Thursday, 26 April 2007

Removal schedule update

APRIL

Week commencing: 30th April - 2 removal vans departing from the UK for Belgium and Germany. Can collect from all Belgian and North Germany cities and deliver throughout the UK.

May

7th-8th May: Space available for collections in Brussels for delivery to UK cities w/c 14th May

w/c 14th May: Regular trip UK - Southern Spain

w/c 28th May: Departing UK for Parma, Italy. Can collect from UK for delivery 31st May/1st June. Can collect from France for delivery to UK w/c 4th June

JUNE

w/c 4th June: We will have a van in Belgium with space available for collections. Delivery to UK w/c 11th June

JULY

w/c 2nd July: Large removal van departing UK for Marseilles. Space available for outward and return journey


Capital Worldwide Limited
Web site: http://www.capital-worldwide.com
Email: moving@capital-worldwide.com
Phone: 02 535 7430

Tuesday, 24 April 2007

VAT & insurance scam by cowboy mover hurts everyone

Small sized movers operating from the UK can benefit from not having to register for VAT if their annual sales are below something like £60,000, but in Belgium this is not the case. But I have discovered that a small moving firm advertising in Brussels, a name I am prevented by law from giving, is providing quotes with Belgian VAT added on (21%) but is not registered for VAT; not in Belgium nor in the UK.

I was intrigued as to how this firm this could offer to beat all other prices. So I asked for a quote and enquired which VAT number I could give to my employer. All VAT numbers can easily be checked by going to this EU run site: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/en/vieshome.htm
So I entered the VAT number this firm had given me and lo and behold it wasn't a valid number. So I went back to the firm and told them that the number wasn't valid, the response was to give me a UK VAT number. I was able to check this too and found that I had been given the VAT number of a reputable British moving firm that had no connection whatsoever with this firm in Brussels. But he was charging 21% VAT on top of the price!

Why should you bother if the price is the lowest you've received? Firstly, this firm is engaging in a criminal act. Secondly, the firm is pocketing the VAT as pure profit, which means that, although the firm has provided a price lower than that of its competitors, he's actually cheating you. Thirdly, legitimate movers who have quoted a price in good faith, and who have to account for VAT, are losing out to what is basically a cowboy operator. Everyone loses, except the cowboy.

There's worse to come. I asked about the insurance because I was being quoted 2.5% of value, something I know is well over the moving industry's average. I was given the name of a UK insurer whom I know stopped offering insurance polices for household goods moves two years ago. This is fraud, plain and simple. My guess is the firm is pocketing the insurance money just like the VAT scam it's operating.


Capital Worldwide Limited
Web site: http://www.capital-worldwide.com
Email: moving@capital-worldwide.com
Phone: 02 535 7430

Wednesday, 18 April 2007

Southern Spain, Grenoble & S. France, Germany

Southern Spain

We have a removal van leaving the UK for Southern Spain every 18 days. We can collect from anywhere in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and include in the next or following trips.

The next van due to depart will be leaving the UK the week commencing 23rd April.

Grenoble, France

Week commencing 23rd April, we have a van returning from Grenoble to England

Belgium & Germany

Week commencing 30th April, we have two removal vans departing UK for Belgian and German destinations. We have space on both these vans for the outward and return journey.

South of France

Week commencing 14th May, departing UK for S.France. We have space on this van for both the outward and return journey


Capital Worldwide Limited
Web site: http://www.capital-worldwide.com
Email: moving@capital-worldwide.com
Phone: 02 535 7430

Tuesday, 17 April 2007

Avoid sharing the same expert

No changes to the vehicle schedules, but here's some advice if you are planning to move to or from Belgium. In the 19 years I've been living and working in Brussels with the expatriate community, one issue has dominated the relocation procedure - the etat de lieux.

The problem starts when you move to Brussels, because if no one has told you what to expect then how can you know what is the best procedure to follow. Most landlords and their agents will kindly suggest that you share the cost of the Expert-Géometres, and on face value it looks to be a good offer. What you are not told is:


1. The Expert's fees before you agree so that you know what your share will be
2. That you are entitled to have your own Expert present
3. That the Expert chosen by the landlord might be the same Expert who handles all the landlord's properties and who might be forgiven for having the landlord's best interest before yours.


Many customer's that I've moved have not been aware of their rights to appoint their own Expert, and some have paid sums equal to the Expert's full fees and not just 50% as was agreed. But most of all, people are frightened about the inspection because they have heard that landlords are looking to keep some of the deposit. When you have your own Expert the first thing you gain is peace of mind. Your Expert will represent you on the day of the inspection and will have to negotiate any costs for repairs etc. with the landlord's Expert, thus avoiding a worrying face to face stand off with the landlord also gain because there's no way the landlord can rip you off with outrageous charges.

The Union Belge des Géometres-Experts is the official organisation representing the profession. Their web page allows you to enter the commune in which you live and then provides a list of local Experts. Remember that your Expert should be fluent in the language the etat de lieux was written in.

If you are leaving Belgium, you must have notified the landlord, by registered mail, of your intention to appoint your own Expert no later than 15 working days before the rental contract expires.


Capital Worldwide Limited
Web site: http://www.capital-worldwide.com
Email: moving@capital-worldwide.com
Phone: 02 535 7430

Thursday, 12 April 2007

Belgium's British Removal Company

New! Removal van coming from Britain can collect from all major cities the week of 30th April to 4th May, and deliver within Belgium Tuesday, 8th May.

New! Removal van coming from Parma, Italy can collect from all of Italy, France or Germany 1st June and deliver to Belgium 4th/5th June

New! Removal van returning to Britain can collect from Belgium 4/5th June and deliver to all UK destinations same week or early the week after

Call Peter McEwan to discuss your requirements. No move is too small.

Capital Worldwide Limited
Web site: http://www.capital-worldwide.com
Email: moving@capital-worldwide.com
Phone: 02 535 7430

Wednesday, 11 April 2007

Moving to Belgium, moving from Belgium

This Blog is a resource to bring information about our removal schedules direct to potential customers. When we have a van booked to arrive in Brussels on a certain date there's space available for other consignments. Therefore we can often sell this space to you at lower prices.

Take a look at the dates the truck will be in Belgium. If you have something to come to Belgium or to be collected from Belgium, send Peter McEwan an Email with a list of the items and boxes you want to move and Peter will send you a quote by return:

Our first van will be arriving in Brussels on Thursday, 26th April. We can load your personal effects either on the Thursday or on Friday, 27th April.

The van will be delivering to London and Cambridge on Saturday 28th April, but we can also make deliveries to London and the Home Counties the following week.

We can collect from anywhere in the UK between now and 24th April and guarantee delivery to Belgium on Wednesday, 25th April.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Capital Worldwide Limited
Web site: http://www.capital-worldwide.com
Email: moving@capital-worldwide.com
Phone: 02 535 7430