Storage between moves is one of the most useful parts of a UK–Europe removal, and one of the least planned. Your sale completes before your new home is ready, your visa takes longer than expected, or you want to rent abroad for a few months before you buy. Here is how storage between moves works in 2026, what it costs you in time and paperwork, and how to keep your customs relief safe while your belongings wait.
1. When storage between moves makes sense
Most of our customers use storage for one of five reasons:
- the completion dates on the UK sale and the new home don’t match;
- you are renting abroad first and only need part of your furniture;
- you are waiting for a visa or residence card before you can register your new address;
- renovation work at the new property is not finished;
- you are moving back to the UK and need somewhere to put things while you find a home.
Short storage of a few weeks is easy to arrange. For longer periods, plan the customs side as carefully as the storage itself.
2. Store in the UK or store abroad?
Storing in the UK before an EU move keeps your options open: if plans change, your goods have not crossed a customs border yet. Storing at the destination means a faster delivery once your new home is ready, but your goods have already been declared, so the customs clock is running. As a rule of thumb, store in the UK if your moving date is uncertain, and store abroad if the date is fixed and you just need a short gap.
3. Keep your transfer of residence relief safe
Under EU rules, personal belongings can enter free of import duty and VAT when you move your normal residence into the EU. Customs can release them at any time within 12 months of the date you transfer your residence, and you can bring them in several consignments within that period, with a list of the items in each one.
That means you can move the essentials first and send the rest from storage later, as long as the final load arrives within the 12 months. After release, the goods must not be sold, lent or hired out for 12 months. Keep your residence certificate and your original inventory: you will need them for every consignment. Our customs inventory guide explains what to list.
4. Moving back to the UK from storage abroad
The UK has its own Transfer of Residence relief, claimed with the ToR1 form before your goods arrive. If part of your load is still in storage in Spain or France, include it in your application and plan the delivery so it fits the time limits HMRC gives you. Read moving back to the UK from Spain or France for the full steps.
5. Pack for storage, not just for the road
Goods that sit for months need more care than goods that travel for two days. Use strong double-wall boxes, wrap furniture in breathable covers rather than plastic, and leave fridges and freezers clean and dry with the doors open. Number every box and keep the same numbers on your inventory, so you can send a single box later without opening the whole load.
6. What you should not store
- food and anything perishable;
- flammable items such as paint, fuel, gas bottles and aerosols;
- plants and anything living;
- cash, jewellery and important documents – keep these with you.
7. Check insurance and access before you sign
Ask how your goods are insured while in storage, whether you can visit or collect single items, and how much notice you need to give for delivery. A removal company that stores your goods itself can collect, store, clear customs and deliver in one booking, so nobody has to re-pack or re-list your belongings between steps.
Storage with MoveDay Removals
MoveDay Removals collects from anywhere in the UK, stores your belongings for as long as you need, and delivers across the UK and Europe with the customs paperwork prepared. Tell us your dates, even if they are not fixed yet, and we will plan storage and delivery around them. See our storage, international removals and customs for removals pages, or request a free quote.
Official sources: Council Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 – relief for personal property, GOV.UK – Transfer of Residence relief.
Website: https://movedayremovals.com
Phone: 07378 626882
Email: office@movedayremovals.co.uk