Shipping household goods from UK to Oz...Anglo Pacific or Britannia Fleet removals?

[Mrs H]

Hi, we're soon making the move to North Brisbane :smile::smile:and trying to decide which will be the best company to use for our shipping. We're looking at the sole use of a 20ft container. Has anyone used either Anglo Pacific or Britannia Fleet removals?

[Jojoe]

We used Anglo Pacific 4 years ago and couldn't fault them . They had to park the big container on the main road and used a shunt van to load it . They packed everything really well , was very professional , communication was brilliant and over in Australia had no complications , delivery guys very professional , no breakages , sorry can't remember the costings but they were very reasonable at the time . We had a full container but also cannot remember the size but they packed it to every inch like a jigsaw puzzle a full 4 bedroom house full ,we've still got their packing boxes which we've used 3 times over

[TiaCapan]

I've used Anglo but only for shipping boxes rather than a container. No problems at all and no breakages.

[Mrs H]

Thanks Jojoe, It is reasuring to hear that you didn't have any problems when you used Anglo Pacific. They have been very helpful, providing advise on some items which will need declaring and treating on arrival.

[Mrs H]

Thanks TiaCapan, good to learn all went well for you.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Mrs H

[Mrs H]

Thanks TiaCapan, good to learn all went well for you.

[lp77]

We used Anglo in dec 2015, think cost 3500-3700£?? The guys that came were v good and packed quickly. One item I queried if they broke they denied.. It never arrived... It was only a sentimental teapot ornament but not the point and all my bedroom cabinets were broken underneath. May have been a bad design but tbh they ought to have packed them better and advised us of risk if that was the case. Also found a small TV in amongst a box of clothes...thankfully no damage..Communication was great till they had our stuff and money... Then delayed leaving UK (tbh it was Christmas time too) and then delayed in Singapore.... Stuff was packed dec 17th/18th... We never received it till March 11th.... I wouldn't be against using them again. Friends used pickfords minimal hassle and small claims too. Another friend using crown in a few weeks who we had considered too. Good luck. Ps we had insurance with Lytton Percival. No hassle claiming and payout x

[Suzukiscottie]

You'll probably find that lots of people have good/bad/indifferent/expensive/cheap/value-for-money experiences with every international shipper. There is no "best", unfortunately.

 

You make your own choice and then keep your fingers crossed!

 

Good luck!

[Guest The Pom Queen]

As mentioned you will always get positives and negatives for every company. Being on the forum as long as we have we see the good and bad points for them all and how the companies handle it is, for me, the most important thing.

Try getting some other quotes, PSS and John Masons are two of the more common ones people use.

I agree about using @Letton Percival for your insurance, if you have a look through recent posts you will find a lot of our members are using them and when they have had to claim it as been a positive experience. http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transport-shipping/244818-overseas-removals-insurance.html

[aconcannon]

We used Anglo Pacific & ended up getting a full refund from them...their 'maximum of 10 weeks' turned into 16 & nearly all our stuff arrived bashed up & smashed up! I'd steer clear of them

 

 

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[Martinbjulieb]

We used AP nine years ago, they were excellent. Unpacked everything at this end and placed in correct rooms and took away all of the boxes/rubbish.

[Mrs H]

Hello aconcannon, so sorry to learn about your experience with Anglo Pacific. May I ask… When did you use them? Was it for the sole use of a full container or shared / groupage shipping?

[Mrs H]

Hello Martinbjulieb, thanks for letting me know about your experience with AP. Good to hear everything went well. Most companies seem to offer a similar service. However, I have to query using only paper to wrap the glassware - personally, I would want some bubble wrap around the outside for extra protection of fragile items. Was that the case for yourselves?

[aconcannon]

Hello Martinbjulieb, thanks for letting me know about your experience with AP. Good to hear everything went well. Most companies seem to offer a similar service. However, I have to query using only paper to wrap the glassware - personally, I would want some bubble wrap around the outside for extra protection of fragile items. Was that the case for yourselves?

 

We bubble wrapped all of our delicates I.e glass wear, photos in a frame, crockery etc, in fact we double bubble wrapped most of it & used paper & towels etc where necessary & nearly all of it arrived smashed - that was using Anglo Pacific. We ended up with a full refund. We were sending individual boxes - perhaps if booking a container might result in your items arriving safely?!

 

 

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[Mrs H]

We bubble wrapped all of our delicates I.e glass wear, photos in a frame, crockery etc, in fact we double bubble wrapped most of it & used paper & towels etc where necessary & nearly all of it arrived smashed - that was using Anglo Pacific. We ended up with a full refund. We were sending individual boxes - perhaps if booking a container might result in your items arriving safely?!]

 

That must of been so awful for you! We will be using a (very) full container to send our stuff over. When did you use AP?

[aconcannon]

We bubble wrapped all of our delicates I.e glass wear, photos in a frame, crockery etc, in fact we double bubble wrapped most of it & used paper & towels etc where necessary & nearly all of it arrived smashed - that was using Anglo Pacific. We ended up with a full refund. We were sending individual boxes - perhaps if booking a container might result in your items arriving safely?!]

 

That must of been so awful for you! We will be using a (very) full container to send our stuff over. When did you use AP?

 

Yes it was terribly disappointing. I do think with a container it would be a very different story & less to worry about.

Our stuff arrived mid December last year, it was collected by AP in July!!!

 

 

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[DeeTowers]

We used AP last year and I cannot fault them at all.

