Moving from Canada to the UK: prepare both sides of the handover.

Make the Canadian collection clear

Give the province, town and postal code when known, with stairs, lift access and the place a vehicle can load. Explain whether you will be present or someone else will hand over the belongings after you leave. Include that person's role and any limits on access when discussing the arrangements. Collection from your home and transport from a departure point should be distinguished in the quotation.

Check the right to live in the UK

Your nationality and purpose of stay decide which immigration checks apply. A British citizen returning home and a Canadian citizen moving to work, study or join family can need different preparation. Use the official visa checker for every family member's circumstances. Visitor permission is not a route to make the UK your main home through repeated visits. Keep immigration decisions separate from the customs treatment of your furniture.

Official guidance: Check the UK visa you need · UK visitor rules

Ask about school places before the delivery date

For a move to England, contact the local council for the receiving area about admissions and an arrival during the school year. Applications can be made from overseas; ask what evidence is needed while your address is provisional. The right to enter or reside is a separate question. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own education arrangements, so check the relevant authority for the actual destination.

Official guidance: School applications for children moving from overseas · How to apply for a school place in England

Separate your travel date from the belongings' arrival

Your flight to the UK does not set the delivery date for your furniture. Tell us when the Canadian property must be cleared and when the UK home will have keys and someone available to receive the shipment. If the address is unsettled, give the town or area and explain the uncertainty. Ask how the assessed collection, transport and delivery stages will fit together.

Check UK household-goods relief before relying on it

HMRC transfer-of-residence relief can apply to a main-home move to Great Britain or to Northern Ireland from outside the EU. Standard household conditions include 12 consecutive months living outside the UK, six months of possession and import within 12 months of moving, with limits on later transfer. Ordinary main-home claims need HMRC approval using ToR1 before relief is claimed. Student and marriage routes have different provisions. Check your circumstances and agree who submits the import documents.

Official guidance: HMRC transfer-of-residence guidance

Prepare a useful inventory and packing brief

List what you will bring from Canada, including estimated boxes and furniture that may need dismantling. Flag new purchases, fragile pieces and anything whose suitability for the UK home needs checking. You can upload a list, photographs or other supporting information instead of writing it all again. Keep passports and documents needed for travel out of the shipment.

• The belongings being collected and anything still undecided.
• Packing requirements and particular-item care.
• UK postcode when known, floors, lifts and unloading access.

Keep a separate Canadian departure checklist

Alongside the removals plan, contact the relevant organisations about your Canadian home, accounts and departure. The Canada Revenue Agency explains how residential ties affect tax residence when leaving. The date your boxes leave does not by itself settle that question. Review the official guidance or obtain advice for your circumstances, rather than assuming the moving quotation covers tax or immigration work.

Official guidance: Canada Revenue Agency: leaving Canada

Agree who handles UK delivery

Check whether the proposal includes delivery to your property, unloading and any unpacking or placement you request. Clarify the receiving person, document responsibilities and charges outside the quoted scope. Keep the inventory and receiving contact current if plans change. A later address or access change may need the proposal to be reviewed.