Customs, is this an abuse?

[deibid]

Hi! if this topic is not right in this section please feel free to move...
I bought a Tomix chassis in ebay some weeks ago from plazajapan. Just 16 quid, great deal.
Yesterday I got a card from the Post Office asking me to pay 11.30 quid of pending customs charge...     

70% of TAX!!!

Is this possible to challenge? am I helpless?? is this a clear abuse or is this the norm? the first time it happens, and I got a quite bulky parcel from plazajapan a year ago totally free of charge...

Thanks for your help / support

[red_death]

£8 of the charge is Royal Mail's handling fee.  Unofrtunately you are just above the tax level of £15 so you pay VAT on £16. The maount looks right.

You don't always get caught when receiving goods from outside the EU.

[keithfre]

I'm in Holland, but I expect the system is similar in the UK: the charge will be VAT plus a flat-rate handling fee, which on small items works out expensive. The fact that a shipment got through without a customs charge is the luck of the draw, I'm afraid.

[Sprintex]

£8 of the charge is Royal Mail's handling fee. 

And before the OP jumps up and down at Royal Mail for that handling fee it doesn't actually go into Royal Mail's profits, it goes straight to the Government the same as the VAT charge does.


Paul

[deibid]

Thanks for that... it's true, 8 quid is "handling fee" 
Handling=keep it a day in the depot 

[deibid]

£8 of the charge is Royal Mail's handling fee. 

And before the OP jumps up and down at Royal Mail for that handling fee it doesn't actually go into Royal Mail's profits, it goes straight to the Government the same as the VAT charge does.


Paul

too late!! I jumped up and down... but then... does not that equate to TAX under another name? then my original post is correct... 70% TAX!

[Sprintex]

£8 of the charge is Royal Mail's handling fee. 

And before the OP jumps up and down at Royal Mail for that handling fee it doesn't actually go into Royal Mail's profits, it goes straight to the Government the same as the VAT charge does.


Paul

too late!! I jumped up and down... but then... does not that equate to TAX under another name? then my original post is correct... 70% TAX!

Correct


Paul

[deibid]

I know this is the family friendly forum but is hard not to  and  in this  case.

I hope the chassis runs perfectly and serves the purpose of motorizing what I have in mind...

[red_death]

£8 of the charge is Royal Mail's handling fee. 

And before the OP jumps up and down at Royal Mail for that handling fee it doesn't actually go into Royal Mail's profits, it goes straight to the Government the same as the VAT charge does.

Sorry Paul, but from what I can tell that is not correct - it is the fee RM charges for administering the service to HMRC and does stay with RM.

From HMRC's website: "If customs charges are payable upon importation, Royal Mail will charge a handling fee to cover the costs for carrying out customs procedures, which includes paying any customs duties or VAT due and collecting it from you. If customs examination is required, or if information is missing from the declaration, Royal Mail open, repack and reseal the package. All international courier and postal operators charge fees for their services and HMRC and Border Force does not have any authority over the level of charges they apply."

[keithfre]

And before the OP jumps up and down at Royal Mail for that handling fee it doesn't actually go into Royal Mail's profits, it goes straight to the Government the same as the VAT charge does.

Do you have evidence for that, Paul? On https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users#charges it says:

" All international courier and postal operators charge fees for their services and HMRC and Border Force does not have any authority over the level of charges they apply."

It seems unlikely that a postal operator would not want to receive remuneration for the extra work involved in handling the customs charge.

[keithfre]

Handling=keep it a day in the depot 

Not only: the RM also has to collect the money from you and pass it on to HMRC. It's all work and they ain't going to do it for free just 'cos it's you 

The lesson I've learned when buying from outside the EU is either order expensive shipments, so that the handling fee is a relatively small percentage of the total, or order items that (including P&P) fall below the limit.

Of course if you lot decide to leave the EU (as an expat I can't vote) you will have the same situation when buying within the EU (and I will have it when buying from the UK)...

[Chris Morris]

Of course if you lot decide to leave the EU (as an expat I can't vote) you will have the same situation when buying within the EU (and I will have it when buying from the UK)...

Yes that same thought had occurred to me as I was starkly reminded by recent purchases. If I buy something from Germany it costs me what it says when I buy it and it gets here in a few days. If I buy something from Japan or the US it gets to the UK quickly then spends two weeks or more being held at Her Majesty's pleasure and then I pay a big fat fee (in proportion to the cost) for the Royal Mail doing something that they have to do as part of the delivery service for all non EU international parcels. And I pay VAT on the cost of the item plus the cost of the postage. At least the postage is fairly cheap on N gauge items - you should see what it is on G scale stuff.

[railsquid]

Do keep reminding me how good I have it in Japan... The post office here, in the unusual event that customs decide I need to pay something on my VAT-less purchases from the UK after holding the parcel for 2 or 3 days, charges less than 2 quid to accept the payment in the comfort of my own doorstep. 

[Les1952]

Just three comments here-

You are lucky it came through as Royal Mail and not Parcel Force- they charged me £16 handling fee last time.

A roll of tape that I received from the US cost me £10.19 in fees and tax because the vendor included the postage price in the value on the customs slip- which meant it was added twice.  No amount of persuasion will get that one back.


Les

[Maurits71]

Not abuse at all.

With all respect, you took the gamble to buy something cheap outside the UK, get caught and now you have to pay tax. As per the topic how long price rises etc, a wholesaler/ genuine shop in the UK has to pay tax as well when they but abroad, that's one of the many things why they are more expensive.

Mu 2 cents, If you buy abroad and we all do it so no offence her and you are not caught, heho hoezee, we have saved a lot of money, do you get caught, ships, ships, ships. It might have been smarter to buy it in the UK.

See it as speeding, we all do it, the game is to avoid speeding tickets and every day you are not getting one you have won. Do you get one, well you have lost. This time you have lost.

Live can be so easy if you see things simple