Friend Sending a Parcel

[WordBird]

A friend is planning to send some stuff over to me - Christmas presents plus some personal items that I'd left in the UK.

Question 1..... The value is likely to be around £150. I know there's a limit of around £75 before there's a tax (or whatever it is) but does that apply to personal/non-new goods too? When she sends it, does she have to declare a value on it? In which case presumably she could put a lower amount.

Question 2.... Can anyone tell me what happens with parcels - if she sends via Royal Mail, which carrier here is likely to pick it up and do I have to collect or is it taken to an office in Fethiye etc?

Any advice/recommendations appreciated..... Thanks guys.   

[Jacqui Harvey]

A parcel from the U.K. to anywhere abroad must have a Customs Declaration on it. This is a label you list the goods on it with the price of each item and then the total cost and you sign and date it.  If you put less than the value it is an offence, however, a lot of people do it, but if the parcel is lost or damaged you would not get the full value of your goods.  Also customs have the right to open any parcel they want to.   Up to 2 kilos it can be insured and sent by Royal Mail if it meets their size requirement, it will be measured, over 2 kilos it must be Parcel Force.  Any breakables will not be covered by parcel force, a Parcel Force customs label  is a lot bigger than the Royal Mail customs label.  I would advise you tell your friend to pack and weight the parcel then measure it and then go and get a couple of the relevant labels. The P.O. will be happy to give them to her as it saves them time at the counters. They will also tell her what the parcel will cost if she gives them the measurements.  She should fill the label in and take it to the P.O. with the parcel.
If it is send by Royal Mail or Parcel Force it should be the Turkish P.O. that handle it. 
I am sure an ex-pat will be along with information about that.
The P.O. is not cheap to a send parcel, she may be better to use a carrier.   The last parcel I sent to Australia which was over 2 kilos and sent by Parcel Force cost me £70.00 to send.

[apollo]

Given the state of the postal "service" in Fethiye. I would strongly suggest using a courier and not the post office.

[KKOB]

1. You can put any value you like on the contents but bear in mind Jacqui's comments.

2. It's a good idea to have the parcel delivered to a business address rather than a residence if possible. The PTT, who are the main carriers for the Royal Mail in Turkey, together with Aras Kargo and Yurtici Kargo who are agents for DHL, UPS, Fedex etc, , aren't very clever at delivering to residential addresses.

If the parcel goes "missing" it's well worth a visit to the Gumruk / Customs offices at the harbour to see of it's been diverted there for checking. They'll have it recorded in their logbook and will be able to tell you where it's being held. They'll need the name of the company that it was originally despatched via, the tracking / consignment note number and a copy of your passport. We always found them to be very helpful. Don't be surprised of you are  charged a small fee for release of a parcel. It used to be a couple of TL but I have no idea what it might be now.

[Ivan]

Why not have a look here?  http://www.postoffice.co.uk/globalexpress-globalpriority

[Jacqui Harvey]

Global Priority is the most expensive way to send things abroad.  I know as I sent parcels all the time in my business since 1991 and only used it a few times.   They also are very keen on dimensions of the parcel.
The last one I sent abroad cost £120.00 for two large porcelain figures.  The customer was willing to pay the extra to have them insured. 

[Kevin Sowten]

Good luck !!!!
We freighted a box and a suitcase from UK with UPS and were told expect it to arrive in 6 days depending on Turkish customs.
(Value quoted as £60 per item)
Sent 28th Oct - arrived in Dalaman today !!!! (it was 'stuck' in Istanbul customs)
But providing it gets here we will be over the moon (personal photo's, paintings, ornaments etc)

[Menthol]

Out of interest Kev, what delivery address is on the box and suitcase?

[Kevin Sowten]

We sent it to the Turkish chap who manages the villa that we are temporarily renting.
(had to give him power of attorney first though)

[Jacqui Harvey]

Stuff sent Airmail should arrive within a couple of weeks, but if customs hold it up, who knows.  However, if it is sent by Sea then it can take up to 3 months to arrive.  The P.O. always tell you this and also say it is not advisable to send anything breakable by sea freight as it tends to get bumped around a lot.