Moving to France – The Basics

With the recent influx of UK residents moving to France – and many other European destinations – it is becoming progressively important to employ services to assist with the process that offer affordability and quality in equal measures. This transition is one that essentially needs to run as smoothly as possible, and many of the basics for a smooth-running relocation are often forgotten.

Important aspects to initially consider when moving to France from the UK are likely to include issues regarding entry into the country, the healthcare, transport and schooling systems and the general laws of the land.

However, the foundation of securing a smooth move to France is undoubtedly the removal services you choose to employ. To make moving to France as easy as possible, we at European Removal Experts offer an afforable door-to-door removal service that operates around the EU. As well as offering up to 3 weeks of storage of your belongings, we provide many discount trips – particularly to France and Belgium.

Whether you require the transportation of a wide selection of items, or simply a few; European Removal Experts offer removals for full loads, part loads and single items to all destinations within the EU.

With comprehensive insurance covering the UK and most of Europe, security of your belongings is guaranteed. So, for a removal service catered specifically for you and your requirements, make European Removal Experts your first port of call to make moving to France as hassle-free as possible.

How to Feel At Home After a Move to France

How to Feel At Home After a Move to France

Choosing to make a move to France can feel like a huge step. The new, foreign surroundings can feel incredibly overwhelming, particularly if you don’t know your new area very well. When relocating to France, it’s important to allow yourself time to settle in and relax in your new surroundings. Here are some tips to help you do that.

•    Have accommodation prepared before you move
Not having some accommodation ready when you arrive in France will only add to your stress. Book some temporary accommodation for when you arrive and look for something permanent once you’re settled in the area.

•    Bring your furniture
Once you’ve found somewhere permanent, you can make it feel more like home by bringing over all your furniture. A company that provides furniture removals to France can have it with you in just a few days, and that familiarity should help curb any homesickness you may be experiencing.

•    Act like a tourist
If you don’t have to work when you first arrive, take the time to get to know your new area as best you can. Imagine you are a tourist and try to take in all the major areas in just a few days. This will help you to find your way around and you may even discover some hidden gems.

    Meet the locals and other expats
After moving to France, aim to talk to someone new every day. Meeting the locals will help you fell more at home in your new area and meeting other expats will help you to see how other people have settled in.

Where to Live when Moving to France?

Where to Live when Moving to France?

When moving to France, you have the choice of a diverse range of places to live. The Parisian north or the Mediterranean south? The Alpine east or the Atlantic west? Continental France is divided into four climatic regions, so it is worth considering which climate would be most favourable to you before moving to France.

  • North – Temperate. Northern France, including Paris, has a temperate climate similar to that of southern England. It is characterised by warm summers, cold winters and rainfall throughout the year.
  • East – Continental. The summers are warm and the winters are harsh, with snow and frost likely.  The low rain fall tends to fall in summer when the region receives frequent thunderstorms.
  • South – Mediterranean. Rain is scarce during the summer but when it does rain it pours, often with storms.  Frost is rare, but periods of cold windy weather can occur in late spring, brought about by the famous northerly ‘Mistral’ wind.
  • West – Oceanic. The western coast, from the Loire valley to the Pyrenees, is milder and summer days are generally very hot, while winters are rarely very cold.

Whilst it is, of course, essential to decide where exactly you plan to go when moving to France, it is also highly important to shop around for a professional, reliable and good-value removals company. Based in London for easy access, we at European Removal Experts can provide removal services catered to the individual and their needs, as we work with flexibility and the customer’s satisfaction in mind.

Moving to France has never been easier than with European Removal Experts, as we provide a cheap, door-to-door service that sees the customer’s removals being taken care of from start to finish – wherever in France you decide to live. With fully comprehensive insurance and the offering of a packing and packaging supply, we are undoubtedly one of the most secure services to utilise.

A stress-free move to France

Many people decide on moving to France later in life, as a second home or somewhere to retire to if the weather is warmer, such as the South of France. However, most people at this stage in their lives don’t want to acquire all the furniture, belongings and household items in duplicate all over again for their new home – they’d rather move some of what they’ve already amassed over the years across the continent.

Insurance can become a worry – removal firms have a reputation even when moving furniture from street to street in the same town, so it’s understandable that if you’re dreaming of moving to France, you’ll be worried about who takes care of your belongings as it crosses not only streets, but continents. Not to mention that this means you’ll also end up dealing with extra hassle in customs as you prove that you’re living in the country rather than importing goods.

