It is often difficult to decide what to take with you when moving overseas and what to leave behind, particularly if various family members are involved in the decision. Children in particular want to take all of their toys, which is sometimes not always practical! The best thing to do is to make sure you have decided before you have a pre-move survey with a removal company, otherwise your quotation may not be based on the accurate volume which you would like to ship. If there are items you are unsure of, ask your surveyor for advice during the pre-move survey. Surveyors will be able to provide information on the customs requirements in the destination country which may influence your decision to take a certain item.
One thing worth bearing in mind is that is generally cheaper to ship than to replace.In addition, it is always nice to have familiar items around you in your new home to help you settle in. Having said that, moving overseas is also a good opportunity to have a sort out of all of your belongings and to get rid of unnecessary clutter. Some general questions to ask yourself include: ‘If I wasn’t going, would I replace it or not’, ‘Do I really use this / need this’, ‘It is worth it?’.
If you are not ready for a pre-move survey and would like to obtain an approximate cost for your move abroad, some companies have online tools to work out an instant quote. John Mason International have an online quote tool whereby you can see the approximate cost for international moves from the UK to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and the USA and many other expatriate destinations.
Certain destinations have stricter import regulations than others. Australia and New Zealand in particular have very strict regulations enforced by Quarantine offers. As a general rule, wicker or cane ware such may be subject to an examination and possibly fumigation also if the Quarantine officer deems that this is appropriate. Wooden furniture items may be inspected for wood-borer activity.
When planning an international removal to countries with strict quarantine regulations, such as Australia and New Zealand, be aware of the regulations concerning outdoor items. Any items which has been in contact with soil or the ground carries a risk to the environment in the destination country. Items such as gardening tools, bicycles, shoes, golf clubs, children’s outdoor play equipment etc must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before shipping. For further information, ask your moving company for advice or see the relevant Quarantine websites for your destination country (Australia: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis ), New Zealand (http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/).
Customs requirements vary from country to country but it is usually the case that household goods must be owned and used for a certain period of time prior to international shipping to qualify for duty free importation. New items will usually be subject to duties and taxes in the destination country. Your mover will be able to provide you with full details specific to your circumstances so that you are fully prepared.
In summary, moving overseas is an exciting adventure for all the family so make sure to to use your moving company as much as possible for advice and recommendations. John Mason International customers are all allocated an individual Move Manager so that a single point of contact is available throughout the move. The Move Managers are there to answer any questions you have so don’t be afraid to ask them, they are experts in their field and will be only to happy to assist.
If you would like to arrange a free pre-move survey for your move overseas, contact sales@johnmason.com, call 0800 093 2623 or visit our website www.johnmason.com.