International Removals Kent

International removals from Kent are coordinated by Stranks Removals & Storage, a family firm trading since 1941, from our Ashford depot at Wotton Trading Estate. We wrap, pack, hold and load your belongings to export standard on the UK side, and work with established shipping partners who handle the sea freight and the customs paperwork. We are BAR members with the BAR Advanced Payment scheme, BS EN 12522 certified, and rated 9.7 out of 10 across 380 verified reviews.

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Get a quote for your move abroad

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Secure, discrete and efficient

Moving the Strank’s Way

Comprehensive overseas move planning

Fully insured up to £100k cover with no extra costs

Furniture dismantled & reassembled

Full or part packing of all possessions

Specialist packaging materials & cartons supplied

Flexible short & long term storage options

Sofas and mattress covers are used with every move

Wardrobe cartons included at no extra cost

Guidance through customs and import procedures

Expert removals crew who care

Why Choose Stranks for International Removals in Kent

Few independent Kent removers can offer this combination for a move abroad: a family firm trading since 1941, full British Association of Removers (BAR) membership with the BAR Advanced Payment scheme, and BS EN 12522 certification, the British Standard that audits training, vehicles and process. The Advanced Payment scheme protects your deposit if a firm ceases trading before your goods sail.

Our Ashford depot is a short drive from the Channel Tunnel and the Port of Dover, a practical base for both European road moves and deep-sea container shipments. Alongside the nine European countries covered by our dedicated European removals pages, we coordinate long-haul shipments, including to Australia and, by sea, to Portugal.

How the Service Works: What We Do, and What Our Shipping Partner Does

This is the honest shape of a worldwide move, and it is worth being clear about before you book.

On the UK side, our own team does everything: the pre-move survey, the export wrapping and packing, the numbered inventory, holding your consignment securely at our depot until it is due to sail, and loading. You deal with a BAR-member firm you can meet, handling your belongings.

We do not own ships, and we do not clear customs ourselves. For the sea or long-haul freight and the customs clearance at both ends, we work with established shipping partners who specialise in it. We produce the packing list and inventory the shipping side needs, and we guide you through what you have to provide, but the freight booking and the customs clearance are handled by the partner, not by us.

That split gives you the care of a family remover on your belongings and a specialist on the shipping.

What Our International Service Includes

A pre-move survey at your Kent property to assess volume, access and any specialist items.
Purpose-built export packing: furniture blankets, wrapping, corner and edge protection, and export-grade cartons for fragile pieces.
A numbered packing list and inventory, built as we pack rather than reconstructed at the end.
Holding your packed consignment at our depot while the sailing date is confirmed.
Loading for full-load or part-load (groupage) shipment, depending on your volume.
Guidance on the documents you need to provide, and coordination with the shipping partner.
Goods-in-transit insurance advice.

What This Service Does Not Cover

We do not clear customs ourselves. The customs clearance and the freight are handled by our shipping partner. We provide the inventory and paperwork the process needs.
Customs duty and import tax at the destination are the customer’s liability. We advise on relief such as transfer-of-residence exemptions, but we cannot approve or guarantee them.
Air freight. Our shipments move by road and sea, not by air.
Unpacking and placement at the destination property, unless a receiving agent is arranged at the survey stage.

What to Know Before You Ship

How the survey works. Everything starts with a free survey of your Kent property, in person or by video call. It sets the volume, the packing needed and a realistic plan, and it is the basis of your written quote.

Roughly how long it takes. Sea freight to a long-haul destination takes weeks, not days, and a move to Australia is typically well over a month door to door once packing, the sailing and clearance are added. Part-load groupage takes longer than a dedicated container, because it waits to fill. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific destination at the survey and will not quote a transit time we cannot stand behind.

What can and cannot be shipped. Restricted and prohibited items vary by country. Firearms, flammable liquids, perishable food and some plant and organic materials are common exclusions, and destinations such as Australia apply strict biosecurity checks on timber, soil and organic material. We flag what to prepare at the survey, and you should also check the destination country’s official guidance.

What affects the cost. The volume of your belongings, whether you ship a full container or share one, the destination, the level of packing, and whether your goods need holding at our depot while they wait to sail all affect the price. Every move is quoted individually after the survey.

