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Gumbygreeneye
23rd August 2006, 09:59 AM
Hi chaps,

It's the beginnning of my 4th week here and having a great time. Losing the battle with my waistline at present, but hell what do you do at night when you have no furniture.. yes it's the pub or food!

I have settled in at the surgery and my wife is now itching to get to work, though her efforts at getting us settled have made this an easy move.

I wish I could say the same for the UK firms still throttling me from 11 000 miles away.

02 still haven't unlocked my phones. It's been 6 weeks and a lot of phone calls to now tell me they can't give me a date when they'll do it.. I've said that I won't pay my last bill till they've taken care of they services I've rendered.

Now, for Dorree Bonner. What happens when you can see like black ice your car slided away from you and hitting the car in front, even though it's still 100 metres off.. well, it goes like this.

I specifically chose DB over John Mason as they were a little bigger and the package seemed a little more polished.. there was little in it when I chose and boy do I wish I chose JM.

The counterparts in NZ who organise the arrival have decided to charge me a mandatory $350 for MAF and labour charges. My wife and I have called MAF to organise an inspection at home to bypass this ridiculous charge especially as MAF themselves said that their ceiling charge was $120.

The Grace arrivals contact has been abrasive and stroppy since we called him about this, initially telling my wife, it couldn't be done, till I put him in his place. We now require a bill of lading to let MAF know when to come, but he's stalling. My shipment is on the ship "Hyundai something-or-other". He is telling me that it may not be on the same ship when it arrives and cannot tell me yet. We have already waited two weeks for this info and the shipment arrives on the 6th. I get the impression he wants to delay the whole thing so he can charge me shipping storage costs.

The moral of the story is go armed with the info you have from these sites and challenge any "standard" (rip off) charges. Don't trust the UK companies as even when (like I did) you specifically ask if this will happen to you and they say "No", they don't back you up. DB in the UK took over a week to reply to my email, and only replied to my second email when I told them they were being less than the "Purrfect Movers".

If this is how they handle difficulties (which frankly is the worry all of us have about shipments, ie how will they support me if something doesn't go right?), don't use them.

Darn it, next pt arrived! :)

kiwidebs
23rd August 2006, 12:13 PM
Bother these patients - don't they know you've got better things to do than work?? Yup, these moving companies are a whole nother kettle of fish. We ended up paying the rip off MAF fee to NZ Vanlines as we had to put our stuff into storage with them for a couple of months (we didn't have anywhere to live and my parents didnt' have room in their garage for a houseload of furniture). Oh well, it's only money (*sigh*).

Good luck with getting your goods.

Smiler
23rd August 2006, 06:38 PM
Hmmmm think Grace are owned by NZ Vanlines.

Good luck getting your stuff. Stand your ground or at least let Mrs GGE stand in front. ;)

willowshouse
24th August 2006, 07:54 AM
OK, all you who have been through this rubbish with shipping companies...

My plan was to phone my selected shippers - (PSS) and before I gave them my business I would make them write me a letter stating that we would not be expected to pay NZ Van Lines for MAF fees as we could pay MAF ourselves. What do you think? Anyone tried this already and been refused?

Isn't it a shame that you have to let these people know in advance that you're not a mug and they can't take advantage of you.

Dawn

Havana
24th August 2006, 01:00 PM
Cannot see how MAF can tell you that their ceiling charge is $120. I would query that. Personal effects should be charged on a per pce basis + a zone fee. If they havent sighted your paperwork yet how can they give you a ceiling price?

Grace have nothing to do with NZ Van Lines.

Its all nice and easy when you speak to MAF direct and they tell you that you can pay them direct but remember it is them who cause the problems to begin with because they cant be arsed collecting the funds in the first place and push the responsibility back on the removal companies. Does not mean that I agree with what some of the removal companies add on but if you think it does not cost them anything with what is required from MAF then you are dreaming.

