How to choose and contract an international mover

Key rules

• Accreditation: Trade body membership is a baseline, not insurance or a guarantee, so verify the certificate number with the body.
• Quote: Only accept a written quote based on a survey, and put every promise in the contract.
• Payment: Treat a large cash deposit or full upfront payment as a warning sign.
• Spanish agent: Get the destination agent's name and fees in writing before you sign.
• Insurance: Basic carrier liability can pay very little, so check the cover type and claim deadlines.

Start with the contract, not the price

Choose a mover on three things: a trade body membership you have checked, a written contract with clear terms, and a named Spanish agent. The cheapest quote is rarely the best one. A price far below the others usually means something is missing, or will be added later.

Get at least three written quotes. Make sure each one is based on a survey, in person or by video, so the movers are pricing the same load.

What accreditation tells you

Membership of a trade body shows a baseline of standards. It is not a guarantee and it is not insurance.

• FIDI-FAIM is a quality label for international movers. It requires audited standards on financial stability, insurance, operations and processes, checked by independent audit.
• BAR is the British Association of Removers. It has a code of practice, an overseas-moves group and a conciliation scheme if you have a dispute.
• AMOVER is the Spanish association of movers.
• Others include IAM, the US-based AMSA/ARTA, and national bodies such as the Dutch NVM or the French Chambre.

To check, search the body's online member directory, or ask the body directly. Ask the mover for the certificate number. Then also read reviews and check the company registration. Requirements change, so confirm them with each body.

Contract terms to read before you sign

• Insurance. Find out whether cover is all-risk or basic carrier liability, and what value is declared. Basic cover is often limited by weight, for example a low sum per kilo, so it can pay very little for a lost or broken item. Check the deductible and the exclusions, such as items you packed yourself.
• Claims. Note damage on the delivery paperwork. Written claims usually have short deadlines, from days to weeks. Find the exact deadline and procedure in your contract.
• Liability limits. Road transport rules cap liability per kilo, but removal contracts often set their own terms. Check the exact limits in the contract itself.
• Cancellation. Check the fees and their schedule.
• Delivery. Check the delivery window and what happens in a delay, including storage costs and any compensation.
• Payment. Check the payment schedule, the inventory, who handles customs, and who the subcontractors are.

Do not sign until every verbal promise is on paper.

Your Spanish agent and customs broker

The destination agent is the mover's partner in Spain. They receive the shipment, handle port or terminal formalities, deliver to your home, unpack and manage any storage.

For shipments from outside the EU, a customs broker (agente de aduanas) also files the customs declaration and handles the paperwork for duty-free relief. Moves within the EU need no customs broker. Your origin mover normally appoints both, and you sign a power of attorney so the broker can act for you.

Before you sign:

• Ask for the agent's name.
• Ask about their experience with residence relief.
• Ask for their fees in writing, through your mover.
• Check the mover's network membership, the agent's company registration and the broker's authorised status with the Agencia Tributaria.

Signs of a rogue operator

Walk away if you see several of these:

• A quote far below competitors.
• No in-person or video survey.
• A large cash deposit, or full payment upfront.
• No physical address, or only a mobile number or PO box.
• No company registration or trade body membership.
• A quote that is not in writing or has vague terms.
• An unmarked vehicle, or a company name that changes.
• Pressure to sign quickly.
• No insurance details.
• A higher price at delivery, with your goods held until you pay extra.

Check reviews, the company registry and the trade body's member list before you pay anything. The warnings and checklist below cover more detail, including what movers refuse to carry.

Documents you need

• Written contract with your mover, covering price, insurance, cancellation, delivery windows, payment schedule, inventory and customs responsibilities. You get it from the mover and must have it before you pay a deposit.

• Proof of the mover's trade body membership, such as the certificate number from FIDI-FAIM, BAR or AMOVER. The body issues it, and you can ask your mover for it.

• Power of attorney for the customs broker (agente de aduanas), which you sign so the broker can file your customs declaration. It is needed for non-EU shipments only, and your mover normally arranges it.

