£8 handling fees by PracelForce or I don't get my item. WTF?

Mr Jones · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:11

I ordered an item from the states, all postage FULLY paid for from that end and I understand if the item is above £18, I'll get VAT. I was prepared for that (>£6 anyway) but never was I expecting PF to add an additional £8 'Handling fees' OR I will not get my item (must be paid within 20days)

What the hell?!

After a quick google, I found this and I cannot help but agree:
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/transport-automobile-services/parcelforce/1223895/

~HM Rvenue & Customs and ParcelForce Clearance Fee's~

Parcelforce charges the recipient of incoming international parcels a "handling fee" of £8 or £13.50 if it has paid customs duty on behalf of the recipient (I paid £24.87 plus a ParcelForce Clearance Fee of £8 although I had already paid the full postage amount, this has to be paid before delivery), even though the cost of delivery has already been fully paid by the sender. In 2003 Pos****ch said it would investigate, stating "This smacks of profiteering. Customers should be confident when placing orders that the price is the price, with no hidden charges, which in this case appear to be exorbitant. We will be taking this up with Parcelforce immediately" .

Commenting on the legality aspect, Pos****ch stated in 2008 "there appears to be a case for saying that a postal operator may be acting illegally if it retains an item in order to claim its clearance fee". As of April 2009 ParcelForce's Clearance/Handling fee is still in place. The fee is regarded by a lot of customers as a potentially illegal scam.

Never had an issue with PF for local posting but after this experience, I'll be VERY careful now. If ordering from state side, probably go with FedEX or DHL rather than standard US-postal (I'm assuming they don't profit like stupid ParceForce!!)

Just needed to rant. Anyone had a similar experience? I need this item, so I paid it and chalk it on the lines of Do not swear! I'll have on my shotgun list.

Worst is the letter came in today, on the day where if I want the item tomorrow, I'll have to pay £12 for Saturday delivery. I'll be patient and wait till Monday then!

Gerard · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:13

It was a fleshlight, wasn't it. :eek:

Dr.EM · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:17

I got hit with the same charge when recieving some clothes from the USA. Added by Royal Mail, annoying as it was around £8 actual VAT charge, then £8 handling, unreasonably high imo

memyselfandi · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:17

Erm .... well there has been many threads on here about importing and vat, duty and admin fees ....

All of the courier companies will charge you an admin fee if they have had to pay vat and duty on your behalf. That includes Fedex, UPS and DHL and their like, (although if they have messed up the calculation, which Fedex have done to me a few times, then you can sometimes get them to drop the charge).

edit: My last Fedex bill had an Admin charge of £10 and a VAT charge of £9.96

SciNeT · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:19

I always get the £13.50 handling charge (plus duty & VAT) but they do have to deliver the parcel to me, I think it's fair, the carriage I initially pay is to an overseas courier/company, parcelforce don't get a penny of that (I don't think) but have to sort everything out this end and bus it to me when it arrives in the UK.

Strife212 · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:21

(I'm assuming they don't profit like stupid ParceForce!!)

They do

They're also twice the price in the first place, only advantage really is that you'll get the item a lot faster.

Glaucus · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:22

Perfectly normall and standard, should have done a bit more research on importing goods. Just thank God it's RM and not other companies who can charge £25+

Nige01010 · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:27

AcidHell2 said:
Perfectly normall and standard, should have done a bit more research on importing goods. Just thank God it's RM and not other companies who can charge £25+

Echo this thought, should have looked into it more, every company charges a fee of some kind.

antijoke · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:29

Is the B word allowed?

I'd star it out just in case.

Bigpops · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:00

Is there not a way you can pay your duty directly to Customs in advance? Thus avoiding the sometimes disproportionate handling fees?

Glaucus · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:02

Bigpops said:
Is there not a way you can pay your duty directly to Customs in advance? Thus avoiding the sometimes disproportionate handling fees?

As far as I'm aware you need an account, so no.

Mr Jones · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:13

I've learnt my lesson then

The Running Man · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:24

ya basically they hold your parcel to ransom...and u wont get it till you pay...im sure that is technically illegal as they do not own the item...but anyway

Gimpymoo · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:32

Ive ordered stuff across the pond and not had to pay any additional fees?

Can it depend on the courier the sender uses?

neil3k · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:34

if you get the company to mark the value under $£50 i believe or get it marked as a gift

Glaucus · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:35

Gimpymoo said:
Ive ordered stuff across the pond and not had to pay any additional fees?

Can it depend on the courier the sender uses?

Nope, it depends if you get through customs or not. if they don't have to pay customs you don't get a handling fee.

Skully · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:36

I ordered from HK £200 worth of stuff with FedEx and then paid £22 in duties and fees so they're not likely to slip it through without any fees.

Skully · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:38

Nickg said:
ya basically they hold your parcel to ransom...and u wont get it till you pay...im sure that is technically illegal as they do not own the item...but anyway

I'm pretty sure customs can do whatever they want with your parcel!

Kenai · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:40

Skully said:
I'm pretty sure customs can do whatever they want with your parcel!

Customs maybe but in this case it's ParcelForce keeping your parcel, not Customs themselves.

Glaucus · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:46

Kenai said:
Customs maybe but in this case it's ParcelForce keeping your parcel, not Customs themselves.

Your refusing to pay the charges that are stated they can probably do what they want. I imagine (although not sure) that they can either keep it as part payment or maybe the law says they can't in which case they could legally send it back to original address and keep your money.