Planning a move to the UK is no longer the same as organising a relocation to France or Germany. Since Brexit came into force, the process has taken on a customs dimension that simply didn’t exist before. What used to be a relatively straightforward operation within the single market has become a cross-border move with its own rules, its own timelines and its own paperwork.
It’s not that an international move to the UK is impossible or especially complicated if you arrive well prepared. The trouble starts when someone turns up at the border with a loaded lorry without having filed the right paperwork, or when they underestimate the time customs checks add. The kind of surprises that simply didn’t happen before can now delay the delivery of your belongings by days or even weeks.
That’s why this article exists: to walk you through, calmly, what has changed, what you need to prepare before the lorry leaves, and how to avoid the most common pitfalls of a move from Spain to the UK in today’s landscape.
In this article
- What changed with Brexit for moves to the UK
- The customs paperwork you need to prepare
- Timelines and admin to sort out before the move
- How Brexit affects real delivery times
- What happens with pets, vehicles and special items
- How to choose the right removals company for the UK
- Take the step with the support you need
What changed with Brexit for moves to the UK
Before Brexit, moving your things from Spain to the UK was, in customs terms, identical to moving between two Spanish cities. The free movement of goods within the European Union meant there were no border checks for personal effects, no special import paperwork was required, and lorries crossed without interruption.
Since 1 January 2021, that is no longer the case. The UK is now a third country from the European Union’s point of view, and its borders operate as such. This means that any shipment, including the personal belongings in a house move, is subject to a customs declaration both on leaving the EU and on entering the UK.
What has changed in practical terms for anyone moving:
- An export declaration from Spain before the Spanish tax agency (AEAT, Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria).
- An import declaration before HMRC (HM Revenue & Customs) on the British side.
- The need to prove that the goods are used personal effects and not commercial merchandise.
- Variable border waiting times depending on the volume of paperwork and the size of the shipment.
The good news is that personal effects for your own use —clothes, furniture, appliances, books— are not usually subject to duties if the Transfer of Residence relief is processed correctly. But that “if it’s processed correctly” is precisely where all the difference lies.
The customs paperwork you need to prepare
The single most important document in a post-Brexit move is the Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief application. This scheme lets you import your personal belongings into the UK without paying import duty or VAT, provided you meet HMRC’s requirements.
To qualify for ToR relief you need to:
- Have lived outside the UK for at least twelve consecutive months before the move.
- Be transferring your normal place of residence to the UK permanently or on a long-term basis.
- Have owned and used the goods for at least six months before the move.
- Apply for ToR before the goods enter the UK, although in some cases there is a degree of retroactivity.
Alongside the ToR, you’ll need a detailed inventory of every item in the move. This inventory must describe each object and state its approximate age and estimated value. The point isn’t to value your things so you pay more, but to prove to customs that they are used household items. A poorly prepared inventory —too generic, lacking detail, or with valuations that don’t add up— can trigger holds and additional inspections.
You’ll also need documentation to support your change of residence: an employment contract or job offer letter in the UK, a tenancy agreement or property purchase, proof of previous registration in Spain, or a consular deregistration certificate. The more evidence showing that you are genuinely moving to live in the UK, the smoother the customs process will be.
Timelines and admin to sort out before the move
One of the most common mistakes is starting the paperwork too late. In an international move with a customs element, timelines matter far more than they seem.
It’s advisable to begin the process two to three months before your planned moving date. That gives you room to:
- Gather all your residence documentation without rushing.
- File the ToR with enough lead time (HMRC can take a while to process it).
- Prepare the inventory calmly and review it together with the removals company.
- Resolve any query or additional request before the lorry is ready to leave.
If you have high-value goods, works of art, musical instruments or collections, timelines can stretch, as these items may require supporting documentation or even professional valuations.
Once the paperwork is in order, the removals company handles filing the export and import declarations. But to do that, it needs you to have done your part: the signed ToR, the complete inventory and the proof of residence. Without those documents, the process can’t move forward.
How Brexit affects real delivery times
Where a move from Madrid to London could once be completed in two or three days from loading, today’s realistic scenario includes extra time for customs. It doesn’t mean your move is bound to be delayed, but it does mean delivery times no longer depend solely on the physical journey.
The factors that most affect the total time are:
- The state of the paperwork: if everything is in order when the lorry reaches the border, checks are quick. If something is missing or there are discrepancies, the vehicle can be held until it’s sorted.
- Customs workload: at certain times of year, or because of disruption at the ports (Dover-Calais is still the most common crossing), waiting times can increase.
- The type of shipment: shared containers (groupage) can be subject to extra waiting times because clearance is handled for all the contents, not just your share.
Broadly speaking, with the right paperwork a well-planned move to the UK shouldn’t suffer significant delays. The problem is almost always preventable: incomplete or incorrect paperwork is the main cause of border holds.
What happens with pets, vehicles and special items
If, on top of your furniture and belongings, you’re bringing a pet or a Spanish-registered vehicle, the process gains additional layers that are completely separate from the ToR.
Pets require specific veterinary documentation adapted to the UK’s post-Brexit requirements: a microchip, a rabies vaccination with a valid blood test, parasite treatment and an official veterinary certificate. The timelines here are especially strict —the certificate is only valid for a very specific window— and any error can mean your pet has to go into quarantine. For more detail, see the dedicated article on moving to the UK with pets.
Spanish-registered vehicles imported permanently into the UK have their own procedures with the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) and may be subject to import taxes depending on the type of vehicle and its value.
High-value items, such as handcrafted musical instruments, antiques or collections, deserve a specific review with your removals company to determine whether they need additional documentation or different handling on the inventory.
How to choose the right removals company for the UK
Not all removals companies have the same experience with post-Brexit international moves, and that difference shows when it’s time to handle the customs paperwork.
What to look for in a removals company for a move to the UK:
- Proven experience in international moves, not just domestic ones. Knowledge of customs processes comes from practice, not theory.
- Their own customs contacts on both sides of the border, or collaboration with specialist customs agents. This makes all the difference when an issue needs resolving quickly.
- Document handling included in the service: a company that guides you through the ToR application, reviews your inventory and coordinates the export and import declarations.
- Suitable insurance for international moves: cover for a domestic move doesn’t necessarily protect against the same scenarios as cover for cross-border relocations. Check the coverage, amounts and conditions before you sign.
- Clear, transparent communication about timelines: a serious company will tell you exactly what times to expect and which ones depend on external factors such as customs.
Mudanzas Trallero has proven experience in international relocations, including destinations such as the UK, and treats the post-Brexit customs process as an integrated part of the service. That means you don’t decipher the ToR on your own or handle the paperwork in isolation: there’s a team that knows the process and guides you through it.
Take the step with the support you need
A move to the UK has more layers than it used to, that’s true. But with the right planning and a company that knows the process well, those layers become manageable. The paperwork stops being a burden when someone with technical judgement tells you exactly what to prepare, in what order and to what deadlines.
Mudanzas Trallero has spent years supporting people relocating to international destinations, and the team knows first-hand the current requirements for completing a move to the UK with every guarantee.
Request a quote for your move to the UK with the specialist support of Mudanzas Trallero.
