[Hannah]

Wonder if anyone can help us with this one...

If we emigrate to NZ we intend to pack and unload our own goods rather than pay for shippers to do the packing. I'm aware from this site that there may be difficulties in obtaining insurance cover as a result.

Our main concern is regarding the value of my partner's power tools and various other manly goods - particularly regarding their value and the high cost of replacing them if they go awol on the journey.

Is anyone here aware of what actually happens to your container once it leaves your front door in UK (or wherever) and arrives at your front door in NZ?

My questions are as follows:

1. Is it possible to lock the container yourself as it leaves your front door and ensure it is not opened by anyone else on route? for example, for the container to be locked by padlock for which only you have the key?

2. I am aware that MAF inspection can take place at your house once the container arrives but is it necessary for the container to be opened on route (for example for customs inspection). If this is the case, can you request to be present at this and for the crate to not be opened until this point?

We are assuming it is possible to have the same container leave our house in UK and arrive unopened at our house in NZ - ie. the same container just gets moved around onto different vehicles (boat, lorry). Is this unrealistic?

If anyone is aware of what exactly our products go through on route i'd be very grateful for your comments!!!

cheers, hannah

[tigerlily]

Hannah,

I think we will end up with a self-pack too, just because we have a very long storage on this end and to pay a shipping company would be too much for this. But I'm thinking that anything of real value I will travel with on the airplane instead of shipping. Yes, my wedding china will be in there, and probably a wee bit of silver. But I'll pack it in a box with towels and just add "forks" or "utensils" to the shipping manefest so it doesn't look tempting. I'm not worrying about it much. Total loss is all I expect to get for insurance. I figure they won't be able to steal my table or couch ?

My jewelery, our important papers, my photo albums will come on the airplane. If I can't fit it all, I'll leave it with MIL to bring when she comes for a visit. For some items you might want to send with an international mailing company like UPS, and insure for the full value.

I'm interested to hear what the experts have to say...?

[katandbob]

Me...well we decided that we couldnt be doing with the hassle.

theres a good side to not owning any good china...or furniture.
The Car went tuesday....bank account healthier.
the girl who is taking over at work is buying a flat........wants a list of all my stuff :nice1
I am going to scan all photos, etc leave the originals with Mum & MIL and then any other stuff that I cant bare to leave, I am going to get shipped out by work on their fedex or Ups accounts...Discount! (mind you I have yet to ask them :laugh , but I am sure they wont mind)

Kat

[Jo and Andy]

Our container was packed for us, everything, it was great, only problem is you don't know what is in each box, apart from bare description. Nothing broken though.

We had to inspect a special lock they put on the container and could actually lock it ourselves. I didn't check but they unlocked it at the house when they got here and the MAF person checked the stuff she needed to check.

Be careful and get confirmation that you are only paying for the MAF fee as we paid about double having to pay the company this end to liaise and move boxes for MAF. What a load of rubbish, as they unloaded the container they put the boxes she wanted to see in one area. She told me her fees and they were about half of what we paid. I believe you can pay MAF direct, but get it sorted before you leave.


I left so many things that I worried about MAF seeing, wooden chopping boards, cheap garden furniture, wish I had brought them. MAF were great with everything.

[veronica]

We packed for ourselves, both the shop contents and the house stuff. and each year we bring more shop stuff over. our containers have all (3 so far) sealed with a special lock when they leave the UK and we break the seal when they get here. Never had anything go missing even when we have brought stuff over groupage, (by the pallett in a mixed container), only one breakage and that was my fault for not packing enough soft stuff around a big old china bowl. My own feeling is that things are more likely to go missing with other people sorting and packing your stuff than in the container., although this is not based on stats or anything, just opportunity.

[tigerlily]

Hannah,
I found this mentioned on another site (Steve the Neuralnetwriter's)
"Re container security.
Our shippers normally get what they call a 'seal' ... It's a "one time only" bolt with a unique serial number on it. The only way to get it open is to ue Bolt Cutters. The people who delivered out container in the UK left the bolt with us while they were loading, Linda saw it being put onto our container door when it was finally closed and then I saw it being cut off this end. That way I knew nobody had been into our box in between."

I thought it might make you feel better!

[westies]

Having just last week said goodbye to our container, I can confirm that it was security bolted at our house and this will not be broken until it reaches us in NZ. Also we used John Mason who so far have been very very good, so no complaints, they certainly packed better than we could have!!