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Two kinds of move from London to Italy

Our London to Italy moves split into two groups. One is a work move to Milan: a rented flat, a fixed start date, a small lift and a portiere. The other is a retirement move to Puglia or Le Marche: a whole house, narrow lanes and old stone buildings. Both need a codice fiscale and proof of residence before the goods clear customs.

How do the two moves compare?

Milan work move compared with a southern or central retirement move
Milan for workPuglia or Le Marche for retirement
Typical homeA rented flat in a condominio, often around a courtyardA masseria, a trullo, or a stone house inside a walled borgo
Getting the vehicle closeArea B and Area C traffic rules, tram lines, double-parked streetsLimited-traffic centres, lanes between dry-stone walls, steep hill-town streets
Getting furniture insideSmall lift, portiere to brief, sometimes an external lift through a windowLow doors, vaulted rooms, outside staircases, long carries from the road
What usually goesA compact flat-load, with the rest left in London storageA whole household, garden furniture and books included
Residence routeWork-based permit sponsored through the jobElective residence visa, based on your own income

Milan

What happens when the lorry reaches a Milan condominio?

Milan's older housing is built around courtyards, from the grand palazzi of Brera to the case di ringhiera of Navigli and Isola, where every flat opens onto a long iron balcony. The building is run by an amministratore, and day to day by the portiere, who keeps the gate and the rules. Expect set hours for moves, a lift that takes two people at a squeeze, and a courtyard you may not drive into. The city adds its own layer. Area C charges vehicles entering the historic centre, and Area B, a wider low-emission zone, restricts which trucks may enter at all. We route the vehicle to comply, book street space with the comune where an external lift is needed, and agree the timing with the portiere. Because most people moving for work start in a short let, we often hold the bulk of the load in London until the permanent flat is signed.

Puglia and Le Marche

Why is a retirement move to Puglia or Le Marche harder on the last mile?

A move from London to a masseria near Ostuni, a trullo outside Martina Franca or a house inside the walls of a Le Marche hill town such as Urbino or Recanati is a whole household going a very long way. The roads in, though, were laid out for carts. In the Valle d'Itria the lanes run between dry-stone walls with no room to turn; in Le Marche the medieval centres are often limited-traffic zones with steep, stepped streets. The usual answer is to park the main truck at the edge and shuttle with a smaller van, which we plan from photos and a survey. Inside, low doorways, vaulted ceilings and outside staircases mean tall pieces come apart. The paperwork has its own rhythm too: retirees usually hold an elective residence visa and register at the comune once they arrive.

What are the codice fiscale and residenza, and why does the move need them?

They are the two pieces of Italian paperwork your removal depends on. The codice fiscale is your tax identification code; you will be asked for it on the lease or deed, by the utilities and on the customs declaration. Residenza is registration as a resident at the anagrafe, the register kept by your comune. For your furniture to enter Italy without duty or VAT, customs needs to see that you have moved your normal residence there and that the goods are personal belongings you owned and used before leaving the UK for a qualifying period. The residence certificate, or the paperwork showing it is under way, is how you show that. We prepare the inventory and the export declaration in London; you bring the Italian documents.

  • Codice fiscale, from the consulate in London or the Agenzia delle Entrate
  • Visa or permit appropriate to work or elective residence
  • Lease or deed for the Italian address
  • Residence registration at the comune, or proof it has been requested
  • Passport copy and our itemised inventory

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FAQ

Moving to Italy from London: your questions

When should I get my codice fiscale?

Before anything else, ideally. The codice fiscale is the Italian tax code, and almost every step of setting up a life there asks for it: a lease, a utility contract, a phone line, a bank account and, for us, the customs paperwork. You can apply through the Italian consulate in London before you leave, or at an Agenzia delle Entrate office once you arrive. Having it in hand while you are still in London means the delivery date is not held up by a missing number.

Our Milan flat is on the fifth floor with a tiny lift. Can you still deliver?

Yes. Small lifts are the norm in older Milan buildings, and we plan around them. Boxes and smaller pieces go up in the lift; beds, sofas and wardrobes either come apart or come up outside the building on an external furniture lift through a window or balcony. That needs space on the street and, often, a permit from the comune for occupying public ground. We arrange it after the survey, and we talk to the portiere so the courtyard is clear on the day.

Can you reach a trullo or a masseria in the Valle d'Itria?

Usually, with planning. Many of those properties sit along narrow lanes lined with dry-stone walls, where a full-size truck cannot turn. In that case the main vehicle parks at the nearest wide road and a smaller van makes the final runs. Trulli also have low doorways and curved interior walls, so tall furniture may need dismantling. Send us photos of the approach and the entrance, and the survey will tell you exactly how delivery will work.

Do we have to register residence before our furniture can arrive?

You need to show that Italy is now your normal home for the furniture to come in free of duty and VAT. Registering with the anagrafe at your comune is the standard proof, and the municipal police normally visit afterwards to confirm you live at the address. Some customs offices also accept a declaration that you will register, with conditions attached. We will tell you which approach applies to your delivery once we know the destination.

Get started

Milan apartment or southern farmhouse?

Tell us which, along with both addresses and what is going. We will reply with a written quote and a plain list of the Italian paperwork to get started on.

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Official guidance we check against: GOV.UK: Living in Italy · GOV.UK: Moving or retiring abroad

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