Boldilocks

I looked at and commented on a few the people's threads about this, but figured I'd start one here in case people don't come back to look at posts they made ages ago. Hopefully their moves are distant memories and the stress of it all has faded - I have no wish to bring it all back, LOL.

It's just me and my daughter moving from US to UK. No furniture to speak of, no cars, no pets. Just a lot of boxes, really.

I'm from the UK (Northern Ireland) and have my British and Irish passports so can live and work there without visas. My daughter was born here but also has her British and Irish passports. I'll be staying at my dad's when we arrive - I have a bank account (statements) in my name going to that address and my UK driving licence with that address. I have utility bills and mortgage statements from my US address. So I look to be good for all that stuff.

I'm just getting stuck on listing items. It's hard to gauge because we haven't packed yet. Do you have to get really specific with individual items, or can you go by number of boxes? I've seen website offering tips doing it both ways.

The attached pic is kind of what I'm doing and will build on - does that seem OK?

Also, is it better to overestimate numbers of boxes/items rather than underestimate?

How fast do I need to get this sent to HMRC?

Last question - it says items had to have been owned and used for 6 months. Well, my daughter and I like a very specific type of memory foam mattress, and they come vacuum-packed and rolled up, easy to move, and are dirt cheap over here. I was just going to get us new mattresses and put them in the storage unit (where all our items are being picked up from). Is that a no-no, as obviously they are brand new, and I won't be able to show that I bought them 6 months ago? Is it better just to suck it up and get new (untested, eek) mattresses once we get home rather than flag any kind of issues with customs?

Also, I want to thank whoever it was that let me know I would need to do this additional paperwork on the original thread I started about shipping companies! I'll look at who it was and come back and tag them. I really, really owe you one! This has been so stressful, I'm at the very tail end of sorting out the shipping, trying to get a separation agreement done with my soon-to-be ex, trying to complete my Master's, trying to get schools sorted out for my daughter, and job applications sorted for me (if anyone knows good agencies for social workers in Northern Ireland, let me know!!) - and now we have brought the move forward from July to May 30th because my lovely, amazing wee mum died suddenly on Feb 14th. I'm a mess, she was my best friend. Couldn't go to the funeral as I'd just completed my US citizenship the previous week and my passport is in the works - you have to fly in on a US passport if you're a citizen. (Incidentally, I only did the citizenship thing because US citizens living overseas - which I will be - have a loophole to defer paying back student loans indefinitely if they're earning less than $110,000 in a foreign currency, and as a social worker I sure will be. If this info could be useful to anyone else send me a PM and I'll share, because student loans are a killer over here!) Anyway, having this ToR stuff thrown at me unexpectedly at the last minute may well have just finished me off - so I'm very grateful for the knowledge base here.

Pollyana

All that sounds fine. Proof of where you are moving to, and where from.

I know I answered you on the other thread, but it won't hurt to answer here too!
Yes that kind of list looks fine, very similar to mine. I probably over-estimated rather than under, but I don't think it needs to be exact. I built the list on an excel sheet and just sent them a pdf of it.

I was told be my shippers that they could send the shipment without it, but they would need the TOR Approval Number before the boxes arrive on the UK. I applied in early January, expecting a long wait, but the approval came through in about 3-4 days - I wasn't even shipping the stuff till mid February

All I can say is what I did with a few things - a flat pack bookcase, and sheepskin rugs, plus a few food items - the food I listed as Sauces - 8 bottles (unopened), the bookcase was (new, still in box) and the rugs I just rolled and unrolled a few times and listed them just as Rugs - 3.
The shippers are a company called Chess, well used to dealing with TORs and they didn't question anything. Hasnt arrived in the UK yet, but the people approving the TOR must have seen the list, and didn't query it.

I hope it works out ok for you. I stressed for weeks over the TOR side of it, but the actual application went really smoothly.
You'll need to upload all the evidence one document at a time, so make sure you have everything scanned and ready to go, and allow yourself a couple of hours in case you get stuck on anything. Its pretty straightforward, you can save it and come back later if necessary, and with all the stuff you listed above you should have everything required.

Good luck

Boldilocks

Thank you so much for taking the time with all of this! I feel much better about it all!

Pollyana

No problem. I got help on here when I first tackled the shole shipping-back issue, so glad to pass on anything I can.

Feel free to ask anything else and I'll try and help