Why Choose White & Company?
Planning to move to Madrid in the near future? Here’s just a few reasons why you should consider White & Company as your designated removals specialist:
- offices & storage depots in Spain & UK
- door-to-door packing & removals
- founder member of BAR, FIDI & OMNI
- award winning service
- established in the UK since 1871
- fully insured
- dedicated team of trained professionals
- tailored removals package
We’re founder members of the British Association of Removers, FIDI & OMNI and have been providing removal and shipping services to destinations all over the world for more than 135 years.
Whether you’re moving to the trendy lower ebbs of Malasaña or the family friendly and expat haven of Salamanca our specialist local knowledge will help ensure your belongings arrive safely, without disruption.
Our removals service
We offer weekly removals services to and from Madrid.
This includes either full load consignments that take your belongings direct from point A to B, or part loads that are delivered shortly after your arrival.
Our extensive fleet of vehicles, specialist local knowledge and experienced staff make us the standout choice for all removals to Madrid.
We can arrange a free no obligation home survey and quotation, carried out by one of our qualified surveyors. They will answer any questions you have and offer advice where necessary.
The survey will determine the volume of effects you will be shipping. The total cost of shipment is based on the space your effects will take up in our vehicles.
Regular removals to Madrid
Our dedicated team in Madrid will ensure all the relevant paperwork and customs clearance is processed correctly. They will arrange the unloading and unpacking of your household goods.
Upon arrival at your local depot, all effects are transferred to the export warehouse to await loading into a 20ft or 40ft container.
Depot Locations
White & Company offers secure containerised storage facilities via its own depots.
We have 19 strategically placed storage facilities throughout the UK and Spain to choose from.
Recognition
We are founder members of the British Association of Removers, FIDI & OMNI – the voices of the removals industry in the UK and worldwide.
All our warehouses are clean, dry, secure and accredited to European Standard BS EN 14873.
Insurance
Despite our best efforts sometimes items get damaged or things go amiss. White & Company always try to minimise problems during the moving process. That’s why we offer limited liability insurance.
Marine insurance is a key consideration when shipping overseas. We recommend you consider protecting your valuable personal possessions while in transit or storage with our ‘All Risk’ Marine Standard Liability cover.
Marine Insurance Cover is offered to you on receipt of a completed Overseas Valuation Form. Such insurance cover is ‘Comprehensive’ and ‘All Risk’ and is based on the values as declared by you on the Overseas Valuation Form.
Moving to Madrid? Get a removals quote
Preparing for Your Move
Moving to Madrid from the UK is a different prospect than moving locally. Navigating Madrid’s districts is a difficult prospect for those inexperienced or unfamiliar with its streets and customs.
White & Company have been transporting household items and goods to Madrid for many years and can make the process run smoothly on the day.
Our experience moving team can help put you at ease and answer any questions you might have about the process of moving abroad.
Below are some useful tips to consider before you move to Madrid:
- Register to settle in Spain (over 3 months), at a local Oficina de Extranjeros for a residence certificate.
- Search and secure work prior to your departure – although unemployment is relatively high in the city, there are plenty of opportunities for resourceful expats in Madrid.
- Rent before you buy – Madrid is split into 21 districts (distritos), each with their own unique culture. They are further subdivided into 128 administrative wards (barrios),
- Secure school places before you leave – there are a mix of public and international schools but as a result of the sizeable expat population they are in high demand.
- Vaccinate and microchip your pets and obtain the necessary paperwork they need to move with you.
- Start taking language lessons – Speaking Spanish will not only elevate your job prospects but will also help you to integrate into life in Madrid.
Popular Districts in Madrid
When it comes to picking a place to live there are a range of districts to choose from. Each with their own unique personality:
- Chamberi
- Chueca
- Ciudad Lineal
- Latina
- Lavapies
- Madrid Centro
- Malasaña
- Moncloa
- Moratalaz
- Puente Vallecas
- Retiro
- Salamanca
- Tetuan
- Usera
Where you choose to live will largely depend on your budget and personal circumstances. There are a range of districts in the city of Madrid, offering people moving to Madrid different options to suit all lifestyles.
FAQs
Finding a job in Madrid, like the rest of the country, has become harder since the economic crisis which greatly impacted Spain and caused high levels of youth unemployment.
As such competition for places is fierce but it is not impossible to find work here.
