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Living overseas

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Original poster

have you moved UK to Australia? Does this sound like BS to you, too?

45 replies

PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 11:09

Now I am an aussie, so I know how rigorous their Customs rules are, but still this sounds like bollocks to me -

They have both insisted that they must pack our stuff. One said this was because Customs would wonder why we were shipping our stuff half-way round the world, having packed it ourselves. Apparently this would attract suspicion and they would go through it and then we'd have to pay the search/repacking costs. He said professionally packed stuff is less likely to be searched.

I've moved internationally half a dozen times, including to Oz in the 1980s, and I've never heard of such a thing. I would really prefer to do it myself, whaddyarekkin?

OP posts:
ninedragons · 18/07/2008 11:11

That sounds weird.

We are getting a quote from Crown next week to move us to Sydney so I can let you know if they say anything similar to us.

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 11:20

ooh please would you? I just asked if it would be any cheaper if we did it ourselves, and both quote-givers appeared scandalised by the suggestion.

OP posts:
DarrellRivers · 18/07/2008 11:23

Sounds like they want you to pay more money for them to pack
Have no idea re the customs thing, but I like packing my own boxes. You can throw away crap at the same time, and you know what you've put in each box.
Will wait and see what experienced people say

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 11:24

EXACTLY, DarrellRivers!!!

Besides that, we have a tiny flat and a young toddler, having men in to pack would be a total nightmare, never mind the money.

OP posts:
halster · 18/07/2008 11:39

Isn't it something to do with insurance? When we moved to a new country, and back again, we were told that if we wanted to be properly insured the removal company had to do the packing - If you packed it yourself and a box went missing for example, you could claim that it was full of silver and diamonds! Whereas if they pack it they know what is in every box.

I have to say when we moved recently they packed up our house in less than a day. It was fab. It cost £200 I think. With a toddler and pregnant me it was a god send.

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 11:47

Don't think so; the insurance was pretty clear - if they packed it, everything was insured. If you packed it, there were lines and lines of small print.

at you paying £200 for a whole house! Both quotes here were over £1000 and we're only sending a couple of bits of furniture!

OP posts:
eidsvold · 18/07/2008 11:53

phd I do know that our stuff - which was only three large boxes which we had to itemise in explicit detail etc BUT was packed by us was searched when it got to Aus - buggers took the good garment bag my wedding dress was packed in and then after searching our box - just shoved my dress back on top. Okay it was not designer one of a kind haute couture but still!!! Dh and I did have a giggle saying that perhaps somewhere on the internet are pics of burly customs officials prancing around in my wedding dress

TBH having moved and packed myself and have someone else do the whole lot - I would be inclined to let them do it. They will be very quick and very professional. The insurance is so much easier cause they have packed it and I suspect it may make it through customs easier if the company can assure that they have packed it etc.

As to having a through out as you go - you can still do that - I put what I did not want and what was coming with me personally aside and they did not worry about that.

I do know when our stuff was searched at customs there was no repacking etc fees.

sandcastles · 18/07/2008 11:55

Deff a load of crap!

We packed most of our stuff & the removal guys did the delicate/awkward stuff.

We moved to Oz 2 years ago & They said nothing about it being less likely to be checked if they packed the whole house up.

In fact I think every shipment has some level of inspection as a matter of course!

Sounds like a scam to make more money to me!

We used Brittania, very good service both ends!

We had no problems at customs. They quarenteed any shoes/outdoor stuff, inc bikes etc. Just took a little longer to get to us.

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 12:09

thanks, both, very helpful. Have not had a quote from Britannia, but think that's who brought us here so will def give them a call. Agree Oz customs like to check everything, am quite sure they tried your dress on too eidsvold ! You're in brisvegas iirc?

OP posts:
superloopy · 18/07/2008 12:31

We moved back here last year and used Anglo Pacific, they were really good. I packed most things myself but they did repack a couple of boxes which were too heavy . They also sorted out the couple of bits of furniture we took too.

