Lost property abroa...
 

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Lost property abroad - how to repatriate it?

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One of our delightful kids has managed to leave his Nintendo Switch in Australia :rollseyes:

The hotel has found it and is willing to post it back.

This is going to cost a bit (probably worth £300 ish) but I can't quite work out what's the best method...

Should they just AusPost it, with insured value of £300? What about the value for customs purposes? It's ours and we're simply getting it back. But I think customs may/will charge is and we may have to claim it back...

We do have relatives over there who can probably help out, but noone is going to be coming or going to UK in the near future so we can't have it transported for us.

Any ideas/thoughts?


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:05 am
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I have some mates that have been in Oz for a year now, I've asked them your question. Maybe @Reeksy could advise? 


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:08 am
Rich_s reacted
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I'd trust Auspost. But not sure how you'd get around customs value...

We've just been to the UK and no idea when we're back otherwise I'd be happy to bring it.


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:13 am
 Yak
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Can you not get it declared by the hotel as returned/ already purchased and owned goods? If you didn't buy it abroad, then there is no duty to pay on return. AusPost will need a form for this. 


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:20 am
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Posted by: Yak

Can you not get it declared by the hotel as returned/ already purchased and owned goods? If you didn't buy it abroad, then there is no duty to pay on return. AusPost will need a form for this.

I dunno. That's why I'm asking 😁


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:28 am
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If it's your own item that you took over there, there's no duty/ customs charges to be paid - but it'll have to specified as such when posting it. Then recorded/ insured postage I guess


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:28 am
 Yak
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Ok, yes you definitely can! 😀 

But the form needs to be right. Some couriers are better with these sort of declaration forms than others, so check what AusPost do.


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:32 am
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Ah, I can see there's a "Returned Goods" entry on ausposts customs declaration which might do the job.


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 10:43 am
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I have a reply:

It would need to be posted as personal effects and then probably need proof of ownership to get round UK customs who will invariably try and spam for duty. I guess they have email comms with the hotel that backs the story?

Aus post is ok, might be worth looking at a courier such as DHL and the likes?

If it's in NSW we might be able to facilitate getting it back via a human but it would be November / December time


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 11:08 am
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Thanks all. It's in Queensland so we'll just try and get the hotel to send it back direct. We know loads of people travelling to and from Aus in 2026 but I think organising it will be tricky. 


 
Posted : 19/08/2025 11:22 am

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