Madrid is still recognised as Spain’s major business centre with 16% of all companies in Spain located here, including Accenture, Aegon, PwC, IBM and Ericsson, to name a few.
Being able to speak some level of Spanish will give you an edge when applying for jobs even if you are not fluent.
Everyday items are a little cheaper compared to the UK. A basic lunchtime meal will cost around €10 (£8.74) and general groceries cost less when bought from local markets.
One ticket for the movies costs €8 (£7) and a monthly ticket on public transport is €50 (£44).
You will find that rent in Madrid is higher than the rest of Spain but still significantly cheaper than most places in the UK.
Currently, you can expect to pay approximately €886 (£775) for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre. Prices drop to around €650 (£565) outside of the main districts.
A three-bedroom family property will cost anywhere in the region of €1,200 and €2,000 monthly and this will need to be factored against other living costs such as school fees and food shopping.
You must obtain your NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjer) as soon as possible. Without this, buying or renting a property is much more complicated.
You will also need your NIE to buy a car and to obtain a local mobile phone contract.
Once you have your NIE number you can apply for your social security number. A process which is called ‘empadronamiento’ and can be carried out at the local town hall.
There are 21 districts in the city of Madrid, offering people moving to Madrid different options to suit all lifestyles.
The barrio of Salamanca is an upscale but quiet neighbourhood with no shortage of quality restaurants and prime real estate.
Being just two minutes from Retiro, one of Madrid’s most loved parks and with lots of local international schools it is a firm favourite among growing families.
For young professionals looking for a taste of Madrid’s exuberant nightlife head to Malasaña, a trendy and hip part of town, decorated with street art and late night tapas bars.
Even if you bank with a Spanish bank in the UK, such as Santander you will need to register and open a separate account in Spain.
You can open a non-resident’s bank account without an NIE number, but you will have to change this once you have your NIE number.
To open a bank account in Madrid you must be other 18 years of age and bring the following documents:
- Photographic proof of identity such as a passport.
- Proof of your occupation status (employment contract or payslip)
- Confirmation of address (utility bill, driving licence or council tax bill no older than 3 months)
EU citizens are free to purchase property in Madrid and there are no restrictions.
When going through the process of buying through a vendor you should consult a Spanish speaking realtor and ensure:
Before you complete your property purchase you should make sure that:
• you have seen the land registry extract (nota simple), available from the Colegio de Registradores (translations into English for an additional fee)
• the property and land for sale match the details registered and the sellers are the registered owner(s)
• there are no debts or charges, such as a mortgage, on the property
• there are no legal proceedings initiated against the property for contravention of planning law
Madrid is the capital of Spain and the third largest city in the European Union with around 3.3 million inhabitants.
From Egyptian architecture to trendy tapas bars and restaurants, Madrid effortlessly blends the ancient with the modern.
Despite its size and reputation Madrid still exhibits a strong community feel with a slower pace of live enjoyed by a melting pot of expat cultures and one of the largest Erasmus populations.
You can expect a good standard of living, great socialising opportunities, excellent medical facilities, and of course the stunning Mediterranean weather.
Whatever your passions or interests there is an activity in Madrid to keep you occupied.
From art galleries and large shopping plazas to watching two of the greatest modern football teams do battle (Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid).
Other headline attractions to choose from include:
• Madrid’s Royal Palace the ‘Palacio Real’ was built in 1764 and boasts more than 2,500 ornately decorated rooms.
• The Plaza Mayor is the most famous and oldest of Madrid’s plazas and hosts a Christmas market in December.
• The Museo del Prado – The 18th century structure designed by architect Juan de Villanueva houses one of the world’s finest art collections.
• The Parque del Buen Retiro or El Retiro is a 350-acre spread of gardens, fountains and buildings located at the edge of the city centre
• The Gran Via is lined with hundreds of shops, restaurants and businesses. It was home to the Telefónica Building, which was the tallest building in Europe when it was completed in 1929.
Getting around a compact city like Madrid is surprisingly easy with everything a walk or short Metro train away.
The Madrid Metro is one of the best public transit systems in the world. It’s also very affordable with a 10 ride Metrobus ticket allowing you to travel on both the buses and metro for around €12 (£10.40).
Madrid is well placed for travelling around the rest of the country due to its central location. High speed Renfe trains serve all the major cities (Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, etc) and you can easily be in another European country in just a few hours.
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