I have recently moved to Lausanne from London but i am having a few problems concerning my move...
So, the story is:
I booked a moving company via a bidding website, they are supposed to come collect my stuff on monday (29th of june) in London and deliver them to me the following wednesday (1st of july) in Switzerland.
I paid a total of £775 for a 25 cubic metres van and a maximum of 800kg allowed.
Now they are asking me to contact company (i am not sure if i can say the name?!) that they refer to as "customs" and that i will have to pay but after seaching online, that company introduces themselves as "an independent agent" .
The moving company say i need to ask them to clear them through customs both in the UK and CH
My question is:
What the hell is this?!
When you moved from the UK to CH, did you have to go pay the movers + someone else?
Do you have to pay customs? (My stuff are mostly toys, books, dvds, clothes.... nothing valuable to be honest)
If yes, how much ?
I have not fllled up any forms or anything, i only sent the moving company an inventory, do i have to give them some forms or something so they can pass the borders ?
Please let me know what to do !
When i moved from Paris, France to London, UK 5 years ago, i did not have to pay customs or fill up any forms etc.
I suspect the removal company you hired had to ask another contractor to do the paperwork for importing your stuff into Switzerland. They may want you to pay this other contractor, which you shouldn't if they gave you a quote for full service.
As Switzerland is outside the EU all goods traffic has to go through customs. You are allowed to import your personal belongings without paying custom duties - but paperwork is required. More details here http://www.ezv.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en
There are lots of threads on this forum about this topic. Usually removal companies handle all this but it sounds like the one you chose is is not quite competent in this.
When you moved from Paris to UK you didn't face this problem as both countries are in the EU.
A form called 18.44 needs to be filled to allow your personal goods to clear customs.
You also need a list of the goods included to accompany that form, which you make yourself. There is a sample list on the customs website linked above. Basically list everything in detail: Box 1: DVD, Box 2: Books, Hifi Component: Amplifier, etc., etc., . Also weigh everything to get a total.
You go to the German customs desk with your form, and list of goods (the total weight and value being exported from the EU is listed here). They give you a form to bring to the Swiss customs desk (they are 20 metres apart) and they stamp your list of import possessions as well and give you the form to hand the border guard.
Then the truck drives through, you are left with a form of your goods stamped by both EU customs and Swiss customs.
If you are organised, it is simple and will take 20 minutes. The day of moving your primary residency is also this date, so you need to show your employment contract or residency, to show that you are moving your primary domicile (this is ticked on the 18.44 form).
If you don't do it, I assume the cops could impound the truck with all your stuff in it. But, it is free to import personal goods. The fee is probably for the company to organise paperwork but in reality it is just one form, the guys at the customs desk are super helpful and you just bring a list of all your goods.
I wont be there to go from customs desk to another myself.....
The moving company says i HAVE TO use an agent to do this
I found this 18.44 form but on it they ask for a swiss resident permit number, which i do not have as the lady at the city hall said i could stay here for 3 months and look for a job without needing any permits....
My boyfriend is swiss, he has lived here all his life, should we put his name on the forms ?
If i just fill up this form and give it to the movers with my detailed list of goods , would it be okay? Or do i really need to go through an agent ?
I am so sorry if i sound really ignorant but i really dont understand ANYTHING at all with all these kind of stuff
I do not know what arrangement or contract your movers have with this other independent agent, but there is no requirement for any third party to do this.
You just fill in your address in Ausland and then your adress in Switzerland.
The next section says confirm date of moving of domicile (Verlegung des Wohnsitzes), and accompanying a proof of Swiss residency permit number OR other proof showing your domicile is changing. That other proof can be an employment contract, for example (assuming EU citizen).
Tick Teileinfuhr and list a car if you have it now, it must be mentioned if you ever want to bring it in tax free.
I do not think it is a good idea to put your boyfriend#s name on the form, as that would be effectictively saying that he as a swiss resident is importing all these goods, so tax is due (or else it is a fraud attempt), but IANAL!!
It is your goods, just put your name, your adress in CH and the date of transfer (e.g., the day the truck goes over the border) and then make sure to register at the Gemeinde within 14 days or whatever it is, of that date. Provide proof of residency permit, work permit, etc., to show your domicile is changing. If you have no permit, that proof will need to be handed to the swiss customs desk instead of the Aufenthaltsbewilligung.
“So, the story is:
I booked a moving company via a bidding website …”
That’s where your problem started. What do you even know about this company? Have they ever done an international move before? Experienced companies do this all the time and yes, they may use independent agents, but the cost should also be included in the quote for the work. When we moved over our shipping company used Kuehne & Nagel - the first I knew of it was when we saw the paperwork after they delivered our stuff. They arranged it all with K&N themselves.
The 18.44 form actually says:
(Swiss residence permit or proof or the transfer of domicile see paragraph 2b)
Paragraph 2b says:
le titre de séjour suisse, sauf pour les ressortissants des 25 premiers Etats-UE ainsi que des Etats-AELE;
the Swiss residence permit, except for the nationals of the first 25 EU States as well as States-AELE;
GBP 150 "clearance" for Swiss and UK customs (for what exactly is this fee for, standing in line to get a stamp?).
GBP 30% of the declared value of your belongings paid as deposit. That could be a lot, thousands of pounds?
You would just as easily hire a van and your boyfriend and a few days and drive all your stuff yourself, or else pay the going rate for regular movers.
As far as I know it's true removal companies are obliged by the Swiss customs to send the documentation ahead. They aren't allowed to stand in line and give the paperwork at the border. So someone has to prepare it and send it and get it approved. Frankly 150 GBP doesn't sound that much to me for this kind of work. The Swiss probably charge them something too(?).
You certainly need a detailed list of contents, so get that done. That is the best advice I can give.
I would be tempted to tell them where to get off though with the extra charges. Worst thing is I get the feeling that they will screw up the paperwork, and that this stuff of yours is part of a large consignment that will go through, and that if the paperwork is not perfect you will be charged irrecoverably, the large deposit will indeed be paid to customs because of the oversight, and that you will not be able to reclaim any of it.
However, if I'm wondering if you really have 25m2 of stuff, given that you hop around Europe. If so then that seems a good price. If not, then DIY and a van would be an option.
I was in a similar situation to this once, and in desperation I bought a 6 wheel Luton van off ebay for just under 1000gbp the day before I was due to move out. I loaded my stuff in with friends, and effectively had a mobile storage unit until I learnt to drive it properly, was sure it would make it, and plucked up courage to take it on the voyage. Must say the day I drove off it was the most liberating feeling of my life at that point. All my stuff in the back, me at the wheel, master of my own fate, open road ahead. It was a total contrast to the blind panic I was in 2 days prior.