 

Having lived in Sydney for 4 years we decided to sell our UK home in order to buy here so had to go back and clear out the attic and shed which were locked full of our possessions away from the tenants. We had 6 days to go back and decide what we wanted and what needed to be disposed off or taken to charity shops, once we had what we wanted it was time to fly home to Sydney so before we left we put the items in a storage locker near my mum, gave here the keys and flew back.

 

While I was in the UK I created an inventory of all the items so this made it easy to get quotes, I cant remember all of the companies I went to but we chose AP because of the customer service and the fact that I was not there and mum would have to let them into the locker. AP were not the cheapest but they were not the most expensive - We had a lot of stuff but not enough for a full container so it was shared.

 

On collection day the communication with mum mum was excellent, they turned up when they said they would, she let them in and then sat on a pop up chair for 1/2 a day with a flask of tea and her sandwiches while they wrapped, packed and boxed everything - even the boxes I had packed myself they re-packed to make sure they were secure. My glasses, glass Xmas decorations and anything other that was extremely fragile were put in wooden boxes for extra protection - The collection guys were super friendly with my mum and it could not have gone any smoother!

 

They shipped our belongings in Aug last year and we received it beginning of December which was a month after they estimated but we were not in a hurry for it and they kept us informed.

 

My experience was 10/10 especially being as I was not there in charge to manage the collection, my mum also praised their professionalism and the friendliness of the staff. Also zero damage or breakage but then I put that down to their packing/materials as there were heaps of it when I unpacked the other end!!!

Edited September 27, 2016 by DeeTowers

[Martinbjulieb]

I am pretty sure that bubble wrap was used, but it was a long time ago! Nothing at all was broken on the way over though so they must have packed it all very well.

[Mrs H]

We used AP last year and I cannot fault them at all.

 

Having lived in Sydney for 4 years we decided to sell our UK home in order to buy here so had to go back and clear out the attic and shed which were locked full of our possessions away from the tenants. We had 6 days to go back and decide what we wanted and what needed to be disposed off or taken to charity shops, once we had what we wanted it was time to fly home to Sydney so before we left we put the items in a storage locker near my mum, gave here the keys and flew back.

 

While I was in the UK I created an inventory of all the items so this made it easy to get quotes, I cant remember all of the companies I went to but we chose AP because of the customer service and the fact that I was not there and mum would have to let them into the locker. AP were not the cheapest but they were not the most expensive - We had a lot of stuff but not enough for a full container so it was shared.

 

On collection day the communication with mum mum was excellent, they turned up when they said they would, she let them in and then sat on a pop up chair for 1/2 a day with a flask of tea and her sandwiches while they wrapped, packed and boxed everything - even the boxes I had packed myself they re-packed to make sure they were secure. My glasses, glass Xmas decorations and anything other that was extremely fragile were put in wooden boxes for extra protection - The collection guys were super friendly with my mum and it could not have gone any smoother!

 

They shipped our belongings in Aug last year and we received it beginning of December which was a month after they estimated but we were not in a hurry for it and they kept us informed.

 

My experience was 10/10 especially being as I was not there in charge to manage the collection, my mum also praised their professionalism and the friendliness of the staff. Also zero damage or breakage but then I put that down to their packing/materials as there were heaps of it when I unpacked the other end!!!

 

Hi DeeTowers, Thanks for sharing your experience of using AP, so reasuring to hear all went well. Yes, their customer service is excellent, they have been very helpful so far. Whilst they are not the cheapest, I have had quotes higher than AP back.

[Nemesis]

Friends of mine used anglo pacific a few years back. Stuff took over 5 months to get from the Uk to Brisbane - for some reason it went via south america. Anglo pacific never answered emails about it and whenever my friend tried to ring she just got transferred from office to office. She had virtually given up when the agents in Brisbane said the stuff had arrived. Lots of broken china and dented boxesbut as anglo pacific still continued to ignore emails they never got any compensation.

[salH]

Our experience of Anglo pacific also wasn't good enough.

 

 

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[dannyflint]

Hi

We recently moved from Merseyside to North Brisbane. We used Britannia Fleet.

In the UK the company were responsive and seemed good value (not the cheapest, not the most expensive).

We were very disappointed when, 2 weeks after signing and paying, we were hit with a £300 additional charge for "increased freight costs". Some rubbish about Brexit... They quoted a line in the contract and we had to pay - what else could we do?

The team packing our gear were exceptional - really quick, really good. We were very impressed.

We tracked the boat all the way, and were very excited about getting our gear!

 

When it arrived in Australia, the local company Britannia Fleet used contacted us (Overseas Packers and Shippers). They demanded $610 to pass our consignment through quarantine. Very shocked as we were told all charges were included except if our goods were dirty and picked up by the Australian quarantine team. We contacted Britannia Fleet and they basically said tough - they made up some rubbish about us being unlucky and being randomly picked for searching - this was denied by the local company, and by Australia customs when I asked them.

Again, what are we supposed to do - if we don't pay we don't get our stuff!

On a positive note, the unpackers in Brisbane were exceptional - helped put up all the beds/wardrobes etc without a word - even gave advice on electrics etc.

 

Very disappointed by Britannia Fleet's attitude. They know they have you over a barrel and when we needed help they just hung us out to dry.

 

I wouldn't use them again - even though the teams both ends actually moving the crates were great.

 

Good luck with the move.

[dannyflint]

Realise I wasn't clear above. We got charged $610 to pass through quarantine - all our goods passed the inspection 100% and we didn't get any charges for dirty/contaminated goods - I feel really ripped off...