pioneer

Hi
We have sold the house and hopefully will be exchanging sometime within next two weeks. (Keeping everything crossed). We will then complete 4 weeks after. We were planning on shipping our stuff out to Perth on completion of sale, putting it in storage over there until we arrive and find a rental etc. We are staying with family here until we fly out on 15th August. Hubby spoke to removals firm today and they said that our stuff cannot go unless we are there when it clears customs or have already validated visa which we haven't. The removals firm then said they were sure this was the case but she would double check and get back to us.
Does anyone know if our stuff can go ahead and be stored till we arrive. Otherwise we will have to store it this end till we go which is alot more expensive.
Thanks for any advice.
Sharon

h2oskineil

I'm fairly sure that is correct... you need to be here to receive the container and produce I.D. papers etc to prove who you are. Should the customs find anything they don't like, they would need to speak to some one.
Also, this end.... all the goods are removed from the container, then inspected and then either delivered to your property or placed into storage. They do not store in the container.

One thought, you could tell the shipping company to delay as much as possible, they can send the container the long way round the world via the Panama Canal and maybe via the Americas, New Zealand etc. It's actually cheaper that way (so I was told) but longer, giving you extra time.

Regards
Neil.

galloping gaijin

Well just to throw a spanner in the works, our stuff arrived ~29th Dec, and we flew in on the 2nd Jan. So you don't need to be in the country, but... IIRC,

The goods will just sit on the dock, until you arrive and contact the shippers in Oz, who will then get the container, organise customs and AQIS etc. The downside is that whilst the goods are in the container, but not on the ship, there will be costs for the container - demurrage charges(?) -which will add up.

FWIW we had our goods handled by Grace at this end.

moneypenny20

We sent our stuff out early but we did arrive two days before the container so storage wasn't an issue.

The only problem I can foresee is that if it goes straight into storage and you don't get it for several months, if anything is damaged, lost, stolen whatever you may not have a leg to stand on because of the delays. You would also not know if something had been stolen by the shippers or the storage people.

Also, if AQIS want to clean, fumigate or distroy something, it will be a lot harder to deal with from the UK and also to pay them but that is relatively easy to overcome.

nightnurse2

When we sold our house we went into rented and PSS packed up our stuff and stored it until we gave them the go ahead (when the visa came). From what I remember it was not dear to store with them. They stored our stuff for about 8 weeks. Give your packer a call and see how much they will charge you.

Tracey

Didnaeseeu

Hi

We sold our house and then shipped the contents out almost immediately (stayed in rented in the UK until time to go). Our stuff arrived almost 3 weeks prior to us arriving in Perth.

All we had to supply along with all the various forms etc was a copy of our passport & unnaccompanied personal effects statement for customs purposes. When the goods were cleared the Perth shippers collected the stuff and stored until we were ready to receive delivery, the cost for this was a one-off handling fee (approx $100) and $26 p/w for storage). The only thing the delivery people required from us was an e-mail addy to contact us at all times (easy with hotmail).

There was no problems with this for us anyway, no delays on dockside or goods missing (although everyone has access to your goods before they are delivered anyway, whether they are sent ahead or not). There was some Xmas decs with pine cones on that had to be destroyed and the shippers contacted us to get authorisation, all we had to do was send them an e-mail to authorise.

This was fantastic for us as we received keys for our rental 1 week after arriving and our stuff was delivered the same day. After 2 weeks in Perth we were all sorted and did'nt have to fork out too much extra for furnished accom. and extra essentials.

The kids also settled in so quickly because they recieved all their toys so soon after arriving and my son was extremely chuffed to get his PS2 back.

Cheers