Solaris Relocation for UK - AUS shipping??

[Marisawright 10,232]

5 hours ago, Lauralee 11 said:

Thanks for the update - I’m considering using Solaris also for london to Perth move. How long in total did it take from door to arrival port? Also were you using a shared container service? I’m nervous about things getting mixed up with other peoples stuff. I have a relatively small consignment (150 cu feet) but I’ve not read the best things about MoveCube. 

First of all, when you're reading reviews of Movecube online, make sure they really are of Movecube and not of Seven Seas' parcel shipping service.  Two totally different services.  

Secondly, make sure people have legitimate complaints.  I took a quick look and saw people complaining about the insurance for instance -- but if you pack the Movecube yourself, there's obviously no way Movecube can be held responsible if stuff breaks. That's normal for ALL shipping companies. So that's not a legitimate complaint.  Same with complaints about extra charges on arrival -- that's the same for all shipping companies too.  There are always port and customs duties which the company can't predict in advance and which you have to pay on arrival.   

Let us know what other bad things you've read about them, as we all have the impression they're the best option and often recommend them, so it's important that we know.

To clarify, Movecube IS basically a shared container.   The only difference is that instead of loading all your stuff loose into a container with other people's stuff, the whole Movecube is loaded into the container, sealed, so it's more secure. 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Marisawright

[DrDougster 252]

@Millytod I wondered how you got on with your letter to try and avoid the tax? I have just received an email from the handlers for importing our stuff and given our four year delay I'm going to have to see if I can either get customs to waive the tax or try and work out the sale value of our stuff. The latter is difficult as a) I can't actually remember what is in there and b) how would you value a something like a $2000 tailored suit that is maybe ten years old? $20? We are shipping nothing new except maybe a bottle of Swedish gin and everything else is really difficult to value as a sale price.

Many thanks for your help. 

[Millytod 7]

@DrDougsterIt ended up being pretty straightforward for us and we never heard anything from customs … just got the call from Allied to say they’d got clearance from customs with no issues or duties. 
I just wrote a very polite letter which the handlers forwarded with all the other paperwork - an appeal that explained that the shipment was our personal items and furniture that had all been owned and used for over x number of years and the 6 year delay was a combination of covid restrictions not allowing us to travel back and sort out the shipment/ time restraints in selling our property and also just needing some time to be sure about making a permanent move and selling a property that had been in the family for multiple generations etc. Asked if they would take these factors into consideration when making their decision. 

As far as valuations, I didn’t mention any values on the letter but did a separate list that I also sent in with the paperwork. Solaris advised me to just value things at what their value was and this is personal and subjective. So for example, a 20 year old sofa would only be valued at what you’d be happy to sell it for now on Facebook marketplace  rather than what it would take to buy a new sofa. You provide your own values and apparently they will generally just look at those … unless of course it’s something clearly extremely valuable that has been undervalued. 
This is completely separate to insurance valuations (which Solaris confirmed customs don’t have access to) which are based on cost of replacing the item. 

Hope that was the information you were after. 

[Millytod 7]

Have just reread your post - and yes, for the example like the suit you would only value it as something like $20 or even less. As far as I understand, don’t think they’re even really interested in things like that - it’s the bigger valuable imports and new items that they’re trying to catch. 
 

[DrDougster 252]

On 25/01/2023 at 21:48, Millytod said:

Have just reread your post - and yes, for the example like the suit you would only value it as something like $20 or even less. As far as I understand, don’t think they’re even really interested in things like that - it’s the bigger valuable imports and new items that they’re trying to catch. 
 

Thanks Milly  - hopefully they'll treat us similarly with this shipment. The one with inherited items, piano etc, from Penang may be another matter. Anyone any thoughts on how to get that kind of thing looked at favourably? It's the piano my wife played on when she was young and family furniture.

[DrDougster 252]

Everything delivered today - no customs charges. Excellent service from Solaris - they used Key here in Perth.

Now to see if I fit in that suit...

[Millytod 7]

Haha - you won’t be too stressed about fitting in the suit now you haven’t had to pay duties on it!
I missed the last message you’d put on here - I think if it was me I’d write a pleading letter about the piano and value it very low for them. 
 

As an update, we went and checked our shipment which is being held at an Allied storage facility here in Melbourne. Had to pay $250 for access but had up to 4 hours and someone was there the whole time to help lift out the boxes and furniture items. Some of the boxes were slightly bashed but the only thing that we found broken was a lamp … it had been tucked in top of a bigger box and just not secure enough. All other fragile china/ glass fronted book case etc were intact and very well packed. Customs had seemed to have only opened and checked one box from what we could see from the evidence of resealing - the one that had a Christmas tree in it. And just some tiny slits  in the furniture packing for a visual check. 
So would have to say we received excellent service from Solaris also. 

 

[Tinthin 0]

Hi everyone, I am in contact with Solaris now to arrange shipment of my personal stuff (excess baggage) from here in uk to Au. They initially quoted me an Air Freight with a reasonable price. What do you think are the questions that I need to ask/clarify with them before I sign the contract? This is the very first time we relocate abroad and also to use a removal company.  Thank you so much for help, I appreciate it. 

[Millytod 7]

Sorry I missed this one but I also don’t feel qualified at all to answer. I think it’s a matter of doing as much research as you can and writing down all the questions you have. In my experience they were very happy to answer questions and I felt they were actually answered and not just fobbed off. It feels like there is always an element of hoping for the best too