International shipping companies

[Fenderman]

Hi we are looking for advice on International shipping companies, we will be moving over as soon as we sell our house in the UK and I just wondered who has had good or bad experiences and if there are companies we should avoid.

Thank you in advance

Rob and Samantha

[Guest Stacey]

Hi Rob and Samantha

 

We moved a few years ago now but used Doree Bonner International UK Removals | Moving Overseas | Doree Bonner International and found them to be very good.

 

I haven't really had any experience with others but could certainly recommend Doree and they were by far the cheapest for us.

 

Might be worth having a ring around though because prices can vary greatly.

 

Hope this helps

 

Stacey

x

[Riponian]

The best thing I can suggest it is to get 3 people in to give you quotes and then go with your gut feeling.

 

I know people have had varying reports from many of the major shippers and it seems to just be pot luck really. The end of the day you end up buying from the company you like and obvioulsy cost involved.

 

We used a local company from Devon and they were fantastic, not sure if they have spread further out into the uk or not but some of the gig ones, Angelo Pacific, Britiannia etc

 

Good luck with the move

[Guest Fly Away]

The best thing I can suggest it is to get 3 people in to give you quotes and then go with your gut feeling.

 

I know people have had varying reports from many of the major shippers and it seems to just be pot luck really. The end of the day you end up buying from the company you like and obvioulsy cost involved.

 

 

Good luck with the move

 

I agree, we used the firm above and had problems. A lot of our stuff was badly packed and we had to lodge a rather large insurance claim as things were damaged. We also had to help out with loading etc. as only 2 men were sent to pack a 40 foot container. Which is probably why they rushed the job and stuff was inadequately packed / shoved loosely into boxes.

 

That said, I do think it's pot luck as there are so many variables. Just be sure to list every item on the insurance form and don't reduce the sum insured to save money as the insurer will reduce any payout by the percentage you are under insured.

 

We air freighted our small valuables and essential paper work which worked well for us as we only had a 20kg luggage allowance.

[Guest needtogonow]

We pretty much did it all ourselves and saved shed loads of money. We packed ourselves, contacted a shipper only (not removals or packers) and got people to help us load the container.

We completed full packing lists, researched the AQIS and customs procedures and organised all the inspections from this side when our container had arrived. We had to pay a company (pretty cheap for a few days) to store it at and to upack the container whilst AQIS and customs checked everything. On the day AQIS ame in to inspect (as we had to be there) we hired a truck from Budget rental and loaded it ourselves (2 journeys accross Adelaide, from the Port to Sheidow Park). It was hard work doing it ourselves but we did work out that we had saved a good few thousand pounds + in doing so, so we think it was well worth it.

Has anybody else done it this way?

 

Bex

[Guest lindagarrattley]

Voovit international shipping have been recommended to me. I am only sending boxes but I don't think they do the large stuff. Quote £120 for 4 boxes @ max.30kg each (1 box equiv. to 1 large suitcase), pick-up is house to port of destination.

[she1971]

Hi...We are using White & Company.....best quote by far and they were also happy to reduce their quote too. They are packing as I type and have to say have been fantastic. Container is due here in half an hour and then that's it......all our stuff will be on its way.

20ft container packed to the brim......can't rate them high enough.

Good luck with everything......18 days left until we leave; volcano ash permitting!!!!

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

We used GB Liners from Cheltenham - Adelaide....all good no worries at all...!!!

 

 

HG

[The Sowters]

We had several quotes and chose Doree Bonner. They were excellent, friendly and very professional. Once our container arrived here the company they use this end is Grace and they too very very good. Their price was middle of the range too. Hope this helps.

 

Hi we are looking for advice on International shipping companies, we will be moving over as soon as we sell our house in the UK and I just wondered who has had good or bad experiences and if there are companies we should avoid.

Thank you in advance

Rob and Samantha

[Fenderman]

Thank you all for your replies, as Riponian said I think we will end up getting three quotes and just see who we like best, We were just a bit wary of using one of the bigger shippers as you get a quite a hard sell from these guys.

 

 

All we have to do now is sell the house and pray the exchange rate suddenly starts to rise but I probably have more chance of winning the lottery than happening Doh!

 

Rob and Samantha

[Rob and Mel]

All i can say is....

 

Make sure you check everything at your end as they pack it and make sure you check everything at this end.

 

We thought we were helping the blokes unpack so they could get away from our house so did not unpack and check the stuff in the boxes.

It made the claim for the broken stuff very hard as they said we could of broken the stuff after the delivery.

Also in the madness of the stuff being delivered we miss counted the amount of boxes and one had gone missing.

Because i had signed the sheet we had no claim for the missing tent.

My fault i know but its strange it was one nice item and not a box of odds and sods..

 

Also like to point out we used one of the companies talked about in this thread (not allowed to put names) and they never told us that if you use the group age shipping they do your items can be split into indefinite shipments.

 

For us it came in two shipments about two months apart.

But beware they could send your items in as many as they see fit and they could keep coming for quite a long time.

 

Oh and check as they fill your boxes they actually fill them,

When we opened some of ours they were only 1/4 to 1/2 full.

This makes the cubic feet go up quite a lot.

 

I know this seems extreme but be warned!

 

Rob and Mel

[Guest The Dimmocks]

We used Pickfords and had a good experience. Arrived in port the day they said and arrived at house the day they said.

 

 

Michelle

[Guest Lucky]

We used Crown Relocations and they were terrible. Really bad experience from the minute they turned up to pack and the nightmare didn't end here because once they have your money they don't care.

DON'T USE CROWN!

Good luck!

[carryon]

We used John Masons, excellent job, and they were the best quote we got, they guys who delivered this end were good as well!

Good luck

 

Simon:D

[Guest alexbrown]

Hi we are looking for advice on International shipping companies, we will be moving over as soon as we sell our house in the UK and I just wondered who has had good or bad experiences and if there are companies we should avoid.

Thank you in advance

Rob and Samantha

 

ROb, Samantha, we came over in January 2010 and used Anglo Pacfic who were very good nothing was broken on the way over. The only hitch was with the actual container company who sent the wrong size but was all sorted. Arrived within 6 weeks and Kent removals this end(adelaide) the agents were equally as good. You can keep all the boxes if you want good for moving house this end. Hope this helps.

[Mini2005]

We used Crown Relocations and they were terrible. Really bad experience from the minute they turned up to pack and the nightmare didn't end here because once they have your money they don't care.

DON'T USE CROWN!

Good luck!

 

We used Crown Relocations when we came in September 2005 and we couldn't fault them from start to finish. Every item arrived here on time and in one piece.

 

Could you elaborate on what went wrong for you (by PM if you like) as we are just preparing to return to the UK and have 2 shipping companies coming to quote on 21 May - 1 of which is Crown.

 

Coming out here it was their Leeds office who organised everything and they were brilliant. Four fantastic blokes packed our stuff up and from the time it left, we were kept informed all the way until the ship docked in Adelaide and the delivery men arrived at our house.

 

If their service has deteriorated it would really help us make our decision on who to use.