A friend who regularly orders water distillers from overseas for his clients ordered one for me a few months ago, and had it sent direct to me. When it arrived it looked all ok, but when I set it up to do it’s job, it leaked like a sieve all round the lid. The plug at the base, where the cord connecting the the lid and the base was plugged in, had a housing around it, but the water was actually dripping directly onto the plug. Fortunately I realised the disaster and unplugged. My friend checked the machine and said Customs had evidently pulled it apart to check it - as he said they regularly do - and put something back in upside down!
One would think that an electrical item would be dealt with only by someone with the necessary experience and training!? He is pursuing this with Customs.
Customs - so many problems over the years, including a very significant theft: some of these people should not be entrusted with the task of going through people’s possessions. On my most recent return from overseas, Customs unpacked almost everything - within its rights, of course - but got tired of repacking the more valuable items, which were in multiple layers of bubble-wrap, so just shoved an antique ceramic bowl back in the box, not properly wrapped, so that it broke between Customs and my house. I respect Customs’ mission and have had some very positive experiences with it over the years, but there are also problems there that need to be addressed.
I had a large personal goods shipment from overseas delivered last year. Customs, rightly, went through every box. A vase was damaged and they denied all knowledge of it. From the way it was broken and the box it was in made it plainly clear it was done by customs. No recall, no responsibility and no compensation. I don’t mind that they open and check every consignment, in fact wish they would open shipment coming into Australia, but it would be nice if they accepted to pay compensation when it is damaged by them.
