pre-planning and reducing the move to a series of manageable, scheduled events. In this guide we highlight some of the most important jobs that should be done in order to make the relocation as trouble-free as possible. There is also a useful checklist that covers every detail of your move. You may wish to find a relocation agent who will take care of many of the tasks involved and manage the move, but even with this assistance there will be plenty of work to be done yourself.
Who’s moving? Firstly, it’s important to determine who is relocating to the UK with you. Depending on your circumstances and the length of your contract you may decide to travel alone or move with your partner and/or family. In some circumstances, it may be more practical to move alone, with close family members remaining in the home country. In this case you must ensure that financial support is in place and day-to-day life continues to run as smoothly as possible for them. It is also crucial that you alert all friends and family as soon as possible so that they are prepared for the move and it isn’t a surprise to them when you leave the country.
Finances As soon as possible, tell all of your financial providers that you will be moving to the UK, set up a UK current account and ensure that all necessary transfers to UK accounts are in place. Things to think about include your bank, credit cards, investments, savings accounts, loans, life assurances, pensions and shares. Setting up a new bank account in the UK should be one of the first things you do as this will be necessary for securing a mortgage or rental agreement, paying any school fees and being paid by your employer. NatWest offers a selection of current accounts – visit www.natwestglobal.com for further details.
Arranging what to do with your current property The next step is to work out what to do with your current property. Again, this will depend on your work contract in the UK. If you currently rent a property, you may want to terminate the lease. Often the landlord will require one or two months’ advanced notice, so check your contract details. Sub-letting may be an option, but each country has different laws surrounding this, so check with your landlord. If you own your house, you will have to decide whether to put it on the market, rent it out or leave it vacant until you return. This decision will depend on your UK work contract and many other factors, so think carefully about this and seek advice where necessary. If family members are staying in the property, ensure that all utilities are in order and any necessary financial arrangements have been made.
Finding a property in the UK You will need to arrange accommodation in the UK as soon as possible. Not only will this give you the peace of mind that you have a new home, but it is also vital to have a forwarding address for all of your future correspondence. Finding a home to rent or buy in the UK can be a long and complicated business, but thankfully we have a comprehensive guide to finding a property which outlines all of the necessary details for securing a mortgage or becoming a tenant. Read our ‘Guide to buying and renting in the UK’ for further information.
Finding a school in the UK Once you know where you will be living in the UK, it is time to start searching for schools if you have children. We have produced a guide to the UK education system which will help you understand the process behind finding a school and the different education options available. You will also need to give notice to your child’s current school and request any reports.
Packing, storage and shipping of possessions Whether you decide to store your possessions in your home country or ship them to the UK, the packing and removal of your items will take time and will need to be a well-planned operation. Removal and storage companies can transport the possessions on your behalf and some will even do the packing for you, but you will still need to organise many aspects of the move.
Packing Before you start packing, take some time to clear out any belongings that you no longer need and give them away to friends, family and charity or sell them through online auction websites. Start preparing by buying and collecting packing materials as soon as possible. Calculate how many boxes you will need and get these well in advance. Find boxes in a variety of sizes and think about what else will be useful, such as strong tape, bubble wrap and self-seal bags for keeping nuts and bolts together, and save old newspapers for lining boxes. Some removal companies will provide these items, and may even do the packing on your behalf, so be sure to check whether this service is available. Pack non-essential items such as books, DVDs and ornaments in advance and sort out one room at a time. Ensure every box is well labelled and make an inventory of what each contains – there are apps and computer programs available to help with this and the removal company may provide this service. Remember to pack all essential items into hand luggage for your journey and keep all important documents within reach.
Overseas shipping After your goods are packed, your shipment will begin its movement to the UK, coordinated and managed by the relocation company. Your shipment may be moved by rail or motor freight to the port of exit, then travel via air or ocean to the destination port in the UK. We recommend researching a selection of shipping companies and finding a range of quotes before settling on one company. The type of transportation used, the distance covered and the time required to clear customs will all affect the transit time of your shipment. Items may arrive days or weeks after you get to the UK, so you may also want to consider a small airfreight shipment of essential items that you would like to be there on your arrival. Always check with the removals company about insurance for your belongings while in transit, as each company will have a different policy. Also, check what important documents the company will need to see to fulfil your relocation. When the team arrives at your property to begin the loading, take the team leader on a tour of your home and outline what items require special care.
Storage Whether you decide to put all of your belongings into storage or just items that are too big or too valuable to transport, there are some things that you should bear in mind when choosing a storage company. Judging how much space your items need can be a challenging task and most storage companies will offer guidelines as to what size unit will suit your needs. It is important that the storage centre maintains a steady temperature using central heating and air conditioning. Severe fluctuations in temperature can damage items, particularly furniture and artwork, so be sure to enquire about this. Visit the facility beforehand to check whether access to the units is step-free, as some facilities may have more than one floor or have steps leading from the car park or loading bay to the entrance. When selecting a self-storage facility you’ll want to understand what kind of security measures are in place. Security varies according to facility policy, ranging from 24-hour guard patrols to CCTV, so keep this in mind when choosing a company.
Moving with pets If you are hoping to take any pets with you to your new home it is essential that you check on the quarantine laws regarding bringing pets in to the UK. The types of immunisation and documentation needed vary depending on which country you are visiting from. All animals must be microchipped and immunised against rabies at the very least. For full details, visit https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/bringing-pets-intothe-uk-after-1-january-2012.
Practicalities Once the shipping and storage are taken care of and you have arranged accommodation and schooling, there are lots of little jobs that need to be done. In this section we highlight the most important of those.
