Storage UK side and Spain side
Indoor depots, flexible duration

Why storage comes up so often on Spanish moves

Storage exists because property dates rarely line up, and on a Spanish purchase they line up less often than most. The UK sale completes on schedule; the signing of the escritura before the notario moves because a Spanish mortgage offer, the NIE or a utility search is not ready. The goods need somewhere to wait.

Renting first is the other common reason. Many households take a rental for a while to learn an area before buying, and furnished lets leave no room for a houseful of furniture. Our guide to finding a rental property in Spain explains how Spanish tenancies run, including the deposit and the contract terms that affect when you can move in.

How storage runs, step by step

1. We decide with you which side of the crossing the goods should wait on. If the delay is at the Spanish end, holding them in Spain usually means a shorter final leg.
2. Our UK crew collects and inventories everything, exactly as for a direct move.
3. UK-side storage is at our own depot. Spain-side storage is at a partner depot near your destination that we use regularly.
4. For Spain-side storage, the goods are declared to Spanish customs on arrival, so the relief claim is settled before they go into the store.
5. When you have the keys, you tell us, and we book the delivery date with you.
6. Our Spanish destination team delivers and checks every item off against the inventory that went into storage.

What changes the storage figure

Storage is charged separately from the move, by the volume held and by how long it is held. Climate control, extra handling in and out of the depot, and access part-way through, such as collecting a few cartons before the rest, are all itemised. Holding the goods on the Spanish side avoids paying for a second international movement later.

If you do not know how long the delay will be, say so. An open-ended hold is normal on Spanish purchases, and it is easier to plan for one from the start than to extend a fixed booking at short notice. You can also take out a few cartons part-way through, for example to furnish a rental while the purchase completes.

Spain-specific considerations

If your goods reach Spain before you are formally resident, Spanish customs can still grant the transfer-of-residence relief, but they usually ask for an undertaking that you will take up residence, and sometimes a guarantee. We tell you which applies before the goods leave the UK. The customs declarations guide sets out the conditions.

Climate control earns its keep in Spain. Inland stores get hot in summer, and coastal ones can be humid, which is hard on pianos, veneered furniture, paintings and leather. Ask for a climate-controlled unit if your goods include any of these.

While your goods are in storage, you will often be living somewhere temporary. You can register on the padrón at a temporary address you actually live at, and doing so early keeps healthcare and schooling moving. Our padrón guide covers what the ayuntamiento will ask for.