When moving overseas you can come across terms and acronyms that the industry use that can confuse. Below we have put together a list of the most common and tried to explain the reasons behind some of them and where they might be used.

Access
The availability to park a vehicle near to your property, overhanging trees, narrow roads, the distance from the front door to the vehicle, steps upto or down to your front door, availably of lifts, how many floors above or below ground level and so on all have an influence on access. Basically the further the removal men have to carry your goods to their vehicle will prolong the loading and unloading procedure adding to costs.

Agent
Usually your mover will appoint another company to act as a partner in your move, receiving your belongings at your destination, clear them through customs and deliver them to your new address. This removal company will be referred to as their agent and their fees should be included in your quotation.

Bill of Lading
A contact with your carrier for the transportation of your goods and is also your receipt for them. Your signature on this document recognises that your goods have been loaded on the removal van or container and "released to the carrier".

Binding quote
A guaranteed price based on a inventory of items to be moved that the removal company has been shown.

Bonded Warehouse
A warehouse that holds goods to be stored before clearance by customs that have to meet with local customs specifications.

Chargeable Weight
The weight used by an airline to determine the air fright charge.

COD (cash on delivery)
Payment made at the time of delivery and usually required in cash, Bankers draft or credit card unless prior arrangements have been arranged.

Consignee
The person to whom the goods (shipment) is to be delivered.

Container
When moving overseas by sea your belongings will be loaded into a modular steel box usually 20ft or 40ft in length. This is called a container and can sometimes be transported to your door by road or rail. When moving into store most removal companies also use the term container referring to 250 Cuft wooden boxes that your belongings are packed into and unloaded into their warehouse by forklift these are different to the containers used to ship your belongings overseas.

Crate
A timber case that is purpose built to put a single or multiple items into. If the company refers to an item and says that it will require crating then they will build a crate for the item to be packed into. These crates have to be specially made to conform with certain countries import regulations and often treated with insecticide. Sometimes called a Liftvan

Cu ft
Cubic Feet. A way of measuring the volume of belongings you have to move. Arrived at by multiplying the width, height and depth together. A removal estimator can tell just by looking at an item what its cubic footage is. A average washing machine would be between 12 and 15 Cuft for example.

Cu M
Cubic Metres. Same as above but metric. Cubic metres is more commonly used when moving overseas or Europe.

Customs Clearance
A formal inspection procedure that is carried out before the shipment will be allowed (cleared) into a country.

CWT
An abbreviation that stands for charge per 100 pounds.

Declared Value
A value declared by the owner or goods for the purpose of insurance. The declared value is important that it reflects the true value of your belongings as it forms the basis of your insurance cover.

Destination Agent
A removal company that has been appointed to act on your behalf at the destination.

Export Wrapping
This is a method used to pack household and personal belongings. It is a time intensive exercise as everything is packed or wrapped for protection before being loaded onto a van or into a container. The materials used are usually heavier and more specialised the the normal household removal materials.

FCL (Full Container Load)
A container only containing your belongings exclusively.

Groupage
When you don't have enough belongings to fill a container you can save money by sending "groupage". Your items to be shipped will be collected and grouped together with other items to fill a container. The shipping cost of this should be a lot lower but delivery will take longer as the container will not be sent until its full.

Insrance Certificate
A document given to you by an insurance company that you will need in the event of a claim.

Inventory
A list of all your belongings that are to be moved or in storage.

LCL (less than a Container Load)
Where you belongings do not fill a container to be shipped.

Liftvans
A crate specially made and used when packing your belongings.

Linehaul
The cost to move your belongings from the point of collection often the dockside to its final point of destination.

Marine Insurance
Specifically covering your belongings whilst in transit over long distances and/or across water by vehicle, ship or aircraft. The policy will cover specific marine risks. All companies that sell insurance policies in the UK now have to be registered with the FSA www.fsa.gov.uk

Origin Agent
The removal company appointed to handle your removal at origin.

PBO (Packed By Owner)
Used when you have chosen to pack your belongings yourself either into your own boxes or ones supplied by a removal company. Insurance companies often refuse to insure goods not packed by professional removal companies. Custom officers are also more likely to open these boxes to check the items inside.

Packers
Persons in charge of wrapping and packing your belongings into boxes and loading onto a van or container at origin and also unloading and unpacking your belongings at the destination.

Packing List
A document that lists all the goods that are packed in a shipment. There are 4 purposes for this document.

• Used to check the goods at all stages of handling and damage noted.
• A receipt, to be signed by the consignee
• Attached to the insurance certificate as evidence that the goods were shipped and their condition at the time of packing.
• By customs clearance as proof of the goods that are being imported.

Routing
The route a shipment will take to reach its destination as well as mode of transportation i.e. Sea, Air etc.

Shipper
The person whose goods are being moved (shipped).

SIT (Storage In Transit)
Temporary storage of your belongings in the warehouse of the removal company at either origin or destination, pending the completion of delivery.

Survey
A company representative will visit your home to asses the volume of goods to be removed, for the purpose of supplying a quotation.

Transit time
The time between collection and delivery of you belongings.

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