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Thread: Warning to all about shipping company fees

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    280

    Default Warning to all about shipping company fees

    In brief – we paid Pickfords a four-figure sum (£), on the basis that their service extended "from origin address to destination address including assistance with customs clearance" and with the promise that them being the same company in NZ rather than using agents would make for a better service.


    On arrival it was quite a different story. They charged us 'MPI Inspection fees' for a 40ft full container load AND a car. Despite the fact that the 40ft container contained the car. These fees were in the region of $450+GST each. I complained at the time that these extra charges were not what we had agreed to and had been paid for in advance. I asked for details of MPIs actual invoices for inspecting our car and stuff. They wouldn’t share them.
    They also claimed that a 'partial vacuum' of the boot and bonnet of our car at a place 2 miles away cost $500. And refused to show us the invoice.
    We had no choice but to pay the $2000+ invoice because Allied Pickfords NZ were holding our belongings to ransom.
    I later found out that MPI’s actual charges were around half the figures given by Pickfords. Not from them, since they flatly refused to give any details, but from MPI themselves.


    Challenging them over these charges, but perhaps also because of the shoddy way we had been treated (that’s another story!) ever since signing their contract got us an offer of a small amount of compensation from the UK end, for which we had to repeatedly chase for actual payment, which took about a dozen emails over 2 months. It no longer feels like compensation. I feel like I earned that money! This shouldn’t have had to happen, and others who are less bloody minded or detail orientated than me won’t have benefited.


    I also advise you, whichever company you are using, to get in writing, in advance, details of any charges which may be applied at the NZ so you can include these in the vast sum you are paying for your move.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    11

    Default

    Good to know as thinking of using pickfords

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Singapore --> Wellington, NZ
    Posts
    396

    Default

    We shipped out a 20ft container via Transworld who told us in advance there may/may not be a 450$ charge for MPI inspection. I believe it will be charged even if MPI doesn't do an inspection. I will keep you posted in 4 weeks as i expect the container to reach auckland by mod feb 2017.

    it is advisable to chose an NZ based company as they are across the finer details about handling transport/customs locally. This is based on my experience/research about choosing movers/shippers

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Scotland to Wellington
    Posts
    1,454

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nms.sun3 View Post
    We shipped out a 20ft container via Transworld who told us in advance there may/may not be a 450$ charge for MPI inspection. I believe it will be charged even if MPI doesn't do an inspection. I will keep you posted in 4 weeks as i expect the container to reach auckland by mod feb 2017.

    it is advisable to chose an NZ based company as they are across the finer details about handling transport/customs locally. This is based on my experience/research about choosing movers/shippers
    So why should you pay the extra $450 if the MPI inspection does not take place? Transworld would be getting that money for nothing.

    We had problems with transworld trying to charge us for non-existent MPI inspections. We challenged that, got our removal company from the UK involved and did not pay that in the end. We called MPI too (MAF as it was then) and they confirmed they weren't inspecting our container. I certainly was not going to give transworld money for no good reason.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Singapore --> Wellington, NZ
    Posts
    396

    Default

    Thanks girlwithanewf. I will certainly ask for the invoice from Transworld if they intend to charge us for MPI inspection.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Singapore --> Wellington, NZ
    Posts
    396

    Default

    Transworld just confirmed that the invoice would be from them and not from MPI. I will certainly call MPI to check whether our container was inspected or not.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    UK->NZ
    Posts
    118

    Default

    Sorry to hear that you have a terrible experience from Allied Pickfords. We just moved from Canada to NZ using Allied Pickfords and we had great experience with the company. The packing and the unpacking were both done well. We had piano and some delicate oil paintings and were very pleased none of them were damaged in the long journey to Auckland. We didn't have to pay $450 MPI inspection fee because our container wasn't inspected but we got charged $47 for customs and MPI transaction fee.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    852

    Default

    [it is advisable to chose an NZ based company as they are across the finer details about handling transport/customs locally. This is based on my experience/research about choosing movers/shippers[/QUOTE]

    Where is a good site to look up NZ based companies? We are shipping from the US. Thanks :-)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    76

    Default

    You got off easy.
    I went with a company called iLines International. They told me to expect and additional $400 to $500 fees.
    I got charged (NZD) $569.25 for quarantine fees on a 20' container, plus an additional $491 port fee, plus $74.75 international transfer fee. I declared $1200 of new merchandise (couldn't very well claim the transformers were old, brought in a bicycle for a friend) and got charged $520 in customs fees . . . most of which was brokers fees and GST on other fees.
    I ALSO got stuck with about $US1400 fees because US Customs decided to do an export inspection. The company provided no documentation. I complained and gave the shipping company a bad review. They threatened me with legal proceedings if I didn't withdraw the review.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    852

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sandgrubber View Post
    You got off easy.
    I went with a company called iLines International. They told me to expect and additional $400 to $500 fees.
    I got charged (NZD) $569.25 for quarantine fees on a 20' container, plus an additional $491 port fee, plus $74.75 international transfer fee. I declared $1200 of new merchandise (couldn't very well claim the transformers were old, brought in a bicycle for a friend) and got charged $520 in customs fees . . . most of which was brokers fees and GST on other fees.
    I ALSO got stuck with about $US1400 fees because US Customs decided to do an export inspection. The company provided no documentation. I complained and gave the shipping company a bad review. They threatened me with legal proceedings if I didn't withdraw the review.

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