Mark Ratcliffe offer to move you to your new home or office whether it is Europe or further afield. We are here to help!
Mark Ratcliffe Moving & Storage is an independent Sussex removals company founded in 2017, operating from our purpose-built depot on the A22 at Lower Dicker. We’re BAR-registered and our work is BS 8564 accredited — the British Standard for cross-border consumer moves. We specialise in full-service local, national and international moves, with dedicated UK ↔ Thailand expertise, European removals and worldwide door-to-door shipping.
We offer our international removals service to all commercial and domestic clients whether they are travelling within Europe or further afield. We work with agents in over 200 countries, which gives us the ability to ensure your move goes ahead as smoothly as possible. Your shipment will be tracked from you UK port of discharge, through customs, and all the way to your new destination. We are also more than happy to unwrap and set up your goods for you at your new location.
Moving abroad is a popular choice today because of the increasing opportunities abroad and the ability to travel being so easy. No matter what your reasoning may be for moving abroad, we are more than happy to help with no questions asked. Our team are all fully qualified and insured to undertake any moving project abroad. We are enthusiastic and enjoy providing unbeatable service to all of our clients. We always prioritise getting your belongings to their new location safely and efficiently. We handle your goods as if they were our own -with extreme care. We take pride in our superb reputation for providing reliable and professional international moves every time.
We get to know our clients on an individual basis in order to devise a plan which suits your requirements and budget. We transport your goods via road, air and shipping - whichever method is the most effective. We also offer a packing service for clients who do not have the time or confidence to pack effectively themselves. Our specially trained staff safely pack all of your goods using specialist tools and materials. We can unpack your goods at your new destination if required. However, if you decide you would like to pack your goods yourself, we recommend using our high quality packing materials which can be purchased from our shop. We offer a variety of sized cartons which are double walled for extra strength, plain paper, tissue paper, bubble wrap and 2" vinyl tape. We even offer portable wardrobe cartons to keep your clothes clean and crease free.
We can assist with international commercial moves. We use tools like A3 plastic stacking crates for files, dollies and trucks to ensure your commercial move runs smoothly. Furniture dismantling and reassembling is also available, should you require this service. We offer storage options for all domestic and commercial clients including warehouse containers or storage rooms. A full inventory of your goods is taken upon depositary and you will be charged by the day, so you only pay for the period which your goods are stored. We work flexibly and 7 days a week - so we are available on weekends and bank holidays if you require.
We are proud to offer excellent international removals service. Take a look at what our previous clients have said about us — read more customer reviews.
Here at Mark Ratcliffe Moving and Storage, we put the customer first. We provide exceptional service at competitive prices. Just contact us for your free quote by filling in the form at the top of this page or give one of our friendly team a call on 01323 848 008.
Most of our Newhaven work falls into one of three property categories. Tile-hung Victorian and Edwardian terraces on the older streets, where the move-out involves narrow staircases, sash windows that need protecting, and original mantelpieces that we wrap individually. Post-war semis and detached homes on the mid-century estates — wider doors, garages that often function as overflow loft space, and gardens that have accumulated sheds, greenhouses and outdoor furniture. And modern detached new-builds, where the move is faster but the inventory is usually bigger thanks to the bonus rooms and double garages.
Whichever of those three describes your Newhaven home, the survey covers the same ground: room-by-room walk, photo of every awkward corner, and a written, itemised quote within 48 hours. We don’t quote off a phone call for anything bigger than a one-bedroom flat — phone quotes too often miss the loft, the under-stair cupboard or the shed, and the price moves on move day. A proper survey is free, takes 30 to 45 minutes, and means the price you see is the price you pay.
Our daily routes out of the Lower Dicker depot put Newhaven within standard half-day or full-day reach, depending on inventory size and the destination address. A typical Newhaven pickup with a Sussex or Surrey delivery completes in a single day, including pad-wrapping at the load and unwrapping at the unload. The lorry leaves Lower Dicker in time to be on your driveway ten minutes before the stated load time — we don’t make customers wait around at 6am for a 7am scheduled start.
For chain-day moves out of Newhaven the timings matter and we plan the schedule from the keys-release time backwards. For longer-distance UK moves — to the Midlands, the West Country, the north — we generally split the day across two crews if the inventory exceeds a single lorry. Anything heading overseas from Newhaven routes through our customs-controlled holding bay at the depot, where the container is loaded after a final inventory check.
The Newhaven quote process runs in five practical steps. First, a phone or web enquiry — tell us the address and the rough move date and we’ll suggest a survey slot. Second, the survey itself: either in-home (30 to 45 minutes) or over a video call. Both produce the same paperwork. Third, the written quote, emailed within 48 hours, itemised by line — pad-wrap, transport, packing materials, insurance, any specialist handling — so you can see what every cost line covers.
Fourth, the deposit and date hold: typically 25% on confirmation, fully protected under the British Association of Removers’ Advance Payment Guarantee. Fifth, the move itself — uniformed crew, our own lorry, no agency labour, blankets washed between jobs, and a written inventory at handover. None of this is unusual but it’s worth saying because a meaningful minority of removal firms across East Sussex cut corners on at least one of those steps.
Most Newhaven moves use one of three packing options. Full pack — our crews pack everything in the house the day before move day, using removal-grade cartons and tissue. Fragile-only pack — we handle the kitchen, the display cabinets, the framed art, the mirrors, the lamps, and the customer packs the easy stuff (books, clothing, linen, garage). Self-pack with materials supplied — we drop off cartons, tape, bubble and tissue, and you do it yourself with our written room-by-room guide.
Where the dates don’t line up (the sale completes a fortnight before the purchase, the chain slips, or the new property isn’t ready), we hold the load at our A22 depot in steel strong-rooms with 24-hour CCTV. Short-term storage between contracts is charged by the week; longer-term storage is invoiced monthly. For Newhaven customers needing self-access self-storage, the ground floor of the depot is fitted for that — individual digital-entry doors and 24/7 access via a key fob.
After the move, we come back to collect empty cartons free of charge if you’re within standard delivery range. We also offer an unpack service for customers who prefer the new home set up by us — particularly common for older customers and white-glove relocations.
For end-of-month dates in the May–September peak, six to ten weeks ahead. Mid-week, mid-month dates can sometimes be booked two to three weeks ahead. The earlier you book, the more choice of slot and crew you’ll have.
Yes — typically 25% of the quoted price on booking, with the balance payable on the day of completion. All deposits are protected under the British Association of Removers’ Advance Payment Guarantee.
Crew time, our own lorry, fuel, pad-wrap (industry-grade blankets washed between jobs), basic transit insurance and labour. Packing materials, fragile-only or full packing service, and any specialist handling (piano, antiques, art, marble) are quoted separately so you see the price of each.
Yes — full British Association of Removers members and audited annually, including the BS 8564 international removal standard. Our membership number and current audit dates are on the BAR site.
Sometimes — depends on the date and the inventory size. Smaller jobs can often be slotted in within a week. Larger 3- and 4-bed moves usually need at least two weeks’ notice so we can crew correctly.
Yes — FIDI-network shipments to over 200 countries. International moves route through our customs-controlled holding bay at the A22 depot, where the container is loaded after a final inventory check. We don’t sub-contract international work to third-party brokers.