Spice Cat Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Greetings people, I have just ordered an upgrade for my Quantum V2 goggles, the additional magnifying lenses, and had to buy from the Hong Kong end. The total cost with shipping was £25.13. Shipping was via DHL and I have just received a waybill for £15 for VAT and duty. I queried this as its 60% of the cost and was told that the VAT was £5.25, I don't want to get into an argument about this I know I had to pay and this is not an issue, but according to DHL, the remaining £10 (eh??) is a one off advance payment for private customers with no account. Non refuandable. Anyone else been stung like this?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Oh yes! I got charged £8 by RoyayMail to collect £5 duty. I have no problem paying the import duty, but the charges made by the couriers are to my mind disproportionate. Especially as RM do not even do what they have been paid for ie deliver the parcel. You have to collect it yourself. Surely in this day and age it should be possible to make an electronic payment, show the courier your HMRC receipt and take the parcel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Jarvis Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 It is possible to pay HMRC see this post **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 I have just been stung exactly the same and have another delivery on the way I also saw that post re HMRC but when I went on to the site I could not see anywhere to do a direct payment. Following the link for VAT and customs payments simply takes you to a page telling you that your courier service will advise on payment! If anyone finds the actual link to the payment page please post it here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iqon Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 they charge for paperwork for claiming vat........it`s a rip off but you should have expected it .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 I'd have thought the gripe has to be with DHL, not HK - do you want the title changed? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Jarvis Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 From the HMRC site. The sender must write ‘goods to be declared by importer’ on the customs declaration form. Before you can collect your goods, you’ll be sent: a full customs declaration form to fill in a letter explaining how to pay any tax or duty you owe. In practice you should get notified that goods owe duty/tax. Go online complete the form and pay the tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Pete, would agree, a few months ago I ordered an expensive box of bits from hobbyking, (Far East warehouse), and the shipper, whoever they were sent an e mail, saying they are here, send tax (PayPal), reasonable sum, no markup, and the box appeared at the door a day or so later. What the worry is, I got good service, REALY good service, but I did not know this at the point of sale. And so sums up Hobby King, honest folk, but a bit dipsy, and disorganised, and running flat out to keep up, but most of the time it works out. I once had a problem sorted, in person, by a bloke in the USA, and the next day checked I was good. But only after I was REALLY nasty on the chat line to the firm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spice Cat Posted April 5, 2016 Author Share Posted April 5, 2016 Posted by Pete B - Moderator on 05/04/2016 18:58:58: I'd have thought the gripe has to be with DHL, not HK - do you want the title changed? Pete Probably a good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Some time ago I paid Parcelforce a £14 "admin" charge on top of the £7 duty/VAT bill. So £21 to settle a £7 bill. Most couriers seem to charge something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 Since my earlier post I have been brewing on this subject which really gets my goat. When I go to the shop (model shop, Waitrose, Car dealer,,,, take your pick) they ALL have to charge duty and pass that to HMRC. Therefore when you buy that £5 servo at your local model shop they are collecting the duty for HMRC without charging you for the privilege. I am not saying the couriers shouldn't have an admin charge, but they are all really taking the mickey out of us. It is not as if they need to set a special mechanism for us; they already collect duty (VAT) from us if we were to send a parcel, and are therefore already passing payments to HMRC. Apologies for the twee terminology, but this is a subject that could easily get me moderated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 Posted by Donald Fry on 05/04/2016 19:21:55: a few months ago I ordered an expensive box of bits from hobbyking, (Far East warehouse), and the shipper, whoever they were sent an e mail, saying they are here, send tax (PayPal), reasonable sum, no markup, and the box appeared at the door a day or so later. Donald, thats what I am looking for........ Shame you cannot recall the delivery mechanism. That is exactly how it should work. Edited By Kevin Wilson on 06/04/2016 09:34:31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spice Cat Posted April 6, 2016 Author Share Posted April 6, 2016 I do feel that the carriers are misrepresenting their charges and should let you know at the outset the exact amount they require. The way its being done now is a bit like a gun to the head. Pay the extra or no goodies. Although its probably buried somewhere in the t & c's that never get read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 Posted by Kevin Wilson on 06/04/2016 09:31:27: Since my earlier post I have been brewing on this subject which really gets my goat. When I go to the shop (model shop, Waitrose, Car dealer,,,, take your pick) they ALL have to charge duty and pass that to HMRC. Therefore when you buy that £5 servo at your local model shop they are collecting the duty for HMRC without charging you for the privilege. I am not saying the couriers shouldn't have an admin charge, but they are all really taking the mickey out of us. It is not as if they need to set a special mechanism for us; they already collect duty (VAT) from us if we were to send a parcel, and are therefore already passing payments to HMRC. Apologies for the twee terminology, but this is a subject that could easily get me moderated This is a subject that can take a long time to explain. If you buy an item that was made overseas from Waitrose, LMS or wherever, the import duty is paid for by the wholesaler. Because the import is done in bulk the duty is a lot less and they are not paying the same import rate as an individual purchase. Also there is no VAT to add, in many cases, as the purchase is for business. That duty will vary greatly depending upon the type of item and is, what it is made from and where it is coming from and is then allocated a ten digit commodity code. An individual purchase will be required to pay VAT from Non EU Countries as well as Channel Islands as well as an import duty on an individual basis and as such economy of scale is nil so you pay a lot more than any business ever would. The two types of purchase are vastly different in how VAT and duties, if applicable, are paid and are therefore not even remotely comparable in terms of costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 On the Bright side, DHL will deliver a huge box for you containing something you sold, e.g. A computer, its screen and its printer, to the other end of the country for about £15, where it would cost us £60 in petrol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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