Stranks crew loading export-wrapped furniture at the Ashford depot, ready for an overseas shipment

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Proud to be one of the most highly recommended removals companies in the UK

Julie Rhodes

The team were very professional, friendly and respectful. Carefully packed our items for storage. We made a good choice with Stranks!

Sarah Trigg

This is the third time over the years that we have used Stranks. David quoted, advised and liaised with us from the start to guide us through the process. This move itself was annoyingly prolonged due to a long key wait. We got the keys and access at 4pm in the end. At every stage of the move, Shane, Dan, Armond, John and then the other two (Joe? and another colleague) were professional, friendly and extremely hard working. They even kept their efforts up when they found that we had only gone and bought a town house! The boxes destined for 'bed 1' were like the hot potatoes that no-one wanted to end up with! Still, everything got moved to the right rooms without an issue. We wanted to review and pass on our thanks to those that made a long moving experience, so much more bearable. We would totally recommend Stranks to anyone in need of removal services.

Anthony Guard

Absolutely brilliant removal service from Stranks .Dan T ,Dan D and Armand were fabulous from beginning to end .Would highly recommend using this company for your home removals.

Emma Witcher

I always use Stranks Removals when I move - they are so professional This time I had Dan D & Phil moving me from a 2nd floor apartment (no lift) to a bungalow The guys were extremely helpful and professional I would highly recommend this company They also have storage facilities

D Stonehouse

Outstanding service from start to finish. From accommodating a very difficult long process to the team on the day, I couldn’t fault a thing. The moving guys made the day go like clockwork. Would not hesitate to recommend Stranks

Esther Denny

I’d give 10 stars to the team that helped us relocate from Kent to Cornwall. They were competent, capable, professional, accommodating, friendly and very easy to work with. I hope not to have to make such a move again but I wouldn’t hesitate in using Stranks and highly recommend their services. They helped make our move a stress free experience and worth every penny we spent and more.

rossoandy

Long established family business, they listen to what you need and if at all possible oblige. Sensible rates and knowledgeable caring workers. Happy to advise on the best way to get your needs sorted even recommending local man and van companies if the job is really too small for them.

Hayley Pearce

Stranks Removals, friendly, helpful and literally go the extra mile to help, highly recommend

Sydney Colegate

Extremely helpful and reassuring right from the very start. The removal peeps were very polite and didn't leave until we was totally happy that everything was where we wanted it to be. Amazing service.

More Happy Customers

FAQs

Who actually ships my furniture, Stranks or a partner?

Both, in their part. On the UK side, our own team handles the survey, export packing, the inventory, holding your consignment and loading. For the sea or long-haul freight and the customs clearance, we work with an established shipping partner. We do not own vessels or clear customs ourselves.

Do you ship household goods to Australia from Kent?

Yes. We coordinate deep-sea shipments to Australia from our Ashford depot, packing to export standard and producing the inventory, with the freight and clearance handled by our shipping partner. Australia applies strict biosecurity checks on timber, soil and organic materials, and we advise on how to prepare items to reduce the risk of delay.

How long does shipping furniture overseas take?

It depends on the destination and whether you ship a full container or a shared groupage load. Sea freight to long-haul destinations takes weeks, and a move to Australia is usually well over a month door to door. A shared load takes longer than a dedicated container because it waits to fill. We give a realistic timeline for your destination at the survey.

Do you handle the customs paperwork?

We produce the packing list and inventory the shipping side needs, and we guide you through the documents you have to provide, including advising on transfer-of-residence relief for EU destinations. The customs declaration is a legal document you sign as the owner of the goods, and the customs clearance itself is handled by our shipping partner, not by us.

What is a part-load or groupage shipment?

A groupage shipment shares a container with other consignments heading the same way, which costs less than a dedicated container but takes longer because it waits until it is full before it sails. For a full house a dedicated container is often better value; for smaller volumes, groupage usually makes sense. We advise which fits your volume at the survey.

What affects the cost of an international move?

The volume of belongings, full container versus shared, the destination, the level of packing, and whether your goods are held at our depot awaiting a sailing. We do not publish fixed prices; every move is quoted individually after a survey.