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Import charges & royal mail cock up

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    Import charges & royal mail cock up

    I ordered some goods from the US recently. Nothing expensive, they were only about $70 but the items were unavailable in the UK.

    Anyway, the item should have been delivered within a 14 day window but wasnt. So, I contacted the US after 28 days to query non receipt. That was yesterday and they said to wait 45 days from date of despatch. Fair enough.

    This morning Royal Mail delivered said item from the US with another parcel for me which was signed for.

    Within an hour, postie shoves a card through the letter box stating a parcel requiring £22 customs charges is waiting collection at the local sorting office.

    Now I know there's no other parcel that I've ordered from outside the UK due. The US couldnt have shipped a replacement as I only contacted them yesterday and they said wait more time. So, its clear RM have cocked up and delivered the US parcel without the customs charges being paid.

    Seeing as they have delivered the item and another parcel was signed for at the same time, should I just let RM whistle for the money and claim I havent got the imported parcel or, go down the sorting office to try and 'collect' the item then kick off when they cant find it?

    Import charge of £22 on an item that cost $70 (approx £40 is ******* steep too).
    I couldn't give two fornicators! Yes, really!

    #2
    Originally posted by BolshieBastard View Post
    I ordered some goods from the US recently. Nothing expensive, they were only about $70 but the items were unavailable in the UK.

    Anyway, the item should have been delivered within a 14 day window but wasnt. So, I contacted the US after 28 days to query non receipt. That was yesterday and they said to wait 45 days from date of despatch. Fair enough.

    This morning Royal Mail delivered said item from the US with another parcel for me which was signed for.

    Within an hour, postie shoves a card through the letter box stating a parcel requiring £22 customs charges is waiting collection at the local sorting office.

    Now I know there's no other parcel that I've ordered from outside the UK due. The US couldnt have shipped a replacement as I only contacted them yesterday and they said wait more time. So, its clear RM have cocked up and delivered the US parcel without the customs charges being paid.

    Seeing as they have delivered the item and another parcel was signed for at the same time, should I just let RM whistle for the money and claim I havent got the imported parcel or, go down the sorting office to try and 'collect' the item then kick off when they cant find it?

    Import charge of £22 on an item that cost $70 (approx £40 is ******* steep too).
    It'll be 20% VAT plus £15 handling fee - got me with that - no actual duty to pay.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by stek View Post
      It'll be 20% VAT plus £15 handling fee - got me with that - no actual duty to pay.
      Yes, I know but they claim its 'customs' charges. Anyway, they can fooking whistle for the money this time, Im just contemplating going down the sorting office and kicking off when they cant find the parcel!
      I couldn't give two fornicators! Yes, really!

      Comment


        #4
        Are you going to claim you didn't receive it when you've already signed for it from the Postie?

        I don't think that will work.
        I'm alright Jack

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by BolshieBastard View Post
          Yes, I know but they claim its 'customs' charges. Anyway, they can fooking whistle for the money this time, Im just contemplating going down the sorting office and kicking off when they cant find the parcel!
          Couldn't you get your penis enlarger in the UK then? Do they not make them that small here?

          What happens in General, stays in General.
          You know what they say about assumptions!

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by BlasterBates View Post
            Are you going to claim you didn't receive it when you've already signed for it from the Postie?

            I don't think that will work.
            Nope, the parcel signed for by wifie wasnt the US one.


            Originally posted by MarillionFan View Post
            Couldn't you get your penis enlarger in the UK then? Do they not make them that small here?

            Just cos you had the procedure (and it failed although you're competent enough in showing yourself up as a big nob) doesnt mean the rest of us need to try it.
            I couldn't give two fornicators! Yes, really!

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by BolshieBastard View Post
              Yes, I know but they claim its 'customs' charges.
              VAT is a customs charge. Before revenue and customs were merged into HMRC, it was Customs that collected VAT, not the Inland Revenue.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by NickFitz View Post
                VAT is a customs charge. Before revenue and customs were merged into HMRC, it was Customs that collected VAT, not the Inland Revenue.
                I don't think it is - Customs/duty charges are levied on international trade, VAT was (is) purely a revenue tax...

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by BolshieBastard View Post
                  Yes, I know but they claim its 'customs' charges. Anyway, they can fooking whistle for the money this time, Im just contemplating going down the sorting office and kicking off when they cant find the parcel!
                  I think its an excellent idea you try to piss the posties off - why don't you call them a bunch of thieving cnuts while your at it. Just don't expect any important looking post to show up for a while.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by stek View Post
                    I don't think it is - Customs/duty charges are levied on international trade, VAT was (is) purely a revenue tax...
                    Alcohol duty was also collected by H.M. Customs, even in the days when people drank decent ale brewed in Britain rather than imported bottled rubbish. Lots of things we think of as taxes are/were actually duties levied by Customs, and import duty is just one of many.

                    Comment

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