Container Arrival Process

What happens when my container arrives in the UK?

In most cases, you container will be available for delivery to your residence a few working days after the date that the vessel arrives at the port. The exact timings depend on how long it takes for H M Customs & Excise to release the container. In any case, your Move Manager will contact you as soon as it has been released to make arrangements for delivery. Please see the information below for details on customs clearance and the delivery and unpacking process.

Customs Clearance

Delivery is organised as soon as Customs Clearance is completed as the shipping line only allow limited free time for containers to remain at the destination port. It is necessary that the container is moved off the quay within the time scales issued by the shipping line in order to avoid additional charges (demurrage / quay rent) being levied.

Container Unloading & Unpacking

The container will be transported to your residence by the shipping line and we will supply the staff to offload the items from the container and place them inside your home. The shipping line only allows a limited period for the container to be offloaded at your residence before charges are levied so priority will be given to the offloading and we will then concentrate on the unpacking process.

Access and Parking

It is most important that we are made aware of any issues that might delay the offloading of the container e.g. a long carry from where the container can legally park to your residence, parking issues / restrictions (which are particularly relevant to deliveries within the London area), and restricted access to the property. To have parking restrictions lifted can take up to seven working days and this should be taken into consideration when planning your delivery requirements.

House Layout

It would also help if you can have a clear plan in your mind as to which room the individual items of furniture are to be placed in and ensure that all hallways / corridors are cleared for the purpose.

If access to your property involves the use of an elevator, it will be necessary to speak with the caretaker / janitor to ensure that we have sole access to the elevator during the course of the offloading into your residence.

Furniture will be unpacked and placed according to your requirements. Cartons will be unpacked to your order and the contents will be placed on available flat surfaces for inspection.

Maid Service / Domestic Cleaning Service

In most cases, your contract will include for items to be put away into cupboards / drawers / wardrobes etc. However, if required, we can organise for a ‘maid service’ where we will arrange for our associates to send in a team on a date to be agreed with you, after the delivery has taken place, and they can wash and dry crockery and places items away according to your instructions. For further details, please see the web page here: Domestic Cleaning Service.

Re-assembly of Furniture

Any standard freestanding furniture such as beds and wardrobes that have been dismantled will be re-assembled by our own staff but if any re-assembly requires specialists (such as carpenters for example), resulting costs would be additional and would be for your account – unless these have been specifically quoted for.

Waste Packing Materials

Waste packing materials will be removed by the crew at the time of delivery for recycling. If you wish to do some of the unpacking yourself, waste packing materials can be disposed of locally. We do not require packing materials to be returned to us.

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