Guys,
While shipping personal effects/household items via FCL, I got a few cartons left which I intend to bring as LCL. They are a total of 12 cartons with a volume of 2 CBM.
Spoke to a couple of brokers here and it is costing me around AUD 1000. Those are household items not worth more than AUD 1000 and include like used crockery, bed sheets, toys, etc.
Can I bring down the cost if I do not engage a broker? Is quarantine necessary? any tips/suggestions?
Regards,
Surely these are unaccompanied personal effects then $1k seems a little expensive. Don't forget AQIS, they also charge an arm and a leg.
Local clearance is not a task you can realistically undertake yourself.
On a recent shipment of goods the local costs with our customs broker were:
Port Arrival $85.00
Infrastructure Fee $30.00
SCA/CMR Del. Order $105.00
Customs Clearance $165.00
Local Delivery $165.00
That's $550. You don't state where the shipment is coming from but $450 pickup, documentation, sea freight etc would easily be another $500 or so.
Also, depending on where the shipment is coming from, sea freight from certain countries from September to March requires fumigation for "stink bug" that may cost another $100 or so.
Donating the goods seems like a pretty good alternative.
Sums it up - you can complete customs clearance yourself, but it will end up costing you more because you will get charged storage because you are unable to process customs clearances immediately like a customs broker.
Just bite the bullet and dont do it again. Storage will be more of a killer than the actual cost of just getting it done.
This is what I am being charged
EDO AUD 35 + GST
Customs Clearance AUD 100 + GST
Quarantine release AUD 50 + GST
Quarantine inspection (if required) AUD 198
Quarantine attendance (if inspection takes place) AUD 170 + GST
DHTC: AUD 350
Delivery your own care
I don't understand why so many charges for Quarantine? And what I have been told that Quarantine inspection is must. Not sure what Quarantine attendance is.
Think I sent 6 boxes from the UK and cost me like $400 then having to customs clear it for another $200 odd. I don't think you can really do it on your own. If it isn't worth the cost of sending. Considering giving it away. I did to a lot of stuff.