[Smiler]

I promise to one day stop bleating on about shippers/compliance/nzvl et al. Until then the medication is helping. ;)

Has anyone ever asked for and got copies of 'their' MAF invoices from their shippers. I'm 100% sure I read on here that people have, just need some confirmation as yet again I'm being refused. :mad:

Also does anyone have clarification on disbursements please? I'm told they are for online transactions :confused:

Thanks in advance.

Deborah

[Avalon]

Yep -- people have got them. Cant help further because we didnt really need to go that far.

As for disbursements ???????? Sounds a bit odd. Surely there shouldnt be any.

My first thought would be to ask for a list of "disbursements" and then to send it to the UK company you dealt with and ask for clarification (preferably asking then to quote the line number in your contract where it says you are going to be charged for these.)

And in your next life - rememeber - "Thou shalt not use NZ Van lines"! ;)

{{{HUGS}}}

[Smiler]

Helen thanks hugs were indeed needed.

It's the dreaded above mentioned in your last line. I have been told that the invoices are their property and MAF, Centreport and KwikKill are their creditors not mine. Therefore I'm not entitled to them.

There are discrepancies between the itemised charges I have twice received from them and when I queried this the spare $$ were shovelled under disbursements.

These disbursements are online transactions apparently. :confused: They will not clarify this any further.

There was a swear word on another thread earlier and the above named shippers have all but told me to that word, and off.

All this has been going on since our stuff arrived.

D x

[kiwidebs]

It's the dreaded above mentioned in your last line. I have been told that the invoices are their property and MAF, Centreport and KwikKill are their creditors not mine. Therefore I'm not entitled to them.

But surely if you're the one paying for all these you are entitled to see what you are paying for? I've got a feeling those who got their MAF invoices got them direct from MAF.
Good luck with it all Deborah. Unfortunately your shipping woes have been one big nightmare:mad: . I hope you get it all sorted soon.

Debs

[Avalon]

Smiler -

They are telling you BS i think. :mad:

The MAF fees are between you (the importer) and MAF. NZ Van lines are merely a go between. It is entirely possible for us (importers) to pay MAF directly for thier services and not pay these companies at all.

Checked with Alan - go direct to MAF with your consignment number and any other info (source and destination ports, your names etc). Maf can then give you a copy of the invoice - you dont actually need to as NZ van lines. Any other fees NZ Van lines have added need not be paid (obviously thats dependent on your original contract). Maf will NOT be surprised to hear from you - they are well aware of this scam. And it IS a scam. NZ Van lines seem to be one of the worst - but others do it to. :mad:

First thing - do you have your stuff or are NZ Van lines still holding on to it - I know you haev your bikes etc.

Secondly - dump this on your UK provider - HARD! Your contract is with them. Make it clear that you are quite prepared to create one helluva stink over this ( from all ive read - explicitly telling them that you are dragging thier names through the mud on these forums helps too). We actually had very few problems with the movers on this side - but the few ones we had - the minute we emailed the UK company (John Mason) they jumped on the NZ company from a great height and things got done.

Usually - your contract with a shippers in the UK ONLY excludes MAF fees and customs (because they are not a fixable cost for the UK companies i guess). Check - if your contract only excludes those fees - you do not have to pay for Disbursements - whether or not they want to tell you what they are for. So get the contract and read it.

Also, advise is when speaking to NZ Van lines (or indeed anyone at this stage) - ask to speak to the owner of the company.

Theres a lot of info about this on the "other" forum. I hope I dont get into trouble for this - but it is serious and its worth being aware that the infor is there. Search under Maf Charges.

I personally would also chat with Trading Standards in the UK and look at making a complaint against your removals company if they wont play ball. (As an aside - you could also try contacting the companies that produce all these "get a new life programs" adn see if they will start warning people about this. (Sorry - im ranting a bit!)

You can also contact The Commerce Commision in NZ: http://www.comcom.govt.nz/contact.cfm
And the Consumers Institute.

I belive one of these organisations is currently investigating the rip off of migrants but im not sure about that.

So - for anyone still in the uK and deciding - find out who your NZ contractor is. DONT use NZ VAN LINES under ANY circumstances - and make the UK companies aware that you will not deal with them if they insist on using NZ VAn lines. Its the only way to get this stopped. These companies DO take note - John masons got really upset that my parents wouldnt use them. They would have done except - NZ Van lines was the NZ subcontractor.

[katandbob]

cheers smiler & Avalon,

well noted......has anyone used DHL or other couriers to ship small amounts?

I reccon we will only be shipping a small amount (photos (! album full of Cole already and hes only 3 days old!!!, mementos) and buying everything else new. (gave most our furniture to Rach & Rich for their house)

I think that this part is the most scarest of the process!

ttfn nad big {{{{Hugs}}} to you Smiler :yes go get em!

Kat

[Avalon]

Kat-

Ill get my OH to ask some friends - because I seem to remember one of them mentioning DHL for this sort of thing - but ive no idea whther it was good or not. Ill find out tomorrow if no one else has answered by then.