Not to worry though, there are specialist companies – like us – that can help when you’re relocating to France or any other European country. If you need peace of mind by someone who understands the logistics of the international removals market, then it would be wise to choose a specialist over a regular moving company.

If you want to say Allo Allo to your new home without waving au revoir to some of your valuable belongings, then a specialist removals company will give you the safest and most secure way of moving to France.

European Removals - Moving to Europe

Taking some of the stress out of property moves

Moving from one home to another is never easy. Indeed, it’s considered to be one of the most stressful things you can do and is often compared with divorce and bereavement in terms of the toll it can take.

However, as long as you’re savvy and are organised in your approach, you can make the transition easier. For example, it’s possible to source excellent value and reliable moving and packing services that can make your life much more straightforward and help relieve the pressures on your budget.

Good news

Of course, when you’re selling up and heading to another property, you’ll want to get the best possible price for your home. After all, this might be by far your most valuable asset and even a small percentage change in its worth could have a huge impact on your overall finances.

With this in mind, you might welcome figures released recently by Nationwide. The firm noted that the price of a typical UK house rose by 0.6 per cent in October. The price of an average home now stands at £164,153, it noted. Of course, values differ markedly according to the types of house or flat involved and their locations.

Relative stability

Commenting on the findings, Nationwide chief economist Robert Gardner said: “UK house prices increased by 0.6 per cent in October, more than offsetting the 0.4 per cent decline recorded the previous month.”

He added: “The annual pace of change continues to display a picture of relative stability, with house prices down just 0.9 per cent compared to October 2011. This maintains the pattern that has been evident since late 2010, with annual price growth remaining in a narrow band between +1.5 per cent and -1.5 per cent on all but two occasions over the past two years.”

On hand to help

Regardless of what the property market’s doing, we’re on hand to help you with superb removal packing services. Here at European Removal Experts we’re experts when it comes to removals and should be perfectly placed to assist you in your transition.

We cover areas such as Chigwell, Abridge, Woodford Green, Chingford, Romford, Ilford, Hornchurch, Barking, Dagenham, Enfield, Harlow and Brentwood and can help you with a local or a national move.

You can trust us

Of course, it’s important to have confidence in your removal company. After all, you’re entrusting the team with some of your most precious and possibly valuable belongings.

With this in mind, you might be pleased to note that we are among the removals and storage companies that are members of The Removers and Storers, meaning we can offer the highest standards of consumer protection in the industry. The guild is designed to promote quality, protect your belongings and take the stress out of your move.

More details

To help boost the standard of our services , we only use highly trained packers for transport. Also, we offer many insurance options for additional protection and you can benefit from low rates.

If you’re keen to discover more about how our services work, just take a look around our website or get in touch.

Moving to Germany - Beware of the Church Tax...

Moving to Germany – Beware of the Church Tax…

If you are moving to Germany, you will have already investigated every aspect of living and working there. Moving to Germany, or moving to Holland or any other country in the EU, is relatively straightforward once you have waded through all the paperwork! But there is one aspect which is often overlooked by those who are moving to Germany.

Once you have moved to the country, you’ll need to register with the local authorities, and one thing to beware of is declaring your religious faith. Have you heard of the Church Tax?

The German government still maintains a kind of tithe system called the Kirchensteuer, or Church Tax. It may sound odd that a modern society still uses a tithe system, which disappeared from Britain in the 18th century, but it is alive and well in Germany. It works like this.  If you declare yourself a member of one of the recognised faiths, the German government will deduct between eight and nine per cent of your salary, which is then handed over to the churches. This means that the churches earn billions of Euros every year, thanks to the hard work of the German people, and anyone else who is moving to Germany. Now you know about this strange custom, anything else you have to deal with when moving to Germany will seem relatively easy and straightforward, and that includes the move itself. Make sure you use a reputable company like European Removal Experts who have years of experience in helping people who are relocating to Germany.

Germany - Here We Come

Germany – Here We Come

Moving to Germany may be the sort of undertaking that fills an individual with trepidation. For any of us, moving house, or simply moving part of a houses contents involves dealing with companies and activities that few of us deal with on a regular basis. Moving overseas increases complications through the greater complexity involved in crossing a controlled border in addition to encountering different local customs and legislation. Lastly, let’s not forget, a different language. Whilst it is possible to navigate around much of Europe with English as an only language, a bit more versatility both smoothes the path and engenders a more positive relationship with those you meet.

