What comes to mind when you think of moving to Australia? Heavy cardboard boxes, fragile items, cherished furniture and memorabilia? Moving your head back and forth and you wonder: “Where do I start”?
Moving to Australia is a big project, which will take careful planning and organising. A move is not an everyday thing and certain uncertainties, anxieties and fears are natural companions – for you they translate into stress. However, for us removals to Australia are a part of everyday life. We respond to your concerns and fears with our experience. We hope to be able to remove as much of the load as possible so that you can enjoy a stress free move and enjoy the anticipation of a a new home and life.
To ensure that your move to Australia goes smoothly, we have put together a list of the top 10 most common moving mistakes to avoid:
1) Not researching your moving company
We highly recommend that you review your moving company before signing a contract. Is the moving company registered with the NZOMA? Have you reviewed their references? Read our blog about how to select the right moving company for you.
2) Not investing in a professional packing service
Australia has some of the strictest Customs and Quarantine regulations in the world. We highly recommend that your effects are packed to international export standards to reduce the chance of being flagged for a Customs and/or Quarantine exam.
3) Forgetting to check the access at your new residence
Have you checked that the access is okay and that the company delivering your effects will not require a shuttle vehicle to deliver your effects. This will often be excluded and will result in an additional charge.
4) Packing prohibited dangerous goods
You will be in violation of the law and will put yourself and the movers in danger. This will likely result in additional charges too.
5) Taking potential destination taxes too lightly
We encourage you to review our Customs guidelines to make sure you are aware of any potential tax or import duty that may apply. New and unused items will more than likely incur additional duty and/or GST.
6) Forgetting to change your address
Make sure to use the New Zealand Post ChangeMyAddress service before your move to ensure that you address is up to date.
7) Underestimating the size of your move
More often than not you will forget to mention all of the items you are planning to move when you are obtain phone or internet quotes. We recommend that you arrange a pre-move survey to obtain to fixed quotation.
8) Not labelling cartons
If you are packing your own cartons they will need to be clearly labelled with information on the box’s contents.
9) Not asking your movers the right questions
Before you select your preferred moving company you need to ask all the relevant questions to ensure you receive the right service. Inquire about any details you are unsure of on their estimate, make sure you understand their insurance policy, double check that all the services at your destination are covered. This is not a comprehensive list of questions, for a more details list check out our article 10 Questions to Ask Your International Moving Company.
Also, when you are signing the packing inventory, make sure that all of your items have been delivered. If there is an item missing don’t sign the packing inventory until it has been found.
10) Not taking Australian Quarantine regulations seriously
It is important to make yourself aware of the Australian Quarantine regulations. Please refer to Customs and quarantine information for specific details. If you are still unsure please ask one of our exports team members.
We will gladly make you a tailored individual relocation plan for your move. Please contact us today for a free quotation.
Read our blog about all you need to know about moving to Australia from NZ and the checklist for your move to Australia.
