Parcelforce customs charges

[MGB]

Before I start, want to make it clear I'm not having a go at anybody here, I know you are not RM/PF

I received (well not yet) a parcel from the USA. It was marked as a gift at $25, so it's beyond me why they are charging import vat on it, but I'm not too bothered about that. I've also been slapped a £8 handling charge on it. I did some googling, and found that they don't seem to be technically allowed to charge it:

http://psych0naut.livejournal.com/36270.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ukbusinesslabs.co.uk/forums/ ... legal.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/fo ... ecting-VAT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I emailed, no joy, just a load of waffle. I have spoken to an unhelpful guy in customer service and an apologetic guy at the local depod, but neither did anything. I have been given the number for a customer resolutions team, but wondered if it is any good or am I wasting my time? I had to give in and pay the full amount as I needed the parcel, but is there any chance of me getting the £8 refunded?

[mandelsons_toenail]

Wasting time

[dodger162]

It's a handling fee. Parcelforce are required on behalf of HMRC to collect the fee. This incurs an admin charge. £8 is cheap, compare that to other carriers who usually charge £10 or more. It probably costs the carrier more than this so think of it as a bargain.

[newtimes]

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/paying-tax.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Goods posted from outside the EU: tax payments, queries or refunds

Royal Mail/Parcelforce handling fees

If duty and/or tax is payable, Royal Mail/Parcelforce will pay this to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on your behalf, and charge a handling fee to cover:

operating the postal customs depot
handling the package for customs examination
opening, repacking and resealing the package if required
paying the charges to HMRC on your behalf

Note that if there is no duty and/or tax to pay, you won't be charged a handling fee.

They'll write to you letting you know how much you need to pay, and the available payment methods. The customs charges and handling fee are itemised separately on the charge label.

If you have any queries about the handling fee you should raise these directly with Royal Mail/Parcelforce - these charges are entirely separate from any tax and/or duty charges, and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and HMRC have no control on the charges it makes.

If you have any queries about the customs charges you should contact the UKBA - see the section below ‘Questions about the tax and/or duty you’ve been charged?’

Once payment has been received, you'll be able to request delivery of your package, or pick it up from your local delivery office.

[eric the viking]

Parcelforce are not going to do all the work to get your parcel to you through customs and pay the money upfront for nothing ,they are going to charge you. If I had a pound for every customer who came into the office and recounted all the websites you have and still ended up paying I would be a very rich man by now. All the barrack-room lawyers who write those pages are no match for the Royal Mail's own legal team. Sorry.

[newtimes]

Parcelforce are not going to do all the work to get your parcel to you through customs and pay the money upfront for nothing ,they are going to charge you. If I had a pound for every customer who came into the office and recounted all the websites you have and still ended up paying I would be a very rich man by now. All the barrack-room lawyers who write those pages are no match for the Royal Mail's own legal team. Sorry.

The info which I quoted from is from the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) web site, this is a government organisation, much bigger and powerful than Royal Mail and I am sure it has a far bigger legal team too.

[britwrit]

Customs considers items sent directly from a retailer to be merchandise, irregardless of whether someone actually bought them for you as a gift. I don't know if that's what happened here but it's not a decision on the part of Parcelforce/Royal Mail.

[MGB]

Thanks for the help.

The goods in question were actually toys bought from an american shop, and removed from the original packaging (though actually only to reduce size/weight as boxes were very oversized). I think the only way they can be charging VAT on it is if they opened it and looked up what price they went for, which seems a bit extreme...

[eric the viking]

Parcelforce are not going to do all the work to get your parcel to you through customs and pay the money upfront for nothing ,they are going to charge you. If I had a pound for every customer who came into the office and recounted all the websites you have and still ended up paying I would be a very rich man by now. All the barrack-room lawyers who write those pages are no match for the Royal Mail's own legal team. Sorry.

The info which I quoted from is from the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) web site, this is a government organisation, much bigger and powerful than Royal Mail and I am sure it has a far bigger legal team too.

My post was aimed at the original poster.

[newtimes]

Parcelforce are not going to do all the work to get your parcel to you through customs and pay the money upfront for nothing ,they are going to charge you. If I had a pound for every customer who came into the office and recounted all the websites you have and still ended up paying I would be a very rich man by now. All the barrack-room lawyers who write those pages are no match for the Royal Mail's own legal team. Sorry.

The info which I quoted from is from the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) web site, this is a government organisation, much bigger and powerful than Royal Mail and I am sure it has a far bigger legal team too.

My post was aimed at the original poster.

sorry, I understand. cheers