MPI fees vs fees charged by your shipping co.

[frootbat]

We've just recevived the invoice from Pickfords, and they want to charge a $480 'consignment inspection fee', for our personal effects. I've seen the BACC from MPI and they indicated 10 boxes that they wanted to inspect. Have looked on the MPI website and their fee schedule states that for 8-12 items the inspection fee is $117! I'm happy to pay MPI and customs charges but not happy that Pickfords seem to pick an arbitrary number and bill you because they can. I've asked for the MPI invoice so I can query this properly but it seems like daylight robbery. We paid them for a door to service too, so there shouldn't be any additional charges this end. Has anyone else suffered this or can you offer any comparison from other companies?
Thanks

[JandM]

This matter has quite often come up before. Here are old threads on the issue. https://www.google.co.uk/#q=site:enz...MAF+inspection (Notice, MPI used to be called MAF, but it's still the same inspection they're talking about.)

Moving companies' usual rationale for charging is that they have to make staff available to meet the inspectors and be with them while they look at your goods. So your argument is whether or not that ought to be included in your original agreement with them.

[frootbat]

Thanks J&M, we went with Pickfords partly because they offered an 'end to end' service i.e. they have their own people in NZ, not agents, and the service we paid for is 'from origin to destination address, including assistance with customs clearance'. There is nothing in their T&Cs to suggest that they, the same company, adds extra charges of their own on to this.
So my argument is yes, the charges ought to be included in our agreement with them.
We've asked for a breakdown of the charges so we can see what it actually cost for the inspections etc but they refuse to provide them. I won't go into what's happened with the car...
We're dealing with the UK office now, hoping they're more helpful.

[JandM]

Good luck. These things SHOULDN'T happen, but we know they do.