Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Jan 2010
- Posts
- 6,356
- Location
- Manchester
I remember a thread about something like that. Think it was over a year ago
Royal mail have just asked me to pay a £12.69 customs fee for a £2 SD card
- Thread starter EdwardTeach
- Start date
I remember a thread about something like that. Think it was over a year ago
I've had some success, however I used to volunteer at my local depot so everyone there knows me.
In this instance the handling fee should not have been added as the goods were below the price to pay duty etc.
That said, the fees are not insane at all, after all they handle all the paper work to fast track it to clear customs, pay the tax due and then have to collect the cost of that work, £8 isn't insane. The other alternative is it sitting in a warehouse whilst you file the correct paperwork, find out the correct duty and VAT to pay, pay it and wait a week or so while it goes through the system before it can be picked up at the port of entry.
Soldato
- Joined
- 10 Oct 2005
- Posts
- 8,718
- Location
- Nottingham
As has been said, £8 will be handling fee which leave the actual charges at £4.69. Given the amounts involved there won't be any duty which then leaves VAT which is payable on the total of the item cost + the shipping cost as declared on the package.
Did you manage to order something with £21.45 postage for your £2 SD card?
Did you manage to order something with £21.45 postage for your £2 SD card?
Yes I was going to put EVEN OCUK sell them for a fiver
I have found them in the UK £2.94.Andi.
Of course 8 is insane, do you relay think there's loads of paper work. It'll take them about 3secinds. That's a good hourly rate. It's most certainly an unfair charge.
No different to banks charging £20 fir an automated letter, or mobile companies charging £2 a Mb in rest of Europe.
Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Jul 2013
- Posts
- 2,731
- Location
- derby
that will teach you for being so tight.
just buy from the UK or even the Eu next time
just buy from the UK or even the Eu next time
Heh!
It's completely different and it isn't comparable. The handling saves you a load of aggravation and fast tracks it through the system. Yes it might take a few minutes for them to do it as they are geared to do it where as we aren't but they still need to pay the correct taxes for you and collect the money from the buyer. That costs them money and is nothing like sending out a simple bank letter.
Don't like it then set up your own importing account and clear it all yourself
Last edited:
At OP .... can you clarify exactly what you're being expected to pay?
As I understood it, Customs don't charge you a fee. They'll charge taxes, duty, etc, but not a fee. Given the nature and value of tne goods, my understanding is that Customs charges ought to be zero.
But then, Royal Mail "handle" postal inspections for UKBF and Customs, looking for all sorts of things, including prohibited imports ranging from drugs to weapons to endangered species under CITES laws. And RM most certainly do charge a fee unless certain conditions apply. Someone said it takes 3 seconds, but not if they have to inspect, open, search and reseal parcels it doesn't. And a small envelope apparently containing a simple SD card MIGHT also contain 50g of heroin worth many thousands, if not tens of thousands. Therefore, just because the sender says it's a £2 card doesn't mean it is, and everything being imported is subject to examination and search.
But as I understand it, the fee for that, which is set by RM not customs, should not apply if no customs charges (excise duty, import duty, VAT) are levied. Which suggests, in this case, it shouldn't have been applied.
Which is why I asked for more detail.
However, challenging it is going to require at least a phone call, maybe a letter/visit, and if you can't be bothered for a £2 card, then that's up to you. But then, why bother asking here?
As for challenges, yes I have. A while back a company trying to to sell their products to my company sent me a FOC sample, but the idiots declared the full retail value, about £2k, as if I'd ordered it. Presumably, that was for insurance. However, then RM sent an invoice through the post for import duty, VAT and a handling fee. I wrote back pointing out it was a free sample to intended to elicit an order, that I had not "ordered" anything, and certainly wadn't interested in paying their invoice. Please arrange collection of these unsolicited goods at RM's earliest convenience, to dispose of as they wish. RM replied cancelling the invoice, and declining to collect the goods. Result.
As I understood it, Customs don't charge you a fee. They'll charge taxes, duty, etc, but not a fee. Given the nature and value of tne goods, my understanding is that Customs charges ought to be zero.
But then, Royal Mail "handle" postal inspections for UKBF and Customs, looking for all sorts of things, including prohibited imports ranging from drugs to weapons to endangered species under CITES laws. And RM most certainly do charge a fee unless certain conditions apply. Someone said it takes 3 seconds, but not if they have to inspect, open, search and reseal parcels it doesn't. And a small envelope apparently containing a simple SD card MIGHT also contain 50g of heroin worth many thousands, if not tens of thousands. Therefore, just because the sender says it's a £2 card doesn't mean it is, and everything being imported is subject to examination and search.
But as I understand it, the fee for that, which is set by RM not customs, should not apply if no customs charges (excise duty, import duty, VAT) are levied. Which suggests, in this case, it shouldn't have been applied.
Which is why I asked for more detail.
However, challenging it is going to require at least a phone call, maybe a letter/visit, and if you can't be bothered for a £2 card, then that's up to you. But then, why bother asking here?
As for challenges, yes I have. A while back a company trying to to sell their products to my company sent me a FOC sample, but the idiots declared the full retail value, about £2k, as if I'd ordered it. Presumably, that was for insurance. However, then RM sent an invoice through the post for import duty, VAT and a handling fee. I wrote back pointing out it was a free sample to intended to elicit an order, that I had not "ordered" anything, and certainly wadn't interested in paying their invoice. Please arrange collection of these unsolicited goods at RM's earliest convenience, to dispose of as they wish. RM replied cancelling the invoice, and declining to collect the goods. Result.
Rofl a few minutes, it won't take them any appreciable time, it'll be basically automated. And it's very much the same,
And that is why it is vastly over priced and unfair, it's for all intense and purposes unavoidable.
It is avoidable, either set up your own importing account or don't import something outside the EU. Being an intermediary between you and HMRC and filing your paperwork for you and sorting out billing is not costless. What you view as appreciable time is not relevant, an accountants work can be in the main automated but they can still cost you a pretty penny.
Are the EU going to tackle call out charges or rounded up half or hour billing at garages?
Besides if it is so profitable, perhaps you should start a new business as a freight handling agent instead of earning peanuts working on railways
Last edited:
There should be no charges for parcel containing goods costing a total of £15 or less, regardless of the shipping cost.
So, unless the customs label declared the value at more than £15, or they inspected the parcel and believe it to be worth more than £15, there should be nothing to pay.
Challenging it might mean you have to prove you paid less than £15 for it, which shouldn't be difficult if you can find the same item here in the UK at multiple places for less money than £15.
For the sake of £2, can you really be bothered?
So, unless the customs label declared the value at more than £15, or they inspected the parcel and believe it to be worth more than £15, there should be nothing to pay.
Challenging it might mean you have to prove you paid less than £15 for it, which shouldn't be difficult if you can find the same item here in the UK at multiple places for less money than £15.
For the sake of £2, can you really be bothered?
Only if you accept the parcel.
Tell them to keep it as it's only worth £2, and they will usually send it to you anyway with a bill., which you are not under any obligation to pay.
It sounds like the customs form has been written out so that it looks like £2 is £20, or similar, as the VAT element on that would be about right for something at £20.
Query it with RM, IIRC you can claim it back if you can show it's a mistake of the people doing the charges.
Query it with RM, IIRC you can claim it back if you can show it's a mistake of the people doing the charges.
Associate
- Joined
- 7 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 2,128
Talk about daylight robbery.
