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Thread: My Container Arrived...Oh Lord

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    US to NZ to Hawaii to NZ
    Posts
    121

    Cool My Container Arrived...Oh Lord

    On Friday, we got the best news ever! Our container had arrived at our doorstep!

    We couldn't wait to see our stuff again! After 3 months, the shock and dismay of having to pay duty AND GST on our own stuff (long story....)
    We were about to be joined in holy happiness with our STUFF!

    The day started out perfect. The weather was fine, the movers were early and things were good.
    Then, the luck changed.
    The movers had the "master list" of everything that was packed. It seemed like a good 30 odd boxes were to be set aside for the MAF official to inspect. The problem was that most of the boxes were our electronics. Our computers, stereo equip, TV's, DVD play, etc. We couldn't figure out why MAF wanted to inspect our stuff. Come to find out, the not-so-brilliant packers had listed everything as "PBO" or Packed By Owner. Even though they weren't! My husband furnished the original packing and helped them pack it but they taped it up and did most of the work!!! UGH! Needless to say, everything of any real value was put aside for MAF

    oh, what else went wrong?...

    2) Husband's laptop was stolen, we are pretty sure on the US end
    3) NONE of our American box springs would fit up the stairs in our house. We had to buy new beds
    4) We had to cut the headboard of our bed to make it fit up the stairs

    Oh, and my favorite part of the day:
    5)The MAF person decided not to show up! We started callling at around 12 and called every MAF office in Southland. Finally at 4:30pm the person says to "put the MAF boxes aside in the garage and they will come on Tuesday"
    Its Friday!!!! We refused because most of the boxes were electronics. They allowed us to store our stuff in the house provided that we didn't touch it!
    But wait, it gets better! The movers basically said that its not their problem that MAF didn't come and the entire 30+ box load of stuff they loaded into the garage was our responsibility to move into the house.
    So I had the pleasure of meeting the MAF lady on Tuesday who proceed to make me pull out and open every box by myself!!! (OH couldn't get off of work). I was tired and sweaty and mad...but...

    WE GOT OUR STUFF!!!!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    NB Canada to Dargaville, NZ
    Posts
    241

    Default

    cbrown that's awesome you got your stuff. I was wondering about what you had to pay GST on - Did you have to pay GST on the electronics that the OH had saved the original boxes for?

    I am just wondering as I have also saved the original boxes of the computer monitors, computers and a Yamaha surround sound speaker I have.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Oxfordshire to Temuka
    Posts
    155

    Default

    I have just shared the bitter sweet experience of getting my personal effects back.
    The pleasure of getting your stuff always seems to be tainted with extra costs and hassle
    I've just got my container and I had to pay port fees and onward shipping costs that I thought I had paid for. Maf only wanted to look at one box with a small pine linen chest in and charged me $280 for the pleasure. My car got a charge of about $350.
    I got my stuff inspected before it was delivered at the shippers yard in CHCH.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    317

    Default

    Oh my! Makes me feel bad for my wonderful luck and experience now. YIKES. But at least you have your stuff.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Christchurch from Scotland
    Posts
    2,226

    Default

    Ours was not too traumatic. We did bring a lot of stuff that we knew MAF would inspect and they did. And apart from one Christmas Decoration and a garden table needing hoovered we were fine, all done before coming to the house just over a week after arriving at Lyttelton.

    No matter how traumatic it is, it is wonderful to have your stuff back again!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Beachlands NZ
    Posts
    111

    Default

    Our stuff comes on Monday - really want it to go well and have a positive experience......having been in the house 3 weeks with no stuff I can't imagine the house being full of stuff - but to have my cooking stuff and linen will be wonderful - strange what you miss.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    1,785

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by diogenese View Post
    Maf only wanted to look at one box with a small pine linen chest in and charged me $280 for the pleasure.
    Just out of interest- was this what MAF charged you or what your shippers charged you for MAF fees? MAF fees are actually pretty reasonable but shippers tend to charge a fortune for handling of things that need inspection. Who is on the invoice?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Oxfordshire to Temuka
    Posts
    155

    Default

    It was what I was charged by conroys...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Northland, New Zealand
    Posts
    144

    Default

    Yippeee! Your stuff arrived! Well, that's a huge relief I am sure!

    OK the MAF set aside scares me, b/c we are using the same shipper, but our situation is different -- they HAVE to unload in Auckland since MAF doesn't do house-calls in Northland. So, what that tells me is we'd better be right there in port when the container arrives (ok well, OH wants that anyway) so we're doing the right thing.

    Thanks for the tip on PBO...i'll have to look through our inventory list!!

    I'm so glad you do have your stuff now, expensive a journey as it was...I'm sure you are and Bruce is enjoying that big 'ol TV!!!

    Cheers!

    -D&C

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    450

    Default

    Wow...so do you not even help with electronics? strange...

    I'm hoping we'll carry our own laptops with us on the plane. Were you insured for the missing laptop?

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