Gerson Relocation

Gerson Relocation: A Half-Century of Moves to Switzerland

Gerson Relocation is a UK-based international removals and relocation firm founded over 60 years ago and headquartered in London. The firm specializes in helping individuals and families relocate internationally, with particular depth in moves to Switzerland. Their core offering is comprehensive relocation: not just moving boxes, but guiding newcomers through visas, home searches, school placement and the settling-in process once you arrive.

What Arriving in Switzerland Actually Requires

The site frames its service around the real barriers to an international move. A person relocating to Switzerland is not just shipping furniture; they're navigating residency rules, finding accommodation in an unfamiliar market, placing children into schools with different curricula, and managing complex customs formalities. Gerson's documentation advises on visa requirements and helps manage the paperwork. For housing, the site notes that Swiss rentals often require employer confirmations or guarantees and references you may not have ready, so their home search support means having someone who understands local expectations. School placement guidance addresses the fact that Swiss schools operate on different academic calendars than the UK and may have language immersion or streamed placement decisions. These are not optional niceties; they're the actual work of relocating, distinct from the moving logistics themselves. The site also mentions customs clearance assistance, which matters because shipping household goods across borders involves import duties, restricted items and documentation that can go wrong.

The Scope of Services Gerson Offers

The site lists its service areas across their main business and specialisms. Core relocation services include customs clearance (managing import documentation and duties), home search support (identifying and vetting properties, managing landlord communications), school placement guidance (helping you understand the Swiss education system and apply), and settling-in services. They also provide visa and immigration support, though the site does not break down what those entail beyond broad categories. The firm mentions it can arrange international money transfers, useful when your salary lands in the UK and you need Swiss francs. Video move surveys let you document your current household before shipping, useful for insurance. The site indicates their reach extends to handling moves to the USA as well, so they're not Switzerland-only, but the Switzerland page is the primary focus. The firm explicitly states "our team of relocation specialists works closely with you throughout every step of the process" and emphasises "personalized advice", suggesting a hands-on approach rather than a self-service platform.

For home search specifically, the site acknowledges that "Swiss rentals often require employer confirmations or guarantees and references you may not have ready", which is honest about one of the real barriers to relocating. If you're moving from the UK on assignment and your Swiss employer provides a letter confirming your role and income, the home search team can use that to qualify you with landlords; if you're self-employed or freelancing, navigating that requirement is more complex, and the site implies Gerson's experience helps. School placement is similarly practical: Switzerland operates on a September to August academic year, not September to July like the UK, so placing a child mid-year into a Swiss school with different streaming systems and language immersion timings is genuinely complicated. The site notes that cantons have different education rules, which is true and means school guidance specific to your destination canton matters. Visa and immigration support is harder to interpret; the site does not explain whether Gerson can prepare visa applications for you or simply advise you on what to expect, but the inclusion of this service suggests they've helped others navigate Swiss residency rules.

What the Site Does Not Clarify

The captured text is structured as a guide and service overview rather than a detailed service menu with pricing. The site does not publish rates for any service, so a quote is custom. It does not explain what the customs clearance service costs separately from packing and transport, nor does it define the scope of home search (will they negotiate the lease, or just show you options). The school placement section explains that Switzerland has 26 cantons with different education systems, which is useful context, but the site does not explain whether Gerson's school guidance varies by canton or is generic advice. The firm is UK-based with no Swiss office or phone number listed, so your point of contact will be in London even if you're already in Switzerland. The site does not say whether they have local partners in Switzerland or do everything remotely. They mention affiliation with FIDI (an international association of professional movers) covering countries worldwide with consistent quality standards, which is a credential, but the site does not list which FIDI member firms they partner with in Switzerland.

Who Gerson Suits and Who It Does not

This is for people moving from the UK to Switzerland with families or substantial household goods who want a single firm managing all the logistics and administrative bits. If you're relocating with a partner and children, the combination of moving logistics plus school placement guidance is genuinely useful. The firm's emphasis on personalized service suggests they're targeting relocations where the stakes are high: expat assignments, family moves, professional placements. If you're moving with a few suitcases, backpacking or subletting short-term housing while you explore, Gerson is overkill. If you're already in Switzerland and just need to retrieve your UK furniture, a straight moving company might be cheaper. The firm serves inbound-from-Britain readers primarily; the site is English-only and the phone number is UK-based, so French or German language support is unclear. The absence of a Swiss office means you won't have a local person to meet in person before you arrive, which some people prefer. This is most valuable for people who want an English-speaking point of contact managing the whole transition from London, not for someone who'd rather work directly with Swiss local partners.

Getting Started

Call the firm on +44 20 3837 5999 or use their online enquiry form to request a consultation. The site emphasises a "technical meeting" where they analyze your situation and propose a tailored package, suggesting that a quote is the starting point of a conversation rather than a fixed price. Given the breadth of services and the custom nature of each move, the first call should be to clarify which services you actually need (some people just want their furniture shipped and prefer to handle housing and schools themselves) and get a rough budget sense before committing to a formal planning process.