Import Duty - Returned Item

Danger Phoenix · 24 Jan 2014 at 00:43

I ordered something on eBay from China, and returned it after a few days. A week or so later I got a letter from TNT stating that I had to pay £33 in import and duty charges.

How does this work if I returned the item? Is it waived or do I still have to pay it?

Anox · 24 Jan 2014 at 00:58

Usually you have to pay for it, however has the buyer stated you have to pay for returns or them? If they are paying for it I suggest you contact them

Danger Phoenix · 24 Jan 2014 at 01:00

Anox said:
Usually you have to pay for it, however has the buyer stated you have to pay for returns or them? If they are paying for it I suggest you contact them

I had to pay the return postage and that is it. I only found out about the duty after it had been sent and refunded.

Raymond Lin · 24 Jan 2014 at 01:42

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/paying-tax.htm

If you return goods to the sender after you've paid duty and/or tax you can ask the UKBA for a refund. You'll need to claim in writing within three months. Write to the address on your charge label and enclose:
the original charge label
the Customs Declaration and the part of the packaging showing your address
a certificate of posting to prove you've sent the goods back
If you can't provide all these, UKBA may reject your claim.

Energize · 24 Jan 2014 at 03:59

It's absurd the amount of effort one has to go to because of this rip off tax. I mean seriously, a letter?! It's like being in the past.

jas72 · 24 Jan 2014 at 10:50

certificate of posting can you get one of these from the post office?

tom_e · 24 Jan 2014 at 11:15

Energize said:
It's absurd the amount of effort one has to go to because of this rip off tax. I mean seriously, a letter?! It's like being in the past.

If you can find a way to email them the original copies of those documents then you go right ahead!

Danger Phoenix · 24 Jan 2014 at 11:35

jas72 said:
certificate of posting can you get one of these from the post office?

Moses said:
Yes. When you post anything you can ask for a certificate of posting/whatever they call it.

The issue I have is I never got one because I didn't need it.

AtreuS · 24 Jan 2014 at 11:38

Looks like youre stuffed then

They will chase you for the £33 trust me... they pass it over to debt collectors and so on. Sadly you are 100% liable for the charge....

Danger Phoenix · 24 Jan 2014 at 11:42

AtreuS said:
Looks like youre stuffed then

They will chase you for the £33 trust me... they pass it over to debt collectors and so on. Sadly you are 100% liable for the charge....

I've been trying to call TNT's Invoice Enquiry number for the last few days but it just rings and rings. I'm tempted to leave it, especially since I am moving house in 2 weeks time

Energize · 24 Jan 2014 at 18:29

Moses said:
What part of that is 'absurd'? I don't think it's particularly onerous to have to whack the evidence in an envelope and send it in :-\. Obviously you could argue that they should accept email evidence, but tbh I'd find it easier to post the evidence in, rather than scan it and email it, given I don't have a scanner... and if they just deal with a postal system then they don't have to faff around with problems of people being retards who don't attach the files/attach something different/don't scan the documents properly/etc, and don't have to worry about printing stuff out.

Completely unnecessary, parcel tracking etc is all online there's no real need to send physical documents.