Why Choose White & Company?
Planning to move to Costa Blanca in the near future? Here’s just a few of the reasons why you should consider choosing 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 are 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 over 135 years.
Whether you’re moving from Manchester to Spain, or the countryside to Costa Blanca, our highly trained removals team are equipped to deliver to any city, town or island.
Our removals service
We offer weekly removals services to and from the Costa Blanca.
This includes either full load consignments that take your belongings directly 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 the Costa Blanca.
We can arrange a free no obligation home survey and quotation to 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 vehicle.
Regular removals to Costa Blanca
Our dedicated team in Costa Blanca, will ensure that all the relevant paperwork and customs clearance is processed correctly and 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, with 19 strategically placed storage facilities throughout the UK and Spain to choose from.
Recognition
White & Company are founder members of the British Association of Removers, FIDI & OMNI, the voices of the removals industry both in the UK and internationally.
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 that you consider protecting your valuable personal possessions while in transit and/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 Marine Insurance Cover is ‘Comprehensive’ and ‘All Risk’ and is based on the values as declared by you on the Overseas Valuation Form.
Moving to Costa Blanca? Get a removals quote
Preparing for Your Move
With year round sunshine and a ‘Que sera sera’ attitude life on Costa Blanca is well sought after.
Moving to Costa Blanca from the UK is a very different prospect than moving locally however. There are lots of cultural differences and plenty of things you will need to plan and prepare for.
White & Company have been transporting household items and goods to Costa Blanca for many years and can make the process run smoothly on the day.
Our experienced 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 Costa Blanca:
- Register to settle in Costa Blanca (over 3 months), at a local Oficina de Extranjeros for a residence certificate (a process called empadronamiento)
- Rent before you buy –there are plenty of short and long term lets which will allow you to explore the area you want to live in before you commit to a purchase.
- Consider renting in Costa Blanca before buying to check the area is right for you and has access to work, schools, etc.
- Secure school places in Costa Blanca before you leave – state-run schools are free but many expats send their children to independent, English and International schools on the coast.
- Explore healthcare options – to access the Spanish public healthcare system you will need to apply for a “tarjeta Sanitaria” (social security card) from your local health centre.
- Start taking language lessons – Speaking Spanish will not only elevate your job prospects but will also help you to integrate into life on the Costa Blanca.
- Vaccinate and microchip your pets and obtain the necessary paperwork they need to move with you.
- Start taking Spanish lessons before you go, to help integrate quicker and gain higher paid work.
Popular Destinations in Costa Blanca
- Alicante
- Alcoy
- Benidorm
- Elda
- Petrer
- Santa Pola
- Torrevieja
- Villena
FAQs
Sitting on the south-eastern coast of Spain, the name Costa Blanca translates as ‘White Coast’ and covers 120 miles of the Mediterranean coastline in the Alicante province and within the autonomous region of Valencia.
The area incorporates 18 towns, arguably the most famous of which are Benidorm, Alicante and Denia.
Being close to the sea, life very much centres around the beach and outdoor living. The region is extremely busy in the height of the summer months and packed with tourists.
The terrain in southern Costa Blanca is relatively flat and perfect for hiking or cycling. Closer to the towns you will find that the neighbourhoods are very built up. You will find some excellent restaurants and bars where you can experience typical Spanish cuisine at great prices.
The further North you travel the hillier and more mountainous the land becomes. It also receives more gets more rainfall than other regions and as a result is a much greener area of Spain.
You can still expect the weather to be good however with temperatures regularly reaching and often exceeding the mid-thirties during the months of June, July and August. Indian summers are not uncommon either with very mild Septembers and Octobers.
Finding work will depend on your skills and like most of Spain, unemployment is high which means there is lots of competition for places.
You will also find the way you find your job is different to that of the UK. There are very fewer employment agencies online with most vacancies filled either through word of mouth, adverts in local business windows, or by searching the newspaper classifieds.
Many expats have taken to creating niche businesses and there is great scope for providing services to expats. With a little imagination and ingenuity you can create a small business which will generate enough income to fund your Spanish lifestyle.
Those with knowledge of boating have opened holiday boat hire companies which also specialise in deep sea fishing trips.
English and Irish bars are popular with holiday makers and are another area of employment, as are catering jobs and hospitality management in big chain hotels.
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 Spain you must be over 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)
There are many attractions and places of interest to visit in Costa Blanca and along its coastline.
Benidorm is famous for its vibrant nightlife and entertainment parks, including Terra Mitica and Aqualandia.
The small villages dotted along the coast, offer refuge for those looking to escape the crowds, and areas like Villajoyosa just south of Benidorm, are famous for their cuisine and chocolate-making in particular.
Shopping is well catered for throughout the region with major complexes catering for everything from high end designer stores to beach front swimwear, hats and sunglasses.
Water sports of every type are very popular also, including kite surfing, water skiing and kayaking. Every town has its own selection of boat hire companies and you can even take a boat out yourself or hire a crew and take a chartered trip around the stunning coastline.
For golf lovers there are twenty-three golf courses in the region to choose from and most welcome new members readily.
Getting around the Costa Blanca is relatively trouble-free. The road conditions are good there is plenty of parking in the towns and villages along the coast.
If you do not drive, there are plenty of taxi’s and busses, however there are no public railways. As the region is pretty flat many locals use a bike to get around. Not only is it a cheap form of travel but its very safe thanks to the established infrastructure of cycle paths and lanes.
The closest airports are Murcia airport or Alicante airport, each offering flights to the UK and the rest of Europe.
One of the biggest draws to moving to Costa Blanca or indeed anywhere in Spain for that matter, is the lower cost of living.
For the most part the cost of everyday items are cheaper than the UK. Below are a few examples of what you are likely to pay:
- A monthly transport pass costs around €40.
- Fuel is around €1.30 per litre.
- A Three course meal for two people in a Mid-range Restaurant €37
- A 20 pack of cigarettes (branded) costs €5 (£4.30)
- A pint of milk costs 95 cents
EU citizens are free to purchase property on Costa Blanca and there are no restrictions.
When going through the process of buying through a vendor you should consult a Spanish speaking realtor and ensure:
- 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
Renting a home when you first arrive means that you have time to research and explore the different neighbourhoods until you find one which suits your personal circumstances.
Costa Brava covers a huge area and so rents vary considerably depending on a variety of factors, including closeness to the coast, main cities and services, as well as the size and type of the property.
As a rough guide, if you are looking to rent a one bedroom property in the centre of Benidorm, you can expect to pay around €483 (£415) per month. Further outside the town centre this drops to around €386 (£332).
Costa Blanca is generally split into two separates halves: the north and the south.
The south tends to have a hotter climate and the terrain is much flatter. It is mainly populated by small beach towns with high rise apartments overlooking the coast and scores of red and white brick villas littered in and amongst leafy expat complexes.
Heading north you will find the terrain becomes a lot more mountainous, with less beaches and more green hills and cliff coves. It’s generally less built up than the south which means its popular by those who value their privacy or want to retire to more peaceful confines.
Those looking to live in and around the popular resort town of Benidorm should look at towns like La Nucia or the coastal villages of Javea or Denia which are popular choices for young families relying on work and school connections.
If you want to life somewhere with much more a Spanish character then Alicante as a city is well thought of with good local services and job opportunities.
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