Transportation

I have no experience of container shipping, but the people I bought my property in Spain from paid £3,000 for a one-way transport of their contents back to the UK from Murcia by road - and that appears to be average from a reputable company.

It depends on how much contents you're moving and, to an extent, your confidence in driving a van long distances for several days.

I would suggest flying out to Spain (or driving your car if you have one and are planning on bringing it over), then hire a van here, drive back to the UK 'empty' and then you come back and finish where you want to be - in Spain.

You can drive up to a 13.5 tonne lorry / van on a standard licence, but they are few and far between to rent. So, if you are confident with the volume of contents you plan to bring over, you can rent a large 'Luton' style van for about £500 for a week, but then you need to add on fuel - say another £500+, depending on where in the UK you are - London is about 1,300 miles each way.

Then there's potentially motorway tolls (avarage £200 each way); channel tunnel (£100); hotels - you could push it and do it in 2 days from the South of England, but 3 days would be safer (£50 per night - so £300 return). So you're nearly up to £2,000.

Then you need to be confident that you can (physically) lift, load and secure down your contents and then unload in Spain.

We have a holiday home, but plan to retire here in about 5 years (health & finances willing!) and this is what we plan to do, with a couple of my mates for help!

These guys offer 1-way van hire

https://www.way2gohire.com/home/

We did it in 2017. Total cost £1500

- Luton van (tail-lift), ferry, fuel, insurance, and a hotel

Hi, our stuff is currently en route with Mar Menor Removals from Northumberland to Camposol. We are paying £1,700 for approx 17 cubic meters in a twin wheeled trailer. 

Lots of man and van UK to Spain removers. average 100€\£

just lookat te Facebooklocal pages to where you are moving to in Spain  and you'll find recommendations 

Hi, Unfortunately RichT is in error by quoting 13.5 tonnes is permissable to be driven with an UK driving licence. 7.5 tonnes GVW is the limit on a standard UK licence.

Sorry Bill, if you passed your test in last 20 years (mine was 2002) you are only able to drive a 3.5 ton van. I dont know when rules changed but you have to have C class to drive a 7.5 ton which my hubby had passing test in 1975 but lost it on renewal at 70yrs. Lutons are 3.5 ton and we now have a lwb Sprinter also 3.5ton.

As an extra to this thread, we were astonished how empty the van was last September (our first trip over with goods) which having taken it to weighbride first couldnt believe to stay within weight limit just how much space there was. I shudder to think if we had filled it, but we were too scared should Spanish police pull us up. 

Regards

Pauline.

Hi Paul,

Sorry, I passed my test in 1964 and my HGV 1 (now LGV) in 1972....so I was only addressing oldies, not young spring chickens like your goodself! By the way, was also a director of M.A.N.and later Renault Trucks in the UK!!

I passed my UK test in 1977.

I had a standard car licence, but it included category C1 - vans up to 7500kg

Last year my wife and I switched to Spanish licences. The new plastic licence duly arrived. I put it in my wallet and forgot about it.

I am going back to England for a few days to help my daughter move flats. I have arranged to rent a van.

But ... having checked my new Spanish licence, I now only have a B category. The picture on the licence shows a car, but on checking the codes, I can drive up to 3500kg. No problem for me, but one to be aware of .... switching to a Spanish licence can remove categories.

Also, the rear of the licence shows my licence start date as 1977. When I entered the licence issue date (from the front of the licence) into the rental company website, the licence was rejected, as it suggests that I have had a licence for less then 2 years.

Wow Bill, "spring chicken" at 70yrs, thankyou I,ll take that, though I,m sure you,re not that much older.

Regards

Pauline.