Page 1 of CUSTOMS CHARGES...They`re having a laugh arn`t they?

2 weeks ago I ordered a tent on the internet from a US retailer. This cost $109 and postage was $37 (total $146 which equates to about £80-£85 depending on exchange rate) The packkage should be small and quite light because the tent only weighs 1.5kg. Anyway, I was tracking it on USPS until it entered the black hole of UK Customs 10 days ago.

Now, I`ve just received a letter from Parcelforce telling me that I am being charged £52.41 in Import Customs Duty, VAT and a `clearance fee`!!!!!!!...WHAT THE F**K???? >:( >:( >:(

I knew I was going to get hit with importing this, but I reckoned it would be about £20-£25 maximum based on current rates and the £4.00 `admin clearance` fee.

£52.41 equates to about 60% of the total selling price including P&P...how the hell can they justify that?

As I haven`t paid the charges yet (or taken receipt of the package) can I challenge them to reduce it in advance of me paying it (because I think they are `stealing` my money if I can`t) or do I have to pay it and then challenge it ???(over my cold and lifeless body Mr `I`m a f**kin` thief` Brown!!!!)

>:( >:( >:( Not Happy >:( >:( >:(

This item was edited on Tuesday, 20th April 2004, 18:48

If you paid by credit card I`d ignore all communication with he courier company and eventually the tent will be sent back to the States (costing them!)

Then get onto your credit card issuer and tell them you never received the parcel and try and get your cash back that way!

Badboybez

In Madness You Dwell

I had a package that shouldn`t have been charged customs, but was.
I collected it, paid the fee, and then challenged them about it.

I had to offer them proof that I shouldn`t have been charged, ie receipts and they refunded
the customs charge. :) The handling fee they kept. >:(

If it`s any help, they don`t charge by weight, but by value of goods imported...

===========================
Jitendar Canth

Quote:
"Back off man, I`m a scientist!"

Site Reviewer at DVD Reviewer

Quote:
If it`s any help, they don`t charge by weight, but by value of goods imported...

Oh, I know that, I only mentioned it so that you could picture it in your minds eye...ie it wasn`t a massive package

Get your own back on them, Buy something that only costs £17.99 but weighs a ton :D

===========================
Jitendar Canth

Quote:
"Back off man, I`m a scientist!"

Site Reviewer at DVD Reviewer

Who works out the cost of goods anyway?
Some pratt in customs deems that my £5 pencil from austraila is worth £20 uk pounds and then charges me.
How can they judge the cost of an item that is only available overseas? If there is no point of sale in the UK then how can they say it is worth £x?
We are being done over a barrel and customs love these wonderful people like us who shop over the internet.

I think they go buy the price on the customs label the sender is supposed to put on the package. Maybe it wasn`t very well written and someone at Customs has misread it as a higher price than it really was?

Customs ONLY charge 17.5% - That`s only if the limit for buying outside the UK has been reached. The Post office then add their own charges (or the distribution company) - this is for actually putting it through Customs.

I think it`s rather excessive, but coming from a freight forwarding background I can also understad the problems the distribution company can face.

Quote:
Customs ONLY charge 17.5%

There are two charges levied by customs.

The first one is `Import Duty` this varies depending on the type of product.

Lets say 10% on £80 = £88

then V.A.T is added to that so £88 @17.5% = £103.40 a total; of just over £23 on the original £80 cost, so the rest must be the administration fee which is the bit to be challenged

This item was edited on Wednesday, 21st April 2004, 08:36

Further to Skyvan`s post, I`ve been checking the customs duty rates and website. Duty on tents seems to be 12%, but due to international trade disputes between EU and USA, some imports have additional import duty at moment - for tents that`s another 6% this month (increases 1% every month!).
So you`re being charged in effect 18% duty, and 17.5% VAT on the total (post customs duty) value.
That still only looks like just over £30, which as suggested means either a very high admin fee, or a misdeclared value. Perhaps someone has read the dollar value as being pounds?
Query it, but if you want your tent you`ll probably have to pay first and query later.