Are you thinking about moving to New Zealand?
If so, you’re making a great choice. New Zealand ranks above average for a whole range of quality of life measures, including health status, personal security, housing, jobs and earnings, and income and wealth.
If you’re going to move everything you own to a new country, you want to be sure you can find an international moving company you can trust.
Read on as we take a look at how to find the right international movers for you.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
The most important piece of advice is to not leave things until the last minute.
You should start your search for an international moving company in plenty of time. This ensures that you can take your time in choosing the right company but it also means you have a much better chance of getting the moving dates that you need.
Ask Around
One of the best ways to find an international moving company you can trust is to ask around.
If friends or family have used an international moving company, they will be able to give you fair and unbiased feedback about how well the company performed. This can be invaluable when trying to find a trusted moving company.
If you don’t know anyone who has used international movers, then you can look at online reviews to narrow down your search. Make sure to take the very best and very worst reviews with a pinch of salt.
Look For Relevant Experience
You want to find a company with international moving experience, but it also needs to be relevant experience.
There’s no point in hiring a company that has a lot of experience in shipping to Europe but has never done an international move to New Zealand. Without the relevant experience, they’re not going to know the ins and outs of making the move go as smoothly as possible.
Check They Have Relevant Licences and Affiliations
The very best international moving companies will have all the relevant licences and affiliations so that you know you can trust them.
Look for affiliations with major global moving networks such as OMNI or FIDI. This ensures that the company you’re using is reputable and one you can trust.
You should also be sure that they have the requisite insurance cover. You should always consider taking out movers insurance of your own to ensure that your belongings are covered.
Is Storage Offered?
When you’re moving to another country, your preference may be to move to the country first and then look for a place to live, rather than the other way round.
If so, you might still want to ship your belongings before you’re found your new home. If that’s the case, you’re going to need storage. Using a moving company that can offer removals and storage makes the whole process much easier.
Make sure that they offer secure customs bonded storage facilities.
How Will The Quote Be Calculated?
There’s a big difference between a quote and an estimate.
Some companies will offer you a price based on a rough estimate of how many household good items you need to move. When it comes time to move, you may find that the actual cost is significantly different to this estimate.
The best companies will give you a firm quote by using their global affiliates to make an in-person inspection of the property to be shipped.
The very best companies can even offer online quotes using a smartphone or tablet to view your belongings. This ensures you get an accurate quote without having to allow people into your home.
Who Will Pack?
You should be wary of moving companies that don’t offer a packing service.
Whilst most good moving companies will give you the option to pack your belongings, when you’re shipping goods internationally it’s always best to leave this up to the professionals.
They have the relevant experience to ensure that all of your belongings are packed appropriately and arrive at your destination in one piece.
Will Your Property Be Shipped Direct?
The more stops that your belongings have to make, the more likely it is that things can go wrong.
If everything you own is being loaded and unloaded multiple times in order to reach the final destination, then there’s a much higher chance that things can be damaged or even lost.
Check the moving company contract to find out whether your goods are going to be shipped directly or not.
Are Employees Vetted?
When you move to a new country, you are putting everything you own into the hands of strangers.
That’s why it’s vital that you find a company that thoroughly vets all of its employees so that you don’t need to worry about your belongings. The best international moving companies will make full checks on all their employees.
Cost
A key factor in your final decision will be the cost.
However, you need to ensure you’re comparing like with like. Quotes that don’t include packing services will be lower than those that do, for example.
It’s also important to remember that the most expensive service won’t necessarily be the best, just as the cheapest option may not always work out the most economical in the long term. If you opt for the cheapest quote but end up with damage to your belongings, you may end up paying more overall.
Are You Looking for an International Moving Company?
If you’re searching for an international moving company for your move to New Zealand, then look no further.
Here at NZ Van Lines, we handle over 5,500 shipments of household goods into New Zealand every single year. Your insurance, storage, and moving needs are all taken care of so you can spend more time focusing on setting up your new home. We belong to the two most prestigious global agent networks (FIDI and OMNI) and we ranked in the top 5% worldwide when externally audited by FAIM.
Get a quote today and let us take care of all your international moving and storage needs.
