Apologies in advance for being lazy, but whats the process customs wise for shipping belongings back to the UK when returning?

any links gratefully received

If you are going to use a shipping company, then they should deal with the customs side of things.

you may be right, but when I cane to canada I had to produce lists of stuff with me and stuff to follow (shipped gear) the shippers did not complete this bit!

I wondered if this process (or one like it!) in in place when you enter uk

Yes it is like this, the shipping compay will give you a form to fill in.

My shippers too and from Canada, did all the customs work....they did at both ends, send me a small form to fill in and sign......that i then had to send them back.

So other then that, they sorted it all .

Just re-read.... are you getting confused with when you first landed at Immigration?

yes possibly, we shipped our stuff as excess baggage, rather than container shipping, we have less stuff to go back with, and so will probably use excess baggage again.

I remember having customs forms when landing, which had to show the stuff we had with us and the stuff that was following so that we didnt need to pay import duty

Yep That was your landing.............carn't comment on excess baggage but i would imagine you will have to declare it at customs yourself.

There is a factsheet by HM Revenue and Customs called:

'Bringing Your Belongings and Private Motor Vehicle to the UK from Outside the EC'

You will need to complete Form C3.

The website is: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/index.htm
The factsheet/form are in PDF. There is another one for pets which is C5.

I am in the same boat (leaving Canada later this year) and I know the list of goods you are talking of which you had to show Canadian customs when you came in..it was to show what goods were following you, it had to be stamped and then later you sent a copy to the shipper. I also did excess baggage not a container. Going back to UK I'm not sure if it is exactly the same but I imagine at the airport you have to go through 'Goods to Declare' with a similar list and maybe a copy of the C3 form. It's probably in the factsheet...I read it a while back, need to refresh my memory! I know the shippers going back to UK need a copy of the C3 form. Hope this helps a bit.

What a star, thas exactly the type of thing I am on about.

I'll dig around and if theres anything different I'll post back. We are off back to the UK for a year - maybe longer, in fact I booked the QM2 this morning we leave in a few weeks! cant say that I'm happy or sad, but If I stay in canada much longer it will be professional suicide!

I totally know what you mean. My OH and I are going nutty waiting (and he's Canadian ;-)) We've got till September.

Good luck!