The only problem we had, is recently we found that all of our home video was deleted and were told that it may have been customs who did it. To prevent terrorism??!! I don't know if this is the truth or not but please take care of your videos if you have any.

NorkyButNice · 18/07/2008 12:37

When we moved to the US our shippers told us they had to pack for us for insurance purposes - our companies were paying for it so we didn't question them.

bloss · 18/07/2008 12:42

Message withdrawn

MrsJohnCusack · 18/07/2008 12:45

sounds like crap to me

I think, unfortunately, your stuff is equally (and quite) likely to opened either way. so save your money for the customs fees!

MmeBovary · 18/07/2008 12:58

I too understood this was for insurance purposes, not so much that you pretend there are valuables in there, but so that stuff is packed appropriately to protect against damage. We had to provide an itemised list too. I must admit I packed all my underwear myself and put it in the car - somethings you just don't want them to touch!

I agree with Bloss - it's so easy when they do it. I popped round my mates house with dd and left them to it. Came back though to find they'd packed the hoover and all the cleaning stuff from under the sink (originally told we COULD not ship it) so buggers had to unpack it again! I guess being men, it would not occur to them to clean the place up afterwards even though I was leaving the keys with an estate agent for viewings.....

brightongirldownunder · 18/07/2008 17:00

Whatever you do don't use Anglo Pacific. They have been terrible - they did the packing for us and insisted our stuff would be protected. I was worried as we had a number of paintings and antiques so I made sure the insurance was sufficient, which was lucky because when we came to open the stuff in Sydney much of it was smashed - mostly down to bad packing. So now having to put in an insurance claim which they are being very unhelpful about. Even if you get someone to do the packing I would make sure you oversee the way your valuable items are treated.

cremolafoam · 18/07/2008 17:05

we deffo packed our own. i think we used Crown.sounds like a load of.

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 21:05
OP posts:
chloeb2002 · 18/07/2008 21:28

we packed our own stuff and organised our own container even to cut costs... never ever again. we had every box opened and the end result was a bill for over $3000! so id let someone else pack it. we were very honest about what was in it too and by all accounts shipping companies arent but done get searched! would def go with a company next time if i was ever mad enough to bring stuff back and forth... on second thought id only pack a cople of boxes and buy the rest!

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 21:51

chloe!! what was the bill for, do you remember?

OP posts:
eidsvold · 18/07/2008 21:53

yes I am in brisvegas.

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 22:04

northside or southside?

OP posts:
eidsvold · 18/07/2008 22:09

northside

Original poster
PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife · 18/07/2008 22:15

all my family are northside, my IL's on the south. think we will have to go west to stay neutral Looking forward to being on home turf again. You happy there?

OP posts:
eidsvold · 18/07/2008 22:22

love it - my family is here as well as some extended family. Dh has no desire to go back to the UK - I think it will take all I can muster to convince him to take the girls back for a holiday to see his family when we can afford it. Dd1 has come on in leaps and bounds since we have returned.

Despite the fact we loved where we lived in the UK and it was a great village - the quality of life the dds have here is great.

I loved living in the UK but was glad to be home.

YOu could still live northside but somewhere like Woolowin - easy cut across Story Bridge or somewhere near bruce highway - like North Lakes and then it is jsut a trip across the Gateway Bridge.

MrsJohnCusack · 18/07/2008 22:27

ours got opened but only the boxes we specified had items that may be off interest - picnic basket, wicker,christmas decs etc. you want to make sure you pack all of that stuff together to minimise what they have to open OR just don'[t bring any of the risk stuff at all. thbe most honset and detailed you are about what's in there the less likely they are to go though loads of it IMO (MInd you this was NZ,who, although strict, are no0thing like Oz). The shipping company didn't do th ecustoms forms, we did

was bloody marvellous having them pack mind you, and we did bring a container STUFFED with stuff, worth every penny

I'm going to Oz forf the first time later this year, Melbourne for 4 days ON MY OWN to meet Califrau! v.excited

maybe I'll come to Brissy sometijme soon too....