Customs Duty

[Muppz]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone had ever challenged customs duty and survived.

I just bought some side art from the states for $300 and they have declared $300 plus $60 dollars shipping which I never paid, shipping was included in the $300. As I have the invoice could I challenge it or does it go on the declaration?

Cheers

Muppz

 

[andrew96]

as far as i am aware VAT is charged on the amount PLUS the shipping, this is really unfair as why should customs get VAT on shipping that's been paid! but that's the rules!! also customs charges on goods too, then don't forget the £8 royal mail charges for paying the fee on your behalf! or more if its the likes of DHL!

It is a very expensive lark these days to get items from the USA!!

I bought a box of RAM, cost worked out with shipping at £101 and with UK vat and royal mail charges had to pay ANOTHER £22.17

Now the ACTUAL cost of the goods was £58

quite a rip off, but its a good way of making more money!!

 

[mathj]

if I ever ship anything from usa these days I always ask the seller to value the parcel at $30, some will some will not but it always comes through with no charges

although I now see ebay.com do a new thing where as they charge for import duty on the auction, even if its under £25 quid!

 

[Muppz]

you aren't joking I looked on ebay for a chip, one in the states for $14 great. Shipping $173 WTF!!!

 

[mathj]

I won a auction in the usa for a space invaders monitor chassis, seller quoted $160 shipping on a $16 item, told him I could ship 10 chassis for that, apparently he was getting quotes from the usps website, after he packed it up and got another quote for the actual size and weight he came back with $60 shipping, still high in my opinion but I needed the item so I paid the shipping cost

like andrew96 says, its getting expensive to import stuff from the usa these days

mathj2013-08-18 15:19:28

 

[andrew96]

I found this very usefull!!

http://www.dutycalculator.com/new-import-duty-and-tax-calculation/

I calculated duty from it on the RAM package and it came up with a customs cost of £19.92 that is of course less the royal mail charge....

actual charge was £14.17 plus royal mail charge of £8 total £22.17

so overall it was a very good calculator! Ok a slight difference but better than just guessing..

 

[Purity]

Bollocks, I've just looked at the tracking on a board I've shipped from the US and it says:

Payment of charges - Item being held, addressee being notified

Using that calculator it is going to be more than £30

 

[phillv85]

You can challenge that yes. You should be paying duty on the total paid. If you have a proper invoice it should be fine.

 

[Purity]

Well it was worse than feared. Customs charge of £39.04 on a value of $150 plus shipping of $59.35

As I only paid $155 for item and shipping I will be disputing it

Not sure how to go about that though?
Purity2014-01-10 12:53:01

 

[neo-geo-mvs]

^ not sure you go about this?

This is the reason I try not to buy from abroad (outside of the EU) anymore unless it's less than £15 in total with shipping 'cus they rip you off with fees/costs. A bargain ends up being expensive

 

[Purity]

Yup, the customs charge is about half of what the item is worth.

Anyway it has been a learning experience!

On the HMRC website it says:

3.8 What do I do if I disagree with a Border Force decision?

If you do not agree with any decision issued to you there are three
options available. Within 30 days of the date of the decision you can
either:

• send new information or arguments to the decision maker
• request a review of the decision by someone not involved in
  making the disputed decision. Your request must be in writing and should
  set out the reasons why you do not agree with the decision.
  Please write to:
  The Review Officer
  National Post Seizure Unit
  Border Force
  3rd Floor
  West Point
  Elbringhton Street
  Plymouth
  PL4 9LT or
• appeal direct to the Tribunal who are independent of HMRC

 

[neo-geo-mvs]

^ make sure you take a scan/photo of your letter for your records and send original recorded. Otherwise these cheeky basterds will no doubt say they haven't received it. Good luck

 

[AeroCityMayor]

I've had luck before claiming back overcharges for goods from Japan.

My original invoice included the cost of shipping which was considerable as IIRC I had 3 or 4 DVD players, a boatload of DVDs, a load of EPROM sets, 5 or 6 motherboards and artworks and manuals to match it all.

In order to get hold of my goods, I bent over and paid the amount in full then claimed back the overcharge. To do this I forwarded an original copy of the invoice (which the dumb f**ks had opened and presumably read in order to calculate my charges in the first place)!!! It took nearly 3 months for the money to get to me but I did finally get my money back.

HTH

Cheers,

Ralph.

 

[Ordyne]

You need to call Hmrc, you're well within your rights to claim if you have invoice with the total you paid (they may also want proof of the payment) call hmrc, they will give you advice and send you a claim form. If you can't find the correct number call parcel force and they will give you it.

I've successfully claimed in the past, it's even harder when you should have been charged at all as you have to make a separate claim with parcel farce once Hmrc pay out.

Ordyne2014-01-11 20:15:05