It was parcel force that I had the run in with, but my only issue was the delay in informing me as I had already sold the items on after setting the price against what it cost me.
Still, I guess you win some loose some
Col
If you received a letter from a DHL type company stating that an item they delivered to you a few months previous had demanded a payment in respect of
import duty and vat, and that they had paid it on your behalf, would you be expected to reimburse them for that payment?
Should they contact you before the event and ask if you want them to pay the costs or have the item returned to sender?
Can they instigate legal proceedings for non payment?
Any thoughts?
Cheers
Col
Its happened to me with Royal Mail Parcels, however they collected the duty on behalf Customs and IR before they would release the goods.
The big couriers seem to do this for your automatically to expedite the delivery of your item.
To be fair they have paid it and if you don't pay them they'll probably put their debt recovery dudes on to you and you don't want your
credit record messed up in this financial climate.
Is it a lot of money?
I agree it is annoying as if you go normal post that comes via Royal Mail then sometimes you get away with it.
But also I've paid like £3 customs but a £13 (or similar) Royal Mail / ParcelFarce payment handling fee which made me similarly annoyed!
quote:
Originally posted by macca1
If you received a letter from a DHL type company stating that an item they delivered to you a few months previous had demanded a payment in respect of import duty and vat, and that they had paid it on your behalf, would you be expected to reimburse them for that payment?
Should they contact you before the event and ask if you want them to pay the costs or have the item returned to sender?
i have heard of scams like this in the past. beware. do you know the company? are you expecting any parcels?
I'd normally expect them to leave a note with the parcel itself, i'd be surprised if they deliver it and then leave it a few months before
asking for payment.
have to say, i don't trust this...
in fact it was on 'the real hustle' i saw it
[Edited on 23/12/08 by blakep82]
I'm guessing your query is not the authenticity of the demand itself, but whether you have the right to refuse payment if it arrives with you
some time after the item is delivered?
You can, but you'll have to arrange a day off work for the subsequent court appearance!
i'd be surprised that a company would deliver the parcel before the money is paid, bearing in mind, whatever the item is, its worth more than the
VAT to be paid on it.
and taking someone to court for the sake of a couple of quid? hmmm i don't trust this letter... which company did it come from?
I bought quite a bit of stuff from the States when the dollar was weak and it was pretty much 50/50 as to when I would get the import invoice.
The US / UK domestic mail services will ask for payment before releasing it. The big private companies don't. They send it either with an
invoice, or send the invoice later.
As well as cars I restore vintage juke boxes, and have lots of stuff delivered from the stares, every parcel I've had which has attracted duty, the shipper has asked for payment before releasing the parcel.
Part of that cost is brokerage charges to get the item through customs. If they asked for the charges before clearing the item through customs it
would cause massive backlogs at the clearing houses, so they do it then send you the bill.
I get the same problem from the UK and USA, best send Parcel Post if you can, then pay when you pick up the item.
OK OK, you've shamed me in to it,I'll cough up the cash
It was parcel force that I had the run in with, but my only issue was the delay in informing me as I had already sold the items on after setting the
price against what it cost me.
Still, I guess you win some loose some
Col
I had a letter asking for duty on an item that I'd got from the States it was one of the parcel firms. I forgot to pay it found it some weeks
later, never heard anything more. Not sure what happens next time they have a parcel for me!!!! I'd say letter must have got lost in the
Christmas post.
Dave
[Edited on 23/12/08 by need4speed]
quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
As well as cars I restore vintage juke boxes,