Universal Removals – UK to Australia Removals Company
Planning a move to Australia can look like a daunting prospect. Get help from an experienced international removals company Like Universal Removals who know what they’re doing so you can stop worrying and look forward to your new exciting life down under.
How long will it take to ship my things to Australia?
There are pitfalls to moving to any country, and Australia is no exception. For a start, shipping your belongings to Australia can take a long time. A full container will take around 6-8 weeks for a door-to-door transit. If you opt for groupage – a shared container shipment – this can take up to 8-12 weeks door-to-door, though it will be less expensive.
What can I take with me?
When you move to Australia you need to be aware of what you’re allowed to take into the country and whether you will have to pay tax or duties to import any of your personal belongings or household effects.
The good news is that you can import any household goods and personal effects into Australia duty-free so long as you have owned and used them for at least 12 months before your move. However, anything you import into Australia can be subject to a physical examination by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), which means that full containers cannot be transported directly to your new residence. If an examination is needed it will take place in AQIS approved premises and inspection can delay things by as much as 14 days. Any inspection will be charged at a standard rate based on the volume of your consignment, so make sure your prepared for this cost at destination – otherwise you’ll be in for an unpleasant shock.
The kind of items AQIS might need to inspect includes anything that may have come into contact with soil or vegetation, such as garden tools and furniture, bicycles, golf clubs and camping gear, as well as shoes, boots and other outdoor sports equipment. You may also find your vacuum cleaner or any decorations like wreaths and pine cones, which might contain seeds, etc, might be inspected.
To ensure your items pass the inspection make sure you clean them thoroughly before packing; it might even be worth considering hiring a steam cleaner or investing in a fumigation service. Your removals company will be able to advise you in this area. However, even if you thoroughly clean any outdoor items AQIS may, at their discretion, order further treatment and charge you for this.
Can I import my car into Australia?
To get an estimated total cost of importing your motor vehicle into Australia, as it will incur customs duty and/or GST (Goods and Services Tax). you will need to provide information like the date you bought your car and the original purchase price. Most vehicles (less than 30 years old) will be liable to both customs duty and GST at a rate of 10%. If you are importing a vintage motor (over 30 years old) no customs duty is due, but you will still need to pay 10% GST. However, if your older car is worth over a certain amount (currently A$57,009) you will also need to pay an additional Luxury Car Tax (LCT) of 25% of the car’s value. Motorcycles are exempt from Customs Duty but you do still need to pay 10% GST.
To import any vehicle into Australia you need to obtain import approval prior to shipment. If you don’t obtain this your vehicle could be destroyed or sent back, and you could be fined up to A$13,000. You also need to obtain import approval for ride-on mowers, quad bikes, motorised scooters and mini motorbikes.
Can I bring my pets?
You can take your pets with you to Australia though there is a stringent acceptance process and a quarantine period is required. You can find out more on the website https://www.ipata.org So long as you follow all the steps outlined your pets will be with you as soon as possible.
The process sounds quite complicated but we your international removals company will be on hand to give you advice. Make sure you contact us as soon as possible so we can help you.
removals to Australia with Universal Removals
Universal Removals are very experienced in arranging removals to Australia. We have a team of specialists who will advise you every step of the way, and your dedicated Move Manager will be right there with you, looking after every stage of your move, from the packing to the paperwork, from start to finish.
We have long term partnerships with agents across Australia and we can reassure you that all our overseas partners work to the same high standards that we do. We guarantee that the quality of service provided in the UK will be matched by that provided by our partners in Australia.
Our best advice to you when you’re planning your move to Australia is that you obtain estimates from us in good time and when comparing removals quotes Make sure you know exactly what each company’s quote includes so you can compare them properly on a like for like basis, check the volume and service you’ve been quoted on and make sure you know what transit times you’ve been given. Whatever the circumstances of your move, rest assured that we have helped people in similar situations before. There are very few questions we have not been asked over the years so do contact us for any information or advice.
Some other useful sources of information include:
Australian Customs – https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/
Importing Cars to Australia – http://www.dotars.gov.au