SuperSeagulls

Hi everyone

I have three questions for you, if you dont mind

1)I am making the big move in February and was wondering how long in advance should I begin phoning around shipping companies? I'm not taking masses of furniture, hardly any infact, but will be taking cds, records, clothes, computer etc.

2) Also...I read that massive thread about Crown. Some good reviews, some bad.Are there any other decent, cheaper shipping companies out there?

3) And what sort of price do you pay to store the stuff at the other end while I look for somewhere to live etc (I am arriving in Oz 10 weeks after I leave the Uk as I am travelling through South America en route)? I think they charge on a weekly basis.

Thanks very much

SS

Anastasia Beaverhausen

Good question, we are planning on a Feb move too, and am starting in wonder when to get shipping sorted.

I was thinking about starting to get quotes in Oct/Nov time, dont know if that is too late.

I will be looking at the responses with great interest.

Stitch

We've just had a guy in from Pickfords and their quote is valid for 3 months.

Not too sure about the others.

Cheers

Ginny

SuperSeagulls

I would have thought Oct/Nov was fine - with a view to them packing in Feb which is "low season" (I think).

SS

Wickedsid

I've got the shippers in this week, thinking of actually shipping stuff mid november(ish).
I don't think you can be too early really, better than leaving it late anyway.
Carole

SuperSeagulls

Fair point wickedsid - who are you using?

SS

Geordie George

SS,

Anything from six months and less should be OK - if you let them know your time frame, they'll be able to set the quote accordingly.

We used PSS and found them pretty faultless - careful, quick to answer queries, good customer service etc.

As for storage, I don't know. We shipped before moving, so only had about three weeks without our stuff before it all arrived. It takes about 12 weeks (well, ours took 13 weeks and 2 days - to Sydney ) for your stuff to be shipped, so if you time it, you might not need storage? But you can ask for them to quote for that, when you ask for the shipping quote too.

GG

SuperSeagulls

Thanks GG

Do they come out and do all the packing for you you, or did they leave it for you to do? From what I can make out, all the companies do the packing themselves - I guess for insurance purposes etc.

Cheers

SS

Geordie George

They all quote for them to do the packing themselves; like you say, it's for insurance (not for customs/quarantine regulations!!! Chances are the people packing won't know the import regulations of the country they're packing for - they might be doing Aus today and Bolivia tomorrow.). They were very professional and took lots of care handling all our posessions - we're still finding bubble wrap and packing tape on stuff, even now ...

We actually left the packers to it. We felt very surplus to requirements on the day and were able to head into town to pic up some last minute stocks for the plane and onward journey. Very trustworthy lot.

Vanessa

Our 'stuff' was packed on the 1st June in Kent and arrived in Melbourne on the 4th July. Collected by company this end on the 5th and they told us it was ready for delivery from the 12th (or thereabouts). Customs only opened the boxes which contained shoes, golf clubs and garden equipment. Nothing else was opened, even though we declared wicker furniture and other things.

SuperSeagulls

Thanks GG

Vanessa - who did you use?

Cheers

SS

tabby

Hi

We have had crown and Pickford's round to quote both seem fine, although crown are highly priced crown quoted £3348 for 575 cu-ft door to door & Pickford's quoted £3704.00 for sole use of a 20ft container door to door (packing 780 cu-ft).

Also we were quoted $192.00 + GST (10%) for every 28 days storage by crown and a further $280 one-off hahandlingharge. Pickford's quote $150 per 28 days and $260 one-off charge.

I think i will be going to piPickford's!!

Vanessa

We used a company called Stirling Corporate Relocation(s). I think they were based in Surrey. They were very professional

peppa

just don't leave it till the last minute like we have!!

we are probably going with crown, who are more expensive, but they can fit us in in a few weeks time, which is excellent news!

they insist on packing themselves, which suits me as we've plenty of other things to be getting on with organising.....!

galloping gaijin

For those shipping/shipped to Oz, has anyonehad any problems with Customs re the 12month old goods being charged GST.

As I far as the shippers we have had give quotes, they have more or less said, leave it blank, customs are after people importing electical goods etc, and that they won't check the contents too closely anyway....

but on the other hand, we have a 9month old son, and if they notice that on the paperwork, it'll be pretty obvious that we will have quite a few items that have been bought because of him!

As for removalists, we used Stering to move from Europe to Japan, and they were very good, although I would guess you are paying for it, as they appear to go for the corporate clients.