thedtb

Ok Peeps...

Finally... we've had confirmation that our container will be delivered on Monday. We've been without our stuff, effectively camping (both literally and "in" a string of houses) since September of last year and we're all extremely excited about getting our things back... a proper sofa.... a decent bed.... my PS3... ah I'm frothing at the mouth just thinking about it

As part of the process of organising the delivery, NZ Van Lines had sent all of the paperwork they wanted us to complete, to the wrong address which obviously caused a delay... although quite why we had to send copies of our passports and a description of the contents of the container when all this originally supplied to PSS in the UK who then organised NZ Van Lines at this end... I don't know.

Anyhoo... once we'd received the paperwork and sent it back to them, the customs clearance was acquired fairly quickly with a small amount to pay for some brand new items we purchased (and truthfully declared) just before we moved out here..... the MAF inspection of 7 specific packages was carried out the day before yesterday... we had previously asked NZ Van Lines to arrange for MAF to carry out their inspection at our house (thinking that it would speed up delivery of the overall container) but they advised that apparently this wasn't possible because the container had by then been in the country (sat in Wellington) for more than 7 days - in fact It's been sat in Wellington since Jan 22nd!!.... Yesterday, an invoice from NZ Van Lines arrived and on top of the MAF inspection fee (which I suspect has also been inflated) there's a $95 + GST fee from NZ Van Lines.

The fee is labelled, "Completion and submission of BACC re-direction, securing MAF Officer appointment, documentation, invoicing, obtaining final clearances and accounting to MAF".... the MAF Inspection fee is then labelled "MAF Inspection and travel charges as published" ($105.59 + GST)

On the subject of the MAF Inspection fee.... where on earth is this information published.... e.g. can anyone confirm how they currently operate? E.g. this document states that the fee is $100 per hour, but NZ Van Lines are advising that this is not what they use, instead they apparently use "Charge-Out" rates as advised to them by MAF... but having spoken to MAF and having had the person on the other end of the phone laugh at this comment (but still not quite give me an answer), I doubt this is actually the case.

Now... I've paid for a door to door service and have always been of the understanding that our container was going to be inspected regardless, therefore my opinion is that any fees from NZ Van Lines should have already been paid for... e.g. we were expecting possible customs and MAF Fees but nothing else from NZ Van Lines - unless there were unexpected complications with delivery etc.... NZ Van Lines have been evasive to say the least in terms of quantifying what this fee is for and explaining why it wasn't incorporated within the fees we've already paid in full (albeit to PSS in the UK).

The emailed reply I have from NZ Van Lines states that the $95 fee applies to all containers which are the subject of a MAF inspection... my argument is that if I was advised from the very beginning that my container was going to be the subject of a MAF Inspection then surely such a fee from NZ Van Lines should have been declared/incorporated from the outset and not attempted to be quietly dropped in at the last minute.

Of course I could have refused to pay it, but on the basis that we REALLY want our container like, yesterday, I figured I'd pay it and dispute it later, rather than end up with them holding our container up for ransom.

Whilst it's only $95 +GST, I'm offended by the principal of the matter and will pursue it as far as I possibly can... I can be and often am a stubborn old fart like that So now I'm thinking of how best to pursue the matter.

I want to ask NZ Van Lines to supply me with a full itemisation of this latest invoice including a copy of the MAF invoice relating to our container... If they continue to be as evasive as they have been so far, I'm curious whether I have any legislation to support my request and perhaps instead pursue a request for ALL information they hold about and related to me... e.g. in the UK I can issue a formal request under the Data Protection Act and wondered if there was anything similar in NZ... so far as I can tell this appears to be the Privacy Act 1993 (see here).

Has anybody got any thoughts/feeback for me?

Kimi-Deacon

Good Luck with this,obviously not much has changed since our stuff arrived, have you been dealing with the guys in Lower Hutt? We got the worlds most obnoxious female from there ever, OMG what a cow.

Hope all goes well for you from here on in.

Stoof

from memory, you're not the first to be ripped off like this by NZ van lines - one of the reasons that we didn't use PSS ourselves... can't remember off the top of my head who else has been a 'victim' though it might be worth searching for old PSS threads (maybe from late 2008/ early 09) maybe Rob Clubley actually, but really can't remember now...

sorry, no idea about privacy act etc, but if you can dig out some of the old PSS threads, i do remember great discussions and advice on what action to take... which might actually help

also, i'd maybe ask Bevs or Am Loo to move this to the main forum - more chance of those that have 'been there, and done that' seeing it

HTH and good luck!

cappuccino

I still maintain that it is the luck of the draw.

I used PSS/NZ Van Lines (Wellington) and received nothing but courteous, helpful and nice people to deal with. I even had the opportunity to go to the NZVL depot to watch MAF inspect my goods, as they had to be removed from container and put into lorry to deliver to my house (container truck was too big). Fortunately, the day MAF inspected, there were 3 other inspections so the fee was split between the 4 of us. IF MAF had come to the house then I would have had to pay the full fee.


I think it's impossible to give the exact MAF 'call out' fee because the shippers don't know when or how the inspection will take place ie at home or at the depot (single inspection, or same time as others).

thedtb

In advance perhaps... but in retrospect they should be able to advise what the cost was (they are of course allegedly passing that cost on to us), or if it was split as you describe, explain the overall fee and that it was split between X containers and so on... I'm so determined to get the itemisation of all costs because they've been so evasive in answering my questions so far and that in turn makes me suspicious.

Did you have this $95 + GST fee on top of your MAF fee?

cappuccino

I just checked my old paperwork and this is what I found:

I was only charged on what the MAF guy inspected - 5 boxes (I think!) - plus the zone fee which is a MAF charge, not a shipping agent charge - total $117.50. That was 2 years ago.

thedtb

Interesting... we've had the MAF inspection and travel fees itemised as one separate fee and then this additional $95+GST which is straight from NZ Van Lines... They've openly admitted it's a fee straight from them.

The thing is, my contract with PSS makes reference to any additional costs being Customs and Inspection Fees and following on from that, I'll incurr costs for anything that wasn't originally accounted for which arises through something unexpected.... this whole MAF Inspection Fee etc was (so far as I'm led to believe) always going to happen and on that basis I believe it should have already been incorporated within the amounts previously paid to PSS (and in turn NZ Van Lines).

Perhaps I'll need to involve PSS too?

cappuccino

I found my old thread: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...80#post6072080

BEVS

As Capp said, this is an age old ruse which has been going on for years. You are not the first and won't be the last.

Here is an old post of mine

Start shouting and waving your arms at both White Van Lines and your UK shipper.