| Stage | What happens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-move survey | We assess your volume, access at both ends, and any specialist items | In person or by video call |
| Packing | Full, partial or fragile-only, using quality materials | Can be arranged the day before loading |
| Loading | Careful item-by-item loading by our own crew | Furniture dismantle and reassembly where needed |
| Transport | Road freight from your UK address to your German destination | Full-load and part-load options |
| Storage | On-site Ashford warehouse if your German property is not ready | Flexible short or long-term, 250 containers |
| Delivery | Unloading and placement at your German address | Reassembly of dismantled furniture on request |
Removals UK to Germany
Stranks Removals & Storage handles full and part-load moves from anywhere in the UK to Germany, coordinated from our Ashford, Kent depot. A BAR-accredited, BS EN 12522 certified firm, four generations of the Strank family have been moving homes and businesses since 1941, and our location close to the Channel ports at Folkestone and Dover puts us in a practical position for European relocations. Moving a two-bedroom flat to Berlin or a full family home to Munich, we plan and manage every stage from your UK address to your German front door.
What Our UK to Germany Service Includes
A move from the UK to Germany involves more planning than a domestic job. Here is how we handle each stage.
Packing for an International Move
Packing for a Germany move differs from a local house removal. Items travel further, transit times are longer, and poor packing is harder to put right once the van has crossed the Channel. Our team offers full , partial packing, and fragile-only packing using the right materials for the distance. Every item is accounted for before the vehicle leaves your address, and when our team packs, your belongings are covered under our insurance from the point of packing.
Loading and Transport
We load using our own 17-strong team and our own fleet of 4 trucks and 5 vans. Careful, room-by-room loading means items arrive in the condition they left. For part-load moves, your belongings travel in a dedicated section of the vehicle. From the Channel ports the route runs through France or the Low Countries into western Germany, then on to your destination, whether that is Cologne and Frankfurt in the west, Hamburg in the north, Berlin in the east, or Munich and Stuttgart in the south.
Storage During Your Germany Move
German property completion dates, notice periods, and temporary accommodation all create gaps between leaving your UK home and getting keys to your new address. Our 13,000 sq ft Ashford warehouse holds up to 250 individually allocated containers at Wotton Trading Estate, a short distance from the M20. Storage runs from £13.80 per week including VAT, for a few weeks or several months, with no fixed end date.
Why Choose Stranks for a UK to Germany Move
Stranks holds full British Association of Removers (BAR) membership, including the BAR Advanced Payment scheme, and is certified to BS EN 12522, the British Standard for furniture removal services for private individuals. That certification covers our processes, training, vehicles and storage, and it is a standard most independent UK removers have not achieved. Our Ashford depot runs 4 trucks, 5 vans, and a team of 17 staff, with a 13,000 sq ft owned warehouse holding up to 250 secure containers. On Referenceline, we carry a 9.7 rating from 380 verified reviews since 2007, with 98% of customers recommending us. On Sirelo and Google we hold a 9.8 rating from 34 reviews. We are also Checkatrade certified and a member of the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman scheme.
For international moves, accreditation matters more than on a local job. You are handing over your home to a firm that will cross a border and deliver to an address you may not yet have full access to. The BAR Advanced Payment scheme protects your deposit if anything goes wrong, and the BS EN 12522 audit gives you independent verification of how we work.
Moving to Germany: What to Know
Two practical points shape most UK to Germany moves.
Umweltzone Low-Emission Zones
Most major German cities, including Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Stuttgart, operate an Umweltzone (environmental zone) covering the city centre. Vehicles entering these zones must display a valid Umweltplakette emissions badge, and enforcement is strict. This affects which vehicle can reach your delivery address and where it can stop. We confirm the Umweltzone requirements for your address at the survey stage and plan the delivery vehicle accordingly.
Customs Since Brexit
Germany is an EU member state, so moving personal belongings from the UK now requires customs clearance. People relocating permanently can usually claim relief on relocation goods (Übersiedlungsgut), which allows used household goods to enter the EU free of import duty and VAT if the residency and ownership conditions are met. This requires a detailed, valued inventory and documentation confirming your change of residence, submitted to German customs (Zoll). We guide you through the paperwork and coordinate at the border. We are not customs or tax advisers, so we recommend confirming your eligibility with Zoll before the move.
Planning Your UK to Germany Move
A well-planned international removal takes the pressure off the day itself. Here is how the process runs:
- Get a quote – call 0800 0195 525 or with your moving date, UK address, German destination, and a rough idea of your volume.
- Pre-move survey – we assess your items in person or by video call, confirm the volume, and identify anything needing specialist packing or dismantle.
- Packing day – our team arrives the day before loading to pack, wrap, and label everything by room.
- Loading and departure – our crew loads your home item by item, and the vehicle departs via the Channel crossing from Folkestone or Dover.
- Delivery and placement – we unload and place items at your German address, with reassembly of any dismantled furniture included.
Ready to Move to Germany?
or call the team on 0800 0195 525. You can also explore the service pages below.
Independently verified professional removals
Call 0800 0195 525 or complete our online quote form. We will ask for your moving date, your UK collection address, your German delivery address, and an idea of the volume — number of bedrooms is a useful starting point. We then follow up with a pre-move survey before confirming final pricing in writing.
Transit times vary with distance and whether you choose a full load or a part load. A full-load move from Kent to a major German city typically takes two to four days from loading to delivery. Part-load moves take longer because your belongings may be consolidated with other loads travelling the same route. We confirm an estimated delivery window before the move date so you can plan around it.
Yes. We offer full packing, partial packing, and fragile-only packing. For an international move we recommend at least fragile-only packing for breakables, glass, and high-value items. Our team brings the right materials to your address on packing day and labels everything by room for easier unpacking at the German end. When we pack, your belongings are covered under our insurance from the point of packing. See our packing services page.
Yes. Our Ashford warehouse holds up to 250 individually allocated containers across 13,000 sq ft. If there is a gap between leaving your UK home and gaining access to your German property, we hold your belongings at the Wotton Trading Estate site from £13.80 per week including VAT, for as short or as long as needed. See our storage options.
Stranks holds full BAR membership, including the BAR Advanced Payment scheme, and is certified to BS EN 12522, the British Standard for furniture removal services for private individuals, covering our processes, training, vehicles and storage. We are also a Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman member and Checkatrade certified. We carry goods-in-transit and public liability insurance for European moves.