off-to-melbourne

After much thought and clearing out of our personal 'stuff', I have decided that we may as well send the things the children and I can't bear to part with to Melbourne when we move.

I have a telephone quote from Advance Personal Effects in Derby for:

£220 per cubic metre plus £40 which I think is for paperwork and associated costs. We will have at least 16 boxes, maybe even more once everything is packed up.

Has anyone used this company for shipping things? Good or bad experiences welcomed. Or recommendations of any other company dealing with shipping only boxes.

Thanks,

Denise

Phoenix

I've been talking to them about shipping my stuff - 20 ft container though and including 2 motorcycles. Good quotes so far but won't know how it all works out till end of Jan when the stuff arrives.
My quote does not include all the clearance stuff the other end however.

Mochinbach

Aren't they for students?

Phoenix

They do students too - as well as household effects and motor vehicles.

The Guru

I do not wish to cast a cloud, and I am not aware of this company.

You should and must ask for a door-door quote, by a BAR OVERSEAS and FIDI member.

Not all movers are the same, please look in your yellow pages for these terms.

Obtain 3 quotes in writing and ensure that you give them all the same information.

off-to-melbourne

Thanks for that.

I cannot find anything about memebership of any regulatory authority so I will phone them again tomorrow, they were convenient as we will be going from Derby and could supply the boxes next day.

I will also phone 1st contact to find out their prices, they are a FIDI member.

Phoenix

Great - Thanks for that.

off-to-melbourne

A very quick phone call to 1st contact has left me very impressed and probably going to use them for shipping our possessions, now including a small antique table which has been in the family for a long time.

For 20 tea chests and the table - approx 106 cubic feet - £630 plus 3% of the value for insurance. And, best of all, I don't have to pack it!

Definitely worth a call and the quote was delivered by email within minutes, with 5% discount if I book within 7 days.

jce

I've just used this company to ship some of my stuff over.

Great service at the UK end, and everything arrived intact apart from a few broken glass panes in pictures (although i havent unpacked all of the boxes yet), but there are a few things you need to be aware of.

They offer a door to port service - which means that you have to sort everything out this end or employ a Customs Broker to do it for you. I was quoted $1500 plus GST and all the other fees listed below to do it!

If you do it yourself then you need quite a bit of patience and some time and be able to fill in forms! I did and its managable.

Of the additional fees you need to pay here, there is the port charges (to get them to release your goods), the customs fee, the AQIS fee and the fee to the company that unpacks the container PLUS you need to arrange delivery from the port to your door.

If anyone needs any help/guidance then let me know

jce