Removals to Christchurch Provlem

[Cobra]

Hi everyone,
My furniture is supposed to be arriving on Tuesday. (removal company McGimpsey) Hurray at last!!!! I got an email today from The Moving Company here with invoice for 237 dollars for MAF and Quarantine fees. But already paid for normal customs clearance when i signed acceptance forms with McGimpsey removals when leaving Ireland. Surely MAF and Quarantine are normal custom clearance .

[G-Mo]

Nope, they are not. There's always an extra fee on arrival that can't be calculated in advance, which is basically rent for your shipment sitting there and bio-security clearance. You can try to fight it, but they have you, they won't release it until you pay (and can charge you more!).

[escapedtonz]

Originally Posted by Cobra

Hi everyone,
My furniture is supposed to be arriving on Tuesday. (removal company McGimpsey) Hurray at last!!!! I got an email today from The Moving Company here with invoice for 237 dollars for MAF and Quarantine fees. But already paid for normal customs clearance when i signed acceptance forms with McGimpsey removals when leaving Ireland. Surely MAF and Quarantine are normal custom clearance .

Hi, sorry to say but the fees you paid back in Ireland are the standard fees.
The additional maf fees are only calculated when your stuff arrives after maf decide which of your packages off your inventory list they want to open and check. They pass this charge on to your shipping agent in NZ who sends you the bill and they usually won't deliver your goods until all outstanding bills paid by you although if your shipping agent already arranged a delivery date with you then they will honour it and trust you to pay up ASAP.
The inspection by maf will usually be at your property where your stuff delivered. All maf chosen packages must be put to one side and untouched.
Maf will arrange to come out and inspect the items.
If maf find anything that needs further cleaning or treatment that's another bill coming your way from your shipping agent who makes the arrangements or does it themselves.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by escapedtonz

Hi, sorry to say but the fees you paid back in Ireland are the standard fees.
The additional maf fees are only calculated when your stuff arrives after maf decide which of your packages off your inventory list they want to open and check. They pass this charge on to your shipping agent in NZ who sends you the bill and they usually won't deliver your goods until all outstanding bills paid by you although if your shipping agent already arranged a delivery date with you then they will honour it and trust you to pay up ASAP.
The inspection by maf will usually be at your property where your stuff delivered. All maf chosen packages must be put to one side and untouched.
Maf will arrange to come out and inspect the items.
If maf find anything that needs further cleaning or treatment that's another bill coming your way from your shipping agent who makes the arrangements or does it themselves.

But my stuff has not arrived yet. Not due until next week . It would be great if the removals company would tell people of those hidden charges ? I actually asked when i got the quote if there was any other charges when my removals arrived , and they said no charges, only if they found stuff that needed cleaning or treatment.

[escapedtonz]

Originally Posted by Cobra

But my stuff has not arrived yet. Not due until next week . It would be great if the removals company would tell people of those hidden charges ? I actually asked when i got the quote if there was any other charges when my removals arrived , and they said no charges, only if they found stuff that needed cleaning or treatment.

It has arrived in the country though...yes?
I assume you can track the ship which has your container on it?
I expect your container is in port in NZ and customs and maf have looked at the inventory and decided what they want to see OR an inventory has been forwarded to them in readiness before the container arrives?

It would be nice if shipping companies did tell you of these hidden costs but hey ho that's just the way it is - I suppose in their defence it isn't they're charge but they should at least warn you of the fact the additional charges are a high potential.
You got away lightly. Our maf bill was $440 and then another $70 to have a never been used tent washed as the bag had a single grass seed in it!!!

[Simmy_M]

In New Zealand the Quarantine Department institutes a user pays system regarding required inspections. Within Auckland charges vary between $150.00 and $450.00+ per consignment depending on what requires inspection. If an additional service is required, such as steam cleaning or fumigation, extra charges will apply.