• Written list of fees from the Spanish destination agent. Ask your mover to get it from the agent.

Packing checklist and items movers refuse to ship

Packing standards and items movers refuse

• Check that every wooden crate and pallet is heat treated or fumigated and carries the international plant-health stamp showing a country code, producer number and treatment code.

• Ask your mover to replace any unmarked or untreated wood packaging before shipping, because it can be refused, held, treated or destroyed at your cost.

• Remember that finished wood furniture does not need the stamp, but the crates built around it do.

• Remove gas cylinders, paint, aerosols, fuel, fireworks and ammunition from your load, as movers refuse them.

• Take loose lithium batteries and power tools with you or ask your mover whether they can go.

• Leave out perishable food, plants and live animals, and use your own transport for them.

• Carry cash, jewellery and important documents with you instead of packing them.

• Ask your mover for the permit rules before you pack any weapon, and for the paperwork needed for opened liquids or alcohol.

• Make sure every item is fully clean and dry before packing, so mould and mildew cannot form.

• Pack clothes in sealed wardrobe boxes and use breathable covers, never plastic wrap directly on wood or leather.

• Add desiccant bags or hanging moisture absorbers to the container, and silica gel with electronics and documents.

• Raise boxes off the floor on pallets and leave small gaps for airflow in storage units.

• Keep heat-sensitive items such as pianos, electronics, vinyl, candles, cosmetics and wine out of summer containers, which can get well above 50°C, or put them in climate-controlled storage.

• Avoid peak summer for long container waiting times where you can.

• Ask your insurer for all-risks cover that includes mould and climate damage, as many policies exclude gradual deterioration.

What to watch out for

• Warning signs of a rogue mover: A very low quote, no survey, a big cash deposit or full upfront payment, no street address, a changing name, an unmarked truck or pressure to sign fast can mean a rogue operator. Some raise the price at delivery and hold your goods until you pay. Ask for a video or in-person survey and a written quote. Look up the company in the company registry and the trade body list, read reviews, and never pay in full upfront.

• Basic cover that pays very little: Basic carrier liability is often limited by weight, for example a low sum per kilo, so a damaged item may pay out far less than it is worth. Items you packed yourself are often excluded. Ask whether the cover is all-risk, set a declared value, and check the deductible, exclusions and claims steps before signing.

• Missed claim deadlines: Written claims usually have short deadlines of days to weeks, and damage not noted at delivery is hard to claim. Note any damage on the delivery paperwork when the goods arrive, and send your written claim straight away.

• Hidden terms in the contract: Removal contracts often set their own liability terms, cancellation fees, delay rules, storage costs and subcontractors. Read the cancellation schedule, delivery windows, delay compensation and payment schedule, and ask who the subcontractors are.

Check the exact liability limits, claims deadlines and cancellation fees in your own contract.

Frequently asked questions

Does a trade body membership mean a mover is safe to hire?

No, membership shows a baseline of standards and sometimes a complaints route, but it is not a guarantee and it is not insurance. Ask for the certificate number and look it up in the body's member directory. Then still check reviews, the company registration and the written contract.

Which accreditation matters most for an international mover?

FIDI-FAIM is the strongest sign for an international mover, because it is a quality label checked by independent audit of finances, insurance and operations. Other bodies include BAR in the UK and AMOVER in Spain. Ask the body directly if the directory does not list the company.

Who is the destination agent and do I need a customs broker?

The destination agent is the mover's Spanish partner who receives your shipment, delivers it to your home and unpacks it. You need a customs broker (agente de aduanas) mainly for non-EU shipments, to file the customs declaration and the duty-free paperwork. Ask your mover to name both, and to put their fees in writing.

What should I ask the Spanish agent before I sign?

Ask for the agent's name, whether they have experience with residence relief, and what they charge in writing. Then check their network membership and company registration. For the broker, check that they are authorised with the Agencia Tributaria, Spain's tax agency.