Gas, water and electricity Alert your utilities companies as soon as you have confirmed a date that you will be vacating your current property. Give the companies plenty of time for them to send a final bill and arrange closure of the accounts.
Household appliances Check that your appliances will work in the UK. The voltage in the UK is 220/240 watts and 50Hz, unlike some countries which are 110 watts and 60Hz, including the US. It is costly to convert or buy transformers for bigger home appliances, so it would be better to buy new versions in the UK. Televisions and video recorders also operate on different frequencies and systems. The standard plug in the UK is a three-pin model. However, converters for European and US models are widely available.
Healthcare De-register from your doctor, dentist and optician. Some people may need to consider cancelling any medical insurance – be sure to check with your policy provider whether your insurance will still be valid in the UK. Ask for a copy of all relevant medical records and documentation, as this will be vital for setting up healthcare in the UK – a process which is explained in our ‘Settling into the UK’ guide. For supplies of regular medication, find out its generic pharmaceutical name in case you need to purchase similar medication in the UK.
Change of address Be sure to redirect all regular mail and cancel any subscriptions. For friends and family it is recommended that you send out change of address e-cards or postcards so they can stay in touch. Don’t overlook connections you may have to charities, loyalty cards, subscriptions, gym memberships and mail order companies.
Important documents Obtain original copies of important documents such as passports, driving licences, birth certificates, wedding certificates, school reports, your past three months’ bank statements and medical reports. These will be necessary for many aspects of your move, from securing a new mortgage to arranging healthcare in the UK. See the checklist for a full list of essential documents.
Telephone, internet and television contracts Cancel or amend any existing telephone, internet or television contracts. For cell phones (known as mobile phones in the UK) it will be cheaper to start a new contract in the UK than pay the roaming charges on your current contract. For information on setting up new communications contracts in the UK, read our guide to ‘Settling into the UK’. Arranging internet and telephone contracts in the UK quickly will be very important if you have close family members who have stayed in your home country with whom you want to stay in touch.
Vehicles You will need to decide whether to sell or store your vehicle(s) while you are in the UK. If you intend to import your vehicle, you must prove that it meets environmental and safety regulations, ensure that it is insured with an authorised UK company and register the vehicle with the relevant authorities. For full details, visit www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/overview. Given the cost of importing a vehicle, it may be cheaper to buy or hire a car in the UK. If you are hoping to drive in the UK, remember to arrange a statement of ‘no claims bonus’ from your vehicle’s current insurer. This will be useful when arranging an insurance policy in the UK. For full details on UK vehicle licensing, read our ‘Settling into the UK’ guide.
International relocation checklist This is a comprehensive list of everything that needs to be done to ensure your relocation is as stress-free and well-organised as possible.
Six months before the move Establish a timetable for the move. Consider when the working person has to be in the new location, and when the rest of the family will follow. Decide what to do with your current property – rent it out, sell it or terminate the lease. Investigate accommodation options in the new residence (see our ‘Guide to buying and renting in the UK’). Arrange a UK bank account. Look into storage costs for storing personal possessions in your home country. Start to gather quotes from removal firms, choose the moving company and set a date for them to take your belongings. Consider a small airfreight shipment of essential items that you would like to be in the UK on your arrival. Obtain original copies of important documents, including passports, driving licences, birth certificates, wedding certificates, school reports, work references and medical reports. Apply for visas and working permits, if applicable. If necessary, arrange temporary accommodation for the period before the move (when you are having your house packed up) and in the new destination prior to the arrival of your belongings. Give notice to your child’s school and request their reports. Investigate schooling in the UK (see our ‘Guide to UK education’). If possible, arrange to visit the UK prior to moving in order to research housing and schooling. Check on the quarantine laws regarding taking pets to your new destination. Consider whether private medical insurance will be required in your new residence. Start collecting packing materials.
One month before the move Send change of address notifications for any accounts that you wish to maintain (credit cards and so on.) Stop or transfer subscriptions. Cancel insurance policies and check if you can get any money back for the period after the cancellation. Alert utility companies of your move and ask for final bills. Check that your household appliances will work in the new destination. Arrange to see your doctor, optician and dentist to obtain original copies of any medical reports and terminate registration. Arrange for a statement of ‘no claims bonus’ from your vehicle insurer. Sell any items that you no longer need, including your vehicle. Start packing. Segregate goods to take and leave behind.
Three weeks before the move Send out notification of your new address to friends and family. Make sure you have their telephone numbers and email addresses to stay in contact.
Two weeks before the move Arrange UK bank account. Take pets to the vet for immunisation and obtain travel documents. Take care of any bills and investments. Arrange for any contents insurance requirements.
One week before the move Arrange for deliveries to be stopped. Arrange for someone to look after children and pets during the packing. Finish packing and cleaning. Buy any last-minute products to take with you. Buy travellers cheques or obtain cash needed for the trip and your first week in your new location (credit cards can be used to get cash in your new country, but you will pay a commission.) Deal with anything that needs to be picked up or taken back, including dry cleaning, library books, DVD subscriptions and so on.
One day before the move Decide if you want certain items to be packed together and group them in one place. Pack a bag for each member of the family containing essentials, including a change of clothes, nightwear, toiletries, bed linen and towels. Keep important numbers with you, such as the solicitor and estate agent in the UK and the shipping company.
Important documents checklist Passports Travel documents Birth certificates Marriage certificate Driving licence Record of vehicle ‘no claims bonus’ Medical and dental records, medication and insurance (if applicable) School and university papers and certificates Any insurance policies and legal documents (will, power of attorney, income tax records and so on) Your past three months’ bank statements