Gumbygreeneye
25th August 2006, 08:39 AM
Dear All,

I handed the ball to my wife on this one and she has got the bill of lading and the landing documents from the poorly performing Grace end. I think blokes find it harder to be aggressive on the phone if it's a woman whereas a blokes sometimes with some sorts (this sort) pushes the wrong buttons (plus Nadine handled it very well anyway)!

MAF will come to our house after the movers have been. I do not have to pay Grace's MAF inspection fee for their boys to unload as they are doing it anyway at the house.

The grand total so far excluding boxes they look into is $76 as opposed to the $350 that Grace wants as their "standard charge".

I agree that the cost may be more that $120.. but NEVER should it amount to $350 and especially not with the bulk of stories that are told here. I will not accept this "standard charge". If it was so standard, why didn't DB tell me about it on the UK side. ;)

Havana
25th August 2006, 09:28 AM
Dont get me wrong I am all for a fair go and $350 for a standard charge is excessive. I just like to point out some details from the other view point as this forum is very one sided.

Never say never. If MAF followed the correct price procedure it is possible to get a $350 charge. If they had to inspect 105 items in zone 2 then bingo! If you pay your fees through a removal company then they have to add charges on to cover admin fees etc. Removal companies have to have MAF accredited staff, MAF equipment, have MAF audits, recieve and raise invoices, have MAF approved stores etc. Do you think this all costs nothing?

Avalon
25th August 2006, 04:34 PM
Does not mean that I agree with what some of the removal companies add on but if you think it does not cost them anything with what is required from MAF then you are dreaming.
They have already been paid for it though - out of the huge fees we pay on the other side of this deal. If thier cut doesnt cover the costs - they need to renegotiate - NOT rip us off.

Havana
25th August 2006, 04:43 PM
Avalon,

That is a reasonable point however that way everyone would be paying for a service not always provided. Anyway, if you paid for it in the UK are you still not getting "ripped off" although even worse you would not have any clue it was happening.

Avalon
25th August 2006, 07:37 PM
Well, I can only speak from my experience to answer this. In our case - every shipper we spoke to in UK included payment for all work done by NZ subcontractors in the price. Including dealing with customs and MAF, sorting the paperwork, and the time it took them.

My understanding of importing goods to NZ is that it is basically down to MAF or Customs to decide whether they are going to inspect or not, and if so, which items they want to look at. So I feel it is fair that the UK shippers cannot really charge for the ACTUAL inspection because they dont really knwo what MAF is going to do. Although given the scam - they really ought to change it - but they get too much out of it themselves I understand.

But the NZ companies should know what their part in all of that will take (and if they dont - then I question thier competance).and what it costs them.

As for whether the service is provided - again - the vast majority of UK shippers do provide this. Its a basic part of the service - certainly for all the companies we spoke to. Everything other than the ACTUAL maf fee is INCLUDED in the contract. Doesnt stop the NZ subcontractors trying to scam migrants. It comes down to what you have paid for and what is in the CONTRACT. Most of us have contracts that clearly state the only extra payment expected at this end is the actual MAF fee.

This IS a scam.

Gumbygreeneye
29th August 2006, 08:24 AM
Hi all,

Just to update you.. the chap from Grace has since called ME twice and been sweetness and light itself. Personally I think he's afraid of my wife! They have received our paperwork and no unloading and MAF fees will be paid as this takes place at our home now, with MAF on site a little while later.

I also think that my emails to Dorree Bonner accusing them of being less than the "Purrfect Movers" may have helped.

I hope the rest goes well.. if only O2 would unlock my phones.. useless bunch!

Whether MAF charge us more or less.. at least I know where my money has gone.. a $350 non-itemised bill doesn't tell me that.

KJ

Smiler
29th August 2006, 09:08 AM
Hi KJ

Glad to hear you're getting it sorted, like you say at least you'll know where your money has gone and that it's paying the actual MAF fee, not lining a shippers pocket whilst they sit on said pocket. :D Let us know how much it is in total.......

And I'm probably showing my ignorance here ( but I'm not 17 :o ) can't you find an unlocking code online?

Gumbygreeneye
29th August 2006, 12:27 PM
You're quite right there but they (the internet site) are having problems with the particular model I have too!

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