Suggested shipping companies???
 

Hi,

We are moving from London to Washington D.C. and I have just started looking for shipping companies.

I would appreciate any suggestions that you have based on your experience moving from the UK to the USA.

We are moving our belongings from a small 3-bedroom home. I have been advised by one shipping company that I will need a container. I will most likely have to store our items with the shipping company on the USA side for a few weeks.

So far have only met with Anglo Pacific - has anyone used them??? Any good???

Please let me know which companies are good and which are not!

Thanks!

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

Welcome to BE!

Have a search, you'll find loads of threads on the subject, with loads of recommendations.

At the end of the day though, ask who is being contracted to do the US side of the deal, then search them out on the scam moving website to see what people have said about the contractors.

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

Thank you - I will try searching again. I appreciate your reply and advice.

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

We used Anglo Pacific to move our things from London to Seattle. We only sent personal items (16 boxes) so we shared a container. The US agent is Schumacher Cargo (although not sure if that would also apply on the east coast).

Both the Anglo Pacific and Schumacher teams were really helpful on the paperwork side, the Schumacher guy went through the paperwork with me on the phone when the boxes arrived in LA and made a couple of changes to try and avoid customs charges (which seems to have worked).

On the down side, I thought that the insurance was expensive and I didn't realise the cost until I was too far down the process to think about picking a different agent - so be sure to factor that in up front. Also - this is only a tiny point but with London collections they like to do the pick ups when there's no traffic, so be prepared for a 5am wake up call on collection day!

I can't tell you what kind of condition our stuff arrived in as it's not due to be delivered to us until next week (despite having left London in mid-April, but I guess that's the downside of shared containers).

Good luck with your move!

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

Hi there,

I have moved to the US from the Middle East several times (I am a British perpetual expat!), have always been stung by the US end of things.In my experience the shippers in the MidEast (and UK when I left there), were fine, by normally subcontract out the US end of things.

My last move (2010) had me deal with a company here who refused to unload the container, which held all of our furniture, kids toys etc, until I paid them nearly $2000 in "fees", which were not part of the original contract. They actually had the truck at my house and me standing next to it, demanding the money! Unbelievable.

In my experience and opinion (and I have done the inward move to the US 3 times now), there are way more scammers and con-merchants in the freight business here in the US than anywhere else I have been.

Be wary! Many dodgy companies here - they all try and sting you for US Customs fees, demurrage and storage costs etc - Ask to see ALL receipts if they try this.

In the end, may be best to go with one of the Big Boys, such as Pickfords, who have their own, branded US division.

PM me if you need any help with this.

I am currently planning a move at the end of August from the US (Georgia) to Bahrain, and am using a company here called EuroUsa (headed by a Brit based in Charleston), and so far, it has gone according to plan (touch wood!).

Good Luck

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

In theory your container should go to Baltimore the closet port to DC. If it is shipped to say New Jesey the inland shipping will be much higher. Not all companies go to all ports so it may be worth asking how it will be routed. As metioned the larger operations have a US operation which gives more control otherwise your container will just be another load. Due to the downturn in volume and thin margins some shipping companies do try to tack on fees. Ask for as much detail as possible about the handling on the US side.

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

Can I first thank you all for your welcome and for taking the time to reply to my question.

I appreciate your help very much and have taken down notes from what you have shared so that I can go back to Anglo Pacific with detailed questions. Your information has also caused me to think very carefully about the other shipping companies that I will meet with.

I have spent the past two weeks (that is how long ago we learned about our relocation!) preparing our home for viewings. The open day was today - whew!

This coming week I plan to dive further into my shipping company investigations - armed by your help!

Again, thank you so much.

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

Hey there - Good luck with the move - let us all know how it goes.

I am about to leave the USA for Bahrain, and have also put the house on the market - not a great time but fingers crossed.........

Hope the move goes smoothly.

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

Thank you! Best of luck that your move is smooth this time around as well. I don't know how you do it! This is only my second international move (I moved to London on my own 15 years ago - now moving my family to the States) and my head is swimming at the moment...

I did see your suggestion of Pickfords, but I ruled them out because I moved here to Britain with them and had a less than favorable experience... I have taken a note of the shipping company you are using so that I can follow up on them this week - thank you for that.

My fingers are crossed that your house sells quickly and without hassle.

Good luck - let me know how the move and house sale progresses.

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

We used Pickfords when we moved over here and were very satisfied with them. The agent at this end was great and no surprise fees or extras.

Re: Suggested shipping companies???
 

Delighted to hear that your experience with Pickfords was better than mine!