cov-canuck

We're still debating the best way to get our stuff from this side of the pond to the other. We aren't bringing enough to warrant paying for a part container, so I was just wondering what would happen if we shipped some goods by standard courier (i.e. DHL or similar). We read of an offer to ship a 30kg package to Canada in 4 days for about £35.

Edit: or maybe it was 10kg for £35...need to confirm with the husband...a fair price, anyway!

What we're thinking is to send over a box of stuff that is bulky but has no resale value (i.e. wedding photos in albums, etc.) to ourselves at my brother's place, getting it collected from us here the day before we fly over to land. We accept delivery of the package, then return home, coming back 5 months later with the rest of our stuff accompanying us.

Can anyone foresee any problems at customs with this? The stuff that does have a resale value (DVDs, electronics, etc.) will be carried over with us.

Susie Derkins

I can't see why that would be an issue.

Quick question: what is this deal and where did you see it? We are in a similar sort of situation. We have very little to ship over (in general - we actually own very little), and it's looking quite expensive for a part container of just CD's and a few books.

cov-canuck

I've just checked with my husband (he's the one who ships stuff everywhere!) and it's at www.parcel2go.com (it's actually DHL, so a reputable company).

dozzzzy

Wouldn't you have issues with having to pay duty on items shipped in this way... I don't know, if it is charged, if you can claim it back some how.

As far as I can tell when sending stuff to my Brother in Toronto, if we send anything over an assessed $60CAD value he has to pay import duty or GST or some such thing which invariably means it is not worth sending small stuff, just send the cash and let him buy it there. I sent him a couple of DVD's and a T-shirt, total cost £60, but we marked the packaged as only having a value of $45CAD and what ever department that deals with this stuff decided we were pulling a fast one and charged him duty on an assessed value of $130CAD, he got a bill and was not pleased.

Just a thought

Dozzzzy

cov-canuck

That's where you have to be careful. We're planning to use this method to send things like personal photos, but the DVDs etc. are coming through with us to avoid duty charges, since you can't courier something with your goods to follow list attached! Personally I'm not entirely sure of the policies with regards to courier shipping goods to follow, which is why we're only using it for selected items, just in case.

cheezy

When my husband left the US to go home to Canada for a wedding and got *stuck* there, I had to send him many boxes of clothes as all his "warm weather" belongings were here with me in california (plus lots of cds, and other knick knacks)

As I packed the boxes I wrote exactly what was in each of them. I printed that out and taped it right onto the box. On the customs form I wrote
"returning PERSONAL BELONGINGS to owner; moving to canada"

I sent many, many boxes to him and he didn't pay any tax, INCLUDING his fairly new chef's knives and a cooking mandolin. I just was very thorough on the customs form, to the point that I'd write 1 used Tom Petty CD, 1 pair old socks. No joke!! But I must have shipped him 10 boxes over the course of a month and he didn't pay any tax on any of it.