ParcelFarce and HMRC want how much?

[steve broughton]

Next time ask the sender to send it personally as "a gift" no import duty or taxes to pay

 

[StuAff]

How? I log on in my time, pay the money direct to an account and notify that it is paid. It pops up on a list and someone fetches it round my house. I'm not seeing anything to justify that fee there.

I have no idea who calculates the fees or on what basis they do so. But, the point remains, it does take time and money to deal with.

 

[StuAff]

Everything takes time to deal with. This one is just because they can.

I'm not arguing that the cost is frequently disproportionate- suffered from that myself. But 'just because they can' isn't fair on the people who have to deal with this stuff. Their labour should be paid for.

 

[StuAff]

You want it delivered? For any item of mail, there's a lot of work involved. Someone's got to collect it (or receive it on arrival in the case of international mail) transport it to the relevant sorting office, process it, deliver it to the relevant delivery office, drive it to your door, and if you were out and you go to collect it at a caller's office, someone's got to deal with it there. And if the sender didn't package or address it properly, someone's got to deal with that. In my mail centre, that's me. International items' revenue all goes to the sender's postal service, but the fact remains that the costs involved still apply.

 

[StuAff]

I've paid for all that already.

Yes, you have. But, I'll say it again, there are additional costs from dealing with customs charges, and every single parcel/mail operator is entitled to reclaim them (and yes, more likely, charge whatever they see fit/can get away with). It would be no different if it was DHL, Fedex, UPS.....

 

[ttcycle]

I think it's the 'can get away with bit' that people take issue with Stu...

 

[StuAff]

I think it's the 'can get away with bit' that people take issue with Stu...

I agree.

 

[StuAff]

I think that, once they have a tracking number, a person should be able to look up the amounts due and then pay the duty/VAT online. Their parcel would then be marked as cleared and free to be delivered. Obviously the Border Force staff would have to be able to do checks etc. and some people would prefer not to play which would be their choice.

Perfectly reasonable and sensible. Which is why it'll probably never happen....HMRC, for one, I can't imagine going for it.

 

[StuAff]

I can imagine that all the customs agents/freight forwarders who have paid good money for a licence giving access to the computer systems might have something to say on the subject.

But it's not down to them, either.

 

[simon.r]

Sounds like a plain old rip-off Greg

From HMRC website


Import VAT rate

The percentage charged is the same VAT rate that applies to similar goods that are sold in the UK.
The import VAT percentage rate is applied to the total value of the goods. In the case of goods brought in this is the sterling equivalent of the price paid abroad, as shown on the receipt. In the case of goods posted from outside the EU, it is the amount on the Customs Declaration, which includes the price paid for the goods, the cost of transport, postage and packing, insurance and any duty that may be payable.

Given £39.99 included P&P, there was no customs duty and the clearance fee is VAT exempt, the Import VAT should be 20% of £39.99 or about £8.

I would definitely complain

Pedant mode = I'd read that differently. Import VAT is charged on the cost of the goods...and duty.

So if duty is 4.7% (?), you pay VAT on 39.99 + (39.99 x .047) = 41.87

20% of 41.87 = 8.37

If I'm right what do I win

 

[mangaman]

Pedant mode = I'd read that differently. Import VAT is charged on the cost of the goods...and duty.

So if duty is 4.7% (?), you pay VAT on 39.99 + (39.99 x .047) = 41.87

20% of 41.87 = 8.37

If I'm right what do I win

37p. I Shall send it post haste

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Pedant mode = I'd read that differently. Import VAT is charged on the cost of the goods...and duty.

So if duty is 4.7% (?), you pay VAT on 39.99 + (39.99 x .047) = 41.87

20% of 41.87 = 8.37

If I'm right what do I win

Not quite.

As the value of the goods in this case falls below the threshhold, there is no duty payable. Therefore the only additional payment to HMRC is the VAT element of £7.99.

GC

 

[neil_merseyside]

I thought I'd read that customs value was assessed on declared value, unless bogus, to stop all the people who import stuff like classic cars attempting to avoid paying taxes equivalent to UK values and I guess it applies across the board to lesser value stuff. As a point of interest Switzerland has a 'book value' of just about everything (and at eye watering values) and anything above a value of about £10 (or big) is opened and is charged an inspection fee even if below threshold of collection!!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Depends on whether the duty is excise duty or import duty.

Are either of those applicable in this case?


GC