Planning to move to Australia or NZ from the UK? I have a hot tip for you ....

[ghosty]

I was having a chat with the nice removals firm man who was delivering the last of our belongings today ....

He told me that the Australian Bio Security Customs people are clamping down big time on all containers arriving from the UK ...
They have always been very strict but he said it is going to be a lot worse due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak last week.

All containers from the UK will be steamcleaned at dock before they will even open them or release them ... you must check with your relocation firm that this cost is factored in ... they charge extra for this 'service'

Make sure that EVERYTHING you have that is outdoorsy (garden furniture, camping gear, golf shoes, wellies etc) has been cleaned properly ...
If they check something and it isn't clean enough they take it off to steam clean it at your expense (this has happened to us twice by the way, from UK to NZ in '02 and from NZ to Aus this year).

Don't gamble on getting away with not cleaning stuff as they will be checking EVERYTHING ...

HTH ...

bump

I have a feeling that for things like tents etc (anything outdoorsey as previously said)will be steam cleaned anyway unless it is brand new and it travels with its receipt. That's what happened to us Oct 05 and there wasn't even a F&M outbreak then. I am a little concered because I have a load arriving on the 14th August from UK with horse rugs, bridles etc. Although it was all packed and left the UK before the outbreak I still think I'm in for some hefty charges. And this stuff is all brand new as well but without the receipt (silly clot me forgot to save them). I don't think any removal firm will factor in any customs/cleaning/inspection charges as until the items get there they won't know what these will be.

V.v. helpful, thank you so much!!