Just wondering if anyone knows the procedure for shipping in personal belongings i.e what is required for customs, what tax is payable etc If not, do you know of and/or can recommend an official company on the island who deals with international transport from the UK to Lanzarote that is reliable?

Many thanks in advance

There is a company called C&K Haulage (in Tias) that do a lot of transport for UK ex-Pats.
I have heard a few people complain that they really milk it, but I have had such bad experiences with the big couriers (FedEx, UPS etc) that I would have to say that they are probably the best.
If you use FedEx or UPS, I find that they do not want to deliver to your home and that you end up having to collect it from Arrecife yourself - they may even try to charge you extra for delivery to your home (even though you have already paid for this at the point of origin).

We used C&K haulage when moving out, they may not be the cheapest but they sorted everything out and the items where deleived to our door when we expected and in the condition they left us in the UK.
Since then we have had one or two parcels arrive using people like UPS/DHL etc and the charges
have been more that what we paid for the book/DVD etc. So take care else your get stung.

cheers
Keith

I am using T.C Freight and at the moment they have been brilliant. Nothing isto much trouble.

Ray

Thank you for the replies. I have checked those mentioned. C&K Haulage sounds good as they seem to organise most things needed.

What about the tax levi on personal items, anyone know how customs calculate this?

If I remember correctly, as long as you have proof that you have/rent a property here, then items which are "used" don't attract duty, but new items do. You have to make a declaration of what you are bringing. In my case, I filled a 20ft container, and my documentation showed everything, one list for old and one for new, and every item was marked with an idwetisying number. A real pain to do, and I don't think the container was opened, they just charged me for the new items I declared. However, if they do inspect it and your declaration doesn't tally, you could be in for a nasty shock!

If you go with one of the carriers, TC Freight or C&K, they will give you the latest, correct information

I don't remember paying any tax on the (new) items we imported, maybe as
they where classed as personal or since VAT had already been paid in the UK.
As already said C&K sorted all the paperwork out and we just paid them the
shipping fee which covered everything.

cheers
Keith

I have just been informed by a company that there is a Canarian import tax which, on second-hand goods is 5% of the inventory value. I also have a quote from them, €350 per cubic feet. How does this sound?

you must have that wrong

Can you explain why you say that phillp1?

Which company Chris?, Anyway if you put the items down as zero value you can hardly pay tax then. Perhaps things have changed since 2005 when we moved here but not heard any of this before.

Keith

Woodside Trading Keith. I hear they are reliable and have a good rep?

I found this article on the web http://www.movegroup.co.uk/CANARY-ISLANDS-IMPORT-REGULATIONS.html

I seem to remember thinking about it, we had to have an address for the items to be delieved to
and an Empardamento paper from the Council to avoid some taxes/charges.
Woodside are based on FUE if I remember right, not dealt with them or every heard anything about them so no idea.

cheers
Keith

Yes they are based in Fuerte. I can speak to them to clarify the local address issue and see if there is a way around it? Seems I need to do more homework. Thanks for your input Keith.

Chris,

I just looked up the correspondence about a year ago before I moved. I was told the following "If the Empadronamiento is ok then there is no duty payable on your "used" goods. With regard to importing new goods please be advised that as soon as an item has been used, whether for one week or one year it becomes second hand. If you purchased a jet wash and used it once it would then be included in your list of used items." So, as I said, you need to have a registered address then there is no duty on used kit.

I'm sure €3500 per cubic foot is a misprint. One of our quotes a year ago was

30 cubic metres (1080 cubic ft) £3,800.00
and
35 cubic metres (1260 cubic ft) £4,300.00

So perhaps they said €3500 for 1000 cubic feet?