Parcelforce Customs Charges

Stuff · 18 May 2015 at 12:43

I've searched previous threads, but can't seem to find the answer to the question I have.

Recently ordered online from America a £420 item. Got a letter though the post yesterday saying I'm due to pay £99.69 in import VAT and £8 in Parcelforce charges for their admin.

Now, I've managed to source the item elsewhere and the seller (from the bay) is happy to accept returns. What's the best way about me going about returning it? I don't want to have to pay £99.69 that I have difficulty clawing back unnecessarily.

What would happen if I simply didn't pay and collect the parcel and they returned it to sender? I don't wanna lump the poor guy with a load of charges the other end either. Cheers!

Craig321 · 18 May 2015 at 12:47

Talk to Parcel Force and tell them you don't want the parcel? It'd probably get returned to him if you ignore it as well, although not sure when or how.

Stuff · 18 May 2015 at 12:48

Craig321 said:
Talk to Parcel Force and tell them you don't want the parcel?

I've been on hold for 25 minutes now, I'm trying..

mattyprice4004 · 18 May 2015 at 12:50

You may get the customs charges back, but not the ParcelForce £8. Also the seller won't refund the P+P you paid originally, and may deduct the cost of the return postage if he has to pay that too.
Is it not better to just keep it?

C.R.A.Z.Y · 18 May 2015 at 12:52

You're lucky the ebay seller is so understanding, it's your responsibility to understand import tax's when ordering from abroad. The seller is now going to be out of pocket because you messed up!!

Stuff · 18 May 2015 at 12:53

mattyprice4004 said:
You may get the customs charges back, but not the ParcelForce £8. Also the seller won't refund the P+P you paid originally, and may deduct the cost of the return postage if he has to pay that too.
Is it not better to just keep it?

That's understandable. It would have been without the extra £108 on top, but unfortunately not with.

C.R.A.Z.Y said:
You're lucky the ebay seller is so understanding, it's your responsibility to understand import tax's when ordering from abroad. The seller is now going to be out of pocket because you messed up!!

I don't wanna lump the poor guy with a load of charges the other end either.

That's exactly what I've asked.. I'm happy to foot the bill to cover his costs...

C.R.A.Z.Y · 18 May 2015 at 12:59

Time IS money and you have wasted a shed loads of his with the hope you could save a few quid if it slipped through customs. I'm not sure I'd be as understanding as the seller especially if I'd had my time wasted by chancers like you in the past!!

Stuff · 18 May 2015 at 13:00

C.R.A.Z.Y said:
Time IS money and you have wasted a shed loads of his with the hope you could save a few quid if it slipped through customs. I'm not sure I'd be as understanding as the seller especially if I'd had my time wasted by chancers like you in the past!!

Ok..

Teknobry · 18 May 2015 at 13:07

someone on here was saying you don't have to pay that customs charge and parcelforce can't force you to? vaguely remember the thread but not what the final outcome was.

neil_g · 18 May 2015 at 13:09

Teknobry said:
someone on here was saying you don't have to pay that customs charge and parcelforce can't force you to? vaguely remember the thread but not what the final outcome was.

you have to pay the import tax, you dont (apparently) have to pay the Parcelforce handling fee.

Stuff · 18 May 2015 at 13:10

Teknobry said:
someone on here was saying you don't have to pay that customs charge and parcelforce can't force you to? vaguely remember the thread but not what the final outcome was.

I think that's more to do the with the £8 fee that Parcelforce charge you on top of the import VAT. AFAIK, the import VAT is due either way.

tom_e · 18 May 2015 at 13:10

Teknobry said:
someone on here was saying you don't have to pay that customs charge and parcelforce can't force you to? vaguely remember the thread but not what the final outcome was.

Good luck arguing with HMRC! The Parcelforce charge came down to Spoffle just grabbing his parcel and walking out IIRC not exactly proven in court.

spoffle · 18 May 2015 at 13:13

C.R.A.Z.Y said:
Time IS money and you have wasted a shed loads of his with the hope you could save a few quid if it slipped through customs. I'm not sure I'd be as understanding as the seller especially if I'd had my time wasted by chancers like you in the past!!

Wat. You're responding to things no one has said,twice now. Are you playing up to your username?

Stuff · 18 May 2015 at 13:22

tom_e said:
Good luck arguing with HMRC! The Parcelforce charge came down to Spoffle just grabbing his parcel and walking out IIRC not exactly proven in court.

Haha yeah, I wouldn't be going down that route for the sake of £8

spoffle · 18 May 2015 at 13:24

tom_e said:
Good luck arguing with HMRC! The Parcelforce charge came down to Spoffle just grabbing his parcel and walking out IIRC not exactly proven in court.

Only because they were being so stubborn that they wouldn't take payment at all if it wasn't for the full amount. They literally said it's all, or nothing.

I didn't have to grab it though, they'd already handed it to me, twice.

The manager even admitted that they have no legal right to withhold my parcel, as regardless of their over the top handling fee, the parcel and its contents are still mine.

When he realised that I knew my rights, and that I wasn't going to fall for his lies that the handling fee was from HMRC, not them. He eventually, though reluctantly handed the parcel over.

I did also ask them to invoice me for reimbursing them the VAT they paid, but again they insisted it was all, or nothing. So they got nothing. I also noted that their handling fee for customs clearance is contingent on the size of the parcel rather than its value, which goes to show that they use it to bolster revenue, as a secondary delivery fee.

Edit: To clarify, once Parcelforce has your parcel in their depot, HMRC has no involvement any longer. They've been paid already. This is why I insisted on giving Parcelforce the amount to cover the VAT they'd paid, but they were being very stubborn that it was all or nothing.

neil_g · 18 May 2015 at 13:27

to be fair on them, they've been handed a parcel to deliver that they have not been paid any money to do so. so you'd imagine they'd try and recoup some costs somehow?

spoffle · 18 May 2015 at 13:29

Stuff said:
Haha yeah, I wouldn't be going down that route for the sake of £8

It was the principle of it really, they wanted a £13.50 handling fee, and the VAT was about the same. Plus the part I mentioned above, their fee is contingent on the size of the parcel which makes no sense at all.

They don't even open the parcel. They just look at the customs declaration, and I assume weigh or measure it to determine the fees they want to charge.

spoffle · 18 May 2015 at 13:31

neil_g said:
to be fair on them, they've been handed a parcel to deliver that they have not been paid any money to do so. so you'd imagine they'd try and recoup some costs somehow?

Do you really think they won't have been paid for their services? They have contractual agreements, which includes payment, for receiving and delivering international parcels. They aren't doing it for free.

neil_g · 18 May 2015 at 13:32

spoffle said:
Do you really think they won't have been paid for their services? They have contractual agreements, which includes payment, for receiving and delivering international parcels. They aren't doing it for free.

i dont know if they have agreements in place. that is what im asking.

(albeit maybe badly)

spoffle · 18 May 2015 at 13:35

As for the OP's question, the parcel will be returned to sender and the fees will be dropped, due to you, as a resident of the UK not having received it, thus no VAT would be due.

So you don't have to worry about them being lumbered with fees. I would however be a little concerned about whether it'd make its way back, as I've never dealt with that sort of thing before.