At European Removal Experts, our service is primarily geared up to assisting people moving to Germany or even possibly the other direction (back from Germany). We are a London based company which, being close to the midpoint between the continent and the UK, makes us ideally located for planning moves between the UK and the continent. Our aim is to move goods efficiently whether it is a complete house move or simply a smaller quantity of special items such as valuables or large pieces of furniture.

Moving to Germany is offered as a door to door service but there are also discount services available. These are offered where container space is shared by many customers on a scheduled basis. This enables a very cost effective method for moving to Germany from anywhere in the UK.

Customs clearance and all of the complications surrounding any house move are handled as part of the moving to Germany service and this enables the customer to focus their energies on other aspects of the house move, such as soft furnishings and possibly brushing up on a bit of sprechen sie Deutsch? Why use anybody other than specialists in this area for your house move?

Speed Demon: Take Care on Germany’s Autobahn Roads

Moving to Germany can mean a huge plethora of thrilling new opportunities for every traveller. The kids might think moving to Germany will mean less school (German students generally only attend in the morning), teenage girls might become light-headed at the prospect of relocating to Germany to find… German teenage boys! But there’s one thing Dads, Granddads, sons, brothers and mates are thinking when the subject of moving to Germany is raised… AUTOBAHN!

Germany’s Autobahns are super-highways not dissimilar to our own UK motorways. Access to Autobahn roads is legally prohibited for vehicles unable to reach and obtain a speed of 37mph (60 km/h) The advised upper speed limit is about 80mph (130km/h), however there is no legal limit in place.

Foreigners can often get carried away at the suggestion of NO SPEED LIMIT, meaning crashes and collisions are more common amongst non-native drivers.

We’ve gathered these helpful tips from our drivers and clients –

•    Be careful when entering and exiting the Autobahn. There are often sharp bends at access points!

•    Don’t panic when people flash their lights at you; it’s often simply a polite notification that they’re approaching at high speed.

•    Let go of the element of competition – it really IS NOT A RACE!

•    Be wary of road surfaces. Some Autobahns are poorly maintained and can be dangerous when sensible driver restraint and caution is not employed.

•    Never dawdle in the left (overtaking) lane; the Autobahnpolizei (Autobahn Police) won’t hesitate to issue a fine with your name on it!

relocating to Germany

Next Stop Berlin

Germany is an exciting and vibrant nation, with a strong tradition in efficient engineering and a rich and diverse culture. Cities such as Berlin have a wealth of alternative cultures and business opportunities and have become hubs for artists, business people and bon vivants from around the globe.

Many UK citizens decide that moving to Germany represents a fantastic opportunity to embrace this fascinating culture and lie and work alongside some of the most interesting and innovative people in the world. At European Removal Experts, we can ensure that you are able to dismiss any stresses and worries about moving to Germany. Our professional movers will ship all of your office equipment, personal possessions, IT hardware and household items to Germany, where they will arrive intact and ready to be placed in your new home. Once you have decided that moving to Germany is the best option for you and your family please take a look at our website for some fantastic deals and take time to read the testimonies of other customers who we have helped in moves to the continent.

We will enable you to feel confident that relocating to Germany is a positive decision by taking the stress of organising a large scale move on our capable shoulders. All that we ask in return for our services is that once you are settled in your new home, you raise a stein of beer to European Removal Experts as we make our way back to London, ready to help more satisfied customers relocate to their dream locations!

Scouting Ahead First? A Quick Guide to European Health Coverage

Moving to Germany, moving to Holland, or just moving down the road – scouting ahead and taking every step to happily conclude your decision to move is the right one is an obvious course to all folks considering a big move.

Moving to the next town? Pop over and take a look easily. Relocating to Germany? Well… you can’t exactly get here using local public transport! A trip to see your potential new abode is a great idea. However, a lot of our clients are a little unsure as to what healthcare provisions to make for their trip (Do we need health insurance? Are we covered in France? Germany? Luxemburg?)

From 2006, the traditional E111 form was gradually phased out of use and is no longer valid. Its replacement – the EHIC card (sometimes known as the EU Health Card) – is free, available via application form (online at www.ehic.org.uk or via the Post Office) and represents the new standard emergency health necessity for all those travelling in Europe. Every person (including children) should have their own card.  You MUST reapply for the EHIC card whether or not you still carry the E111 form.

EHIC cover is not a substitute for comprehensive travel insurance. Coverage doesn’t extend to repatriation or losses due to being the victim of a natural disaster or crime.  The card only entitles the bearer to free or low cost emergency healthcare within EEA (Europe Economic Area) countries.

So, moving to Holland? We heartily recommend a well-insured, safe research trip to all!