A&H

Claiming back Customs charges

Yampy

Yampy

RefChat Addict
I bought a Molten Valkeen from @Soccer Superstore USA because it seemed a decent price for a recommended whistle. I paid my $60 (~£40) and I've been waiting a few weeks for delivery. It transpires the package is being held by Royal Mail/HMRC and I'm being charged nearly £13 to release it. For something of so little value, I find this scandalous and akin to daylight robbery. In a sense, it feels like having to the "grease the wheels of corruption" you hear about in countries around the world.
Does anyone out there now how I can go about reclaiming this charge(s) from HMRC because I can't see any reason to buy from the US ever again if that's the case.

PS I bought from Refsworld in Oz and no one batted an eyelid at that package. Similar value of goods, too.
 
The Referee Store
When I got stung, about £8 of the fee was handling fee.

That probably won't make you any less annoyed.
 
Frankly, you can't, not without conducting fraud for the VAT side.
Shipments from the USA are now being stopped at Mount Pleasant and assessed by HMRC for VAT, even if there was a local sales tax, and then applied accordingly. The VAT is actually quite small - it's the rather disgusting charge of £8 or so you have to pay Royal Mail/Parcel Force

What I suggest, is this:
Contact HMRC, be polite and ask them when your shipment was taken by HMRC for import tax assessment and if they could send you a confirmation when this was (they normally get it on the day of arrival and assess the tax the same day)
Also confirm when it was released back into custody of Royal Mail/Parcel Force.

HMRC are actually really good and will confirm this for you, but Royal Mail will actively try to lie and say it was held up by HMRC. Don't fall for it, tell them you have a copy of the audit trail from HMRC and they'll back down incredibly quick. If they've held onto the package and not told you it was there (They're supposed to send a letter as soon as HMRC release your goods, informing you that they have it)

Also, itemise all phonecalls, travelling and correspondence relating to this. Remember: Charge 40p per mile (HMRC Rate), charge for paper, envelopes, printer ink and stamps (hopefully in excess of what Royal Mail charge you) and, upon collection present them with the bill (payable in 14 days and addressed to their Billing department). Remember to hand it to them along the lines of "You also need this" once you've got your goods and paid up. As soon as they've taken it from your hands, you can refuse to take it back, they're now in possession of your charges and have accepted that they're due to pay them to you.

It's convoluted, but the satisfaction of the grief you cause them for being so lazy at Mount Pleasant is pretty bloody satisfying.
 
Thanks for that info @NavyRef, I'll try that. Not sure if I can get the bill up to £8 but I'll try.
The thing about this issue is, I have a cousin who now lives in Philly. I could easily buy and send to him and he'll bring it over with him the next time he visits. He visits regularly so, next time I may be following that route.
The behaviour of Royal Mail, and to some degree HMRC, doesn't exactly encourage compliance does it?
 
HMRC are tied because of the trade agreement with China. China are not subject to taxation when sending things to us greedy consumers (so we can buy pirated stuff from AliExpress, but expect to taxed for buying the real thing from the US and Canada. No, I don't get it either.

A possible way around it is asking for a personal message from the store to cousin RefChat, and hoping they enjoy the gift.
 
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