Shipping container advice please
 

Hi all,
We've decided to ship our belongings to NZ when we go, and we were just wondering whether you can ship stuff to storage over there? We don't have a NZ fixed address to ship to right now, and won't until we arrive there. We would prefer not to have to wait for 8-12 weeks for stuff to arrive once we've landed on NZ soil though. Can you actually ship your belongings before you set off and have it put into storage over there so its ready to collect when you arrive?
Also, can anyone recommend a shipping company to use?
:)

Re: Shipping container advice please
 

Popular removal companies are Crown, PSS, Anglo Pacific, The Removal Group, Pickfords.

As far as I can remember, all of them offered storage at either end if required for a fee. I think you can ship your container before you leave. You would need to tell the company which port and on top of the storage fees you may have customs fees (depending on your visa type and any new goods declared) and you may have MAFF inspection fees) and if, once you're here and settled it is further than 30km for delivery there may be an extra charge for delivery.

Best thing to do is get some quotes from the companies and ask them each specifically about the services they offer and fees.

Re: Shipping container advice please
 

We used PSS, and they offered us storage either in the UK or at the other end in NZ.

Think it worked out cheaper for storage at the NZ end, but we chose to leave our things here, and it was shipped a week before our flights so we had about 8 weeks without or stuff.

As teamEmbo suggested, get quotes from the companies ...

Re: Shipping container advice please
 

We are looking to ship our stuff over at the end of Aug' but might still be on a visitors visa when it arrives - what effect will this have on 'fees due'? if its going to be shed loads I think we'll store it in this country. Any suggestions anyone?

Liff

Re: Shipping container advice please
 

Hopefully this will answer your question:

http://www.customs.govt.nz/traveller...rges+Apply.htm

For visitors visa they state it must be a three year visa.

Re: Shipping container advice please
 

Thanks for that - looks like storage for a while then!

Liff

Re: Shipping container advice please
 

Hi.

Late last year we came back to NZ from 3 fantastic years in the UK.

We used Anglo Pacific, but I would not recommend them.

I completed all the paperwork (and there is a fair amount of it) prior to the guy collecting our boxes. He then took off without the paperwork. So I phoned them immediately and they "laid back" guy on the phone said to just post it in to them, which I did.

Well. Clearly it didn't find it's way to the right people because my boxes arrived at NZ customs in Auckland but wouldn't be released as the relevant paperwork wasn't included. We were travelling through SE Asia so my family had to cobble together the info again before the boxes were finally released.

We also used them to process our tax rebates. This 6 months later we are still waiting for one of them to come through and they do not respond to emails at all.

Unfortunately I can't recommend a different company, but based on my experience I'd steer well clear of Anglo Pacific. Have a look through the www.gumtree.com forums. You'll find plenty of threads about shipping companies people have used.

Most of the companies will offer a storage service for your stuff until it arrives. Check whether the quote includes delivery to your door once you DO have somewhere to sent it to, otherwise you'll need to arrange your own removal from their depot to your new home.