10 tips for your move @ Henk International

10 tips for a smooth move!

When our customers entrust us with their moves, we invest a great deal of time in the planning, no matter what type of move it is - a local move, a move abroad or an office move. From over 60 year of experience, we know that most problems and worries can be avoided by thorough planning in advance. This helps to make the move stress-free. Our detailed planning helps avoid surprise extra charges, for example charges for storage-in-transit because the scheduling was wrong, or customs duties because the paperwork was not in order.

Benefit from our expert knowledge about moves of all types and sizes by checking these 10 moving tips.

Apply for all necessary paperwork in good time. We cannot repeat this tip often enough, because so many people forget to check the validity of their passports, or forget to apply for the necessary visas. You have to allow at least a few weeks to obtain official documents. Sometimes an express service is available, but this is often much more expensive.
Read through the import customs regulations in advance, should you wish to take certain items (medicines, food, weapons) with you. Some countries have very strict import regulations. When moving to Australia, for example, you need to make sure that all items that have had contact with the ground are clean and free from dirt. If you want to import wine and spirits to Singapore, you need to make a detailed declaration for each bottle, otherwise heavy fines will be issued. If you want to bring a pet with you, you need to observe the import requirements very closely and check that all time limits for inoculations are observed.
Reserve the moving dates as early as possible. For certain types of move, for example within Europe or overseas, transport capacities can be limited. For overseas moves, sea freight is cheaper than air freight, but takes much longer. By planning your move early, you can choose between arranging the packing early and spending your last weeks at origin without your belongings, or arranging the packing just before you fly and then waiting for your belongings at destination.
Hire a moving truck and apply for no-parking signs. If you are carrying out your move yourself, remember to arrange for no-parking signs to be set up so you have space for the truck. Otherwise, you may have to carry your belongings over long distances. It's normally no problem to hire a moving truck, but just make sure it is big enough. If you are moving long-distance, the truck should be large enough to fit all items so that you only have to make one trip. If you use a moving company, they will choose a truck of the right size and look after the no-parking signs. Even if you are moving round the corner, it is worth asking a moving company to do the transport and set up the bulky abd difficult items. Then you normally just need a smaller vehicle to transport the smaller items and boxes.
Have you applied for a moving allowance? Check with your employer to see if you are eligible. If you are moving for work reasons, you are entitled to a certain allowance paid for by your employer. But do remember that you need to declare this amount as income, and you will be taxed accordingly. If you are moving for work reasons, you could benefit from a direct billing agreement between your employer and the moving company. That way, the moving charges are billed directly to your employer and you don't need to pay additional taxes. Finally, if you are moving for work reasons, the moving charges are tax deductible. The tax allowances are as follows: 1.528 € for married couples and unmarried partners, 764 € für single persons and an additional 337 € for every other person moving who lives in the same household (as of 09/2018).
Making payment to the moving company. Moves are either invoiced according to the time and material used, or on a fixed price basis. If you wish to make the moving charges tax deductible, you must pay by bank transfer or by using a bank or credit card. Cash payments are not acceptable for the tax authorities when they decide if the moving charges are deductible.
Give proper notice on all your contracts. If you have a contractual agreement with a gym, electricity supplier or for your mobile phone, you may not need these after your move, especially if you are moving abroad. Check the notice periods for all of your contracts and make sure you give notice in the correct manner. If you are moving within Germany, you may be able to continue the contract and just provide your new address.
Mark the moving boxes correctly. To make sure that each box gets to the right room, mark each box with the name of the room at destination. Also, you can use stickers to identify the names of the rooms at destination. For each room, you could make a numbered list of the contents. That way, you can find any special items quickly, and also check that no boxes have been left behind.
Do you need insurance for your move? If you move with a reputable moving company, everything that they transport is insured under their liability insurance, in accordance with the legal requirements. This liability insurance does not cover damages to the contents of boxes packed by you, nor damages caused by third parties. You can take out separate transport insurance to avoid the limitations of this liability cover. A professional moving company will be able to provide you with advice on this.
Transport valuables yourself. Because the liability insurance of a moving company is limited by value, it is advisable to transport jewellery, collectors' items or documents yourself. If this is not possible, ask about separate insurance cover for these items.
For every move, these 10 tips cannot cover everything you need to consider. For more valuable tips and information, you can download our free moving checklist. This will help you plan your move and supplies you with much more professional information.