Gentlevan Removals & Storage

A family-run mover with a Swiss route

Gentlevan Removals & Storage is a family-run removals company based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in the English Midlands. It operates both UK-wide and European routes, explicitly including Switzerland in its published destinations. The firm handles house removals, shared-load moves for smaller volumes, professional packing, long-term storage, and piano moves. The company can be reached at 01295 368198 or 07861 930529, with email contact via info@gentlevanremovals.co.uk.

For someone arriving in Switzerland from the UK, Gentlevan offers the route directly. The site lists Switzerland explicitly among its "Relocation European Removals" destinations, grouped with France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany and Belgium. The listing of Switzerland alongside multiple European destinations signals that the route is neither a rare curiosity nor a one-off operation, but rather part of the firm's regular service offering. Unlike some removers that list a destination but outsource the work to cheap local operators, Gentlevan states it runs "regular services" to Spain and France with both "shared-load and dedicated-load options," and holds that model for Switzerland as well. Shared-load means your goods travel with other customers' shipments to split costs; dedicated-load means a truck comes just for you. The choice between them depends on budget (shared is cheaper) versus urgency (dedicated is faster and you control the delivery date).

Crucially, the site adds that "Our team can help with customs paperwork and timing," suggesting hands-on coordination across borders rather than a handoff to a partner once you leave the UK. The phrase "our team" (rather than "a partner's team") suggests Gentlevan staff are directly involved in the European leg, not just coordinating from Oxfordshire.

What Gentlevan publishes about the service

The company describes its European service as offering "professional packing and secure storage." On qualifying house moves, the site includes one month of free storage; European moves include two months free, which is relevant if your timing is tight or you need to manage a chain. The two-month allowance for European moves is generous: many movers charge for storage from day one or offer only a week or two free, so this eases the logistics of a cross-continental move where your household goods may arrive before your new home is ready.

The site emphasizes that it offers multiple ways to get a quote: an online form for straightforward moves, a free video survey (walk-through a video call, quote within 24 hours), or a home visit from staff for complex access or large moves. The video survey is particularly useful for someone coordinating from abroad; you need not wait for an in-person visit and you have a quote within one business day. For UK local removals (within 30 miles of Banbury) the site publishes starting prices: £750 for a one- to two-bedroom flat and £1,440 for a three-bedroom house, though it notes these "exclude VAT" and that "final cost depends on volume, distance, access, and any extras like packing or storage." The fact that pricing varies by access (ground floor versus top floor, narrow stairs, security gates) means Gentlevan is transparent about why moves cost different amounts, rather than charging hidden fees discovered at invoice time. Being explicit about VAT, distance surcharges and access complexity is professional practice that signals honest pricing.

The firm has achieved a 5.0 rating from 202 verified reviews, all from customers across the UK and Europe. The site quotes customer feedback on professionalism, reliability and care for goods. Professional packing is available and optional, covering "anything from fragile items only to a full pack of your entire home," with "all materials including wardrobe boxes" supplied. This modularity is useful if you want to pack some items yourself to save cost but need professionals for the fragile pieces. The site also explicitly moves pianos, which is useful context if you are relocating a large instrument or other specialized items.

What the site leaves unsaid

Gentlevan publishes no pricing for European moves, only for UK local routes. The site does not clarify whether you pay UK-based pricing, Swiss-based pricing, or a hybrid, and does not name a contact in Switzerland or any Swiss office. It does not say what languages the team speaks, though the website is in English and based on Banbury's location, English would be the default. Someone coordinating in French would need to confirm English-language support before engaging.

The site does not specify how customs paperwork "help" works: whether the firm handles import duties and permits end-to-end, or assists you in understanding and handling them yourself. For someone arriving from a third country (not the UK), it does not say whether Gentlevan takes on the move from the original point or only from UK to Switzerland. The site does not publish timescales for European delivery, so you cannot know whether a move to Switzerland takes three weeks, six weeks or longer. It also does not explain whether the "regular services" to Switzerland mean departures on set dates (common for shared-load carriers) or flexible scheduling, which affects your moving timeline. The site does not detail what happens if goods are damaged in transit; while professional movers carry insurance, the procedure for claims is not published.

Who it fits

Gentlevan suits someone relocating from the UK to Switzerland, particularly if you have household goods, furniture, or a piano to move and prefer a single, family-run operator over a large corporation. It suits someone who values a clear paper trail: transparent pricing for UK moves, published reviews, a named base (Banbury, not a call centre), and real feedback from 202 past customers across Europe. It suits someone anxious about customs because the site promises assistance on paperwork. It suits a moderate move, because the starting prices for UK local moves (£750 to £1,440) suggest a firm handling residential families, not just small items.

Gentlevan does not suit someone seeking detailed pricing for a Swiss delivery; the lack of quoted rates for European routes means you cannot budget without a survey, and you may discover the firm prices differently than UK local moves. It does not suit someone wanting to move in a very tight window unless you confirm the two-month free storage covers your dates and the delivery timescale fits. It does not suit someone moving from outside the UK who needs to know whether the Oxfordshire firm will pick you up at your starting point. It does not suit someone who needs to resolve customs issues independently and wants a mover only for the physical transport, because "customs help" may not extend to handling permits. It does not suit someone who only speaks French; confirmation of language support is needed before commit.