AndrewC

My neice used them from Bromley a couple of years back and was very happy with them. Checking review sites they seem to get better reports than most.

Do not ship any foodstuffs... in short if it goes into your mouth it can't go!

Make sure the keys are not made from Ivory. Newer pianos will be fine but if it is vintage this could be an issue.

Hi £5500 for a 20ft container seems a bit steep. Just checked, my neice moved to Sydney from Bromley with 600 ft3 for around £2800, try speaking to Mr Boyd at Bonners. Don't know the number.

Road miles are expensive, sea miles are cheap. Best to ship directly into Sydney. If you are being offered some space within a commercial freight container you'll be paying to port only, be careful the unstowing and associated port fees can be very expensive.

I'd recommend he hires our there.

Family have all used D Bonner and been very happy, I'll be using them soon'ish. They work with Grace Removals in Melbourne, who moved me a couple of times succesfully the last time my job had me in Victoria.

Cheap and cheerful . . you'll get what you pay for. I have seen the dockers at both ends screaming cars round in doughnuts, trashing the n*ts out of them. Container is more expensive but far, far safer. Go Roll on roll off if you have an old banger, if not . . !!

Me'thinks . . you need a cup of tea :-)

Basing on cost and cost alone . . cavet emptor

Normal woodern furniture is fine. I recommend you DO NOT include any shells. If the AQIS officer got out of the worng side of the bed on the day of your shipments inspection they can ask for the particular species ( latin names etc ). Can you tell if they are CITES / endangered . . no and nither can they . . which is why this could become a problem. Ratan / wicker / grass - it may or may not pass. If not they will remove and charge you around A$170.00 for Verkan gas treatment, . . it it worthwhile taking? Wicker such as Lloyd loom chairs which have been painted / varnished should not be a problem

Hi The guy from Jonh Mason is talking nonsense. Vacuum bags reduce the size and therefore reduce the cost. Packing bulky clothing / linen in boxes means you end up being charged for the extra space which is what the JM guy will want :-( Moisture . . remove the air and you remove the moisture! Just ensure the items are dry and packed into the bags at the same temp ( neither hotter or colder ) than the surrounding air and you'll be fine. Simple !!

I have a friend in HR who sent me this ages ago . . . Which company to trust? What to look out for . . . some of the basics . . 1) Surprisingly, do they publish as address within their web site? If they don’t walk away. If they do look this up on Google Earth / Street view . . You’ll be surprised what you will find. . . car dealerships, derelict buildings etc etc and it’s not due to the age of the satellite image. Seriously scary! 2) Do the web site pictures of their office / facilities match reality? Some photoshop their names onto smart looking buildings! 3) Can you visit their facilities and inspect? 4) Are they members of the BAR “Overseas Group” – specifically ‘overseas group’, just the ‘BAR’ covers UK moving not international. As BAR “Overseas Group Members” are they members of the I.M.M.I scheme which means they are ‘bonded’ – much like ABTA and travel companies. 5) Are they members of F.I.D.I. ? FIDI is an international standards organization for ‘international removal companies’. Member companies are audited for service standards, documentation though to financial security. For example, an audit checks contents of first aid boxes carried on vehicles though to the timeliness of documentation. FIDI members work with fellow members worldwide in the knowledge that the service standards are excellent. 6) What impression do you gain when taking to staff, can they answer simple questions efficiently, or is it a case of “I’ll check and come back to you” or some hard hearted flannel which leave you wondering? Your gut instinct is usually correct. Price. This is a competitive business, as you will have discovered. It is important to get the right ‘bangs for the buck’ from your hard earned finances. There is a ‘but’ . . . as with anything you get what you pay for. More so when handling over your belongings, your payment and disappearing across the globe!

Hi Jules I would not use bleach, so long as they are nice and clean you'll be ok . . just use soapy water, rinse well and air dry.

A shared container transit will depend on the company. Smaller companies will take longer to fill their containers. Average for a large company will be around 8 to 12 maybe 14 weeks. I have heard horror stories of shipments taking 6 months but the company concerned went pop. If you have your own container the sailings are weekly, with an 'on-water' transit of 40 to 44 days, you should then allow 10 to 20 days for clearance and delivery, the delivery being dependant on how quickly, or slowly, customs and quarantine sign your goods through.