lovegroova

Parcelforce have always delivered to me and have asked for the money on delivery, or I have had to collect from the depot and pay there.

It's been simple enough.

earl's_f20c

Yeah I guess you just got lucky Simon?

Or do you know Alan, the sorting office manager, personally?

s3swiss

I don't think it matters which courier you use for importing the stuff - once it gets stopped at HMRC (ex-Customs and Excise), I believe ParcelForce have the exclusive contract to deal with it from there? This includes holding your item to ransom until you pay the HMRC fees (import duty and then VAT on the item value PLUS VAT on the import duty - illegal under EU law as is a tax on a tax!). HMRC are the most powerful govt agency in the UK with powers greater than the police, partly going back to the days of smuggling on the south coast (aarrrrgghhhh, jim lad - well, today is 'talk like a pirate day'!).
A while back, Labour promised to increase the personal import allowance but bottled it when chancellor moaned about loss of revenue and Europe moaned about us becoming a 'gateway' for cheap imports.

BenRNBP

I was billed after the delivery with one courier (UPS I think ?) - so I phoned and paid by debit card, easy.

And, shiver me timbers ! How did I forget talk like a pirate day !!!

bruceski

Only got charged £16. happy with that was expecting £50+ parcel force where pretty good once UK customs had finally decided to release the package.

Was definitely worth the original conversation with the supplier in USA explaining living in UK etc. trying to reduce import costs.

jimmyb1978

I've been lucky and never been charged any fees (yet). I ordered a ultraguage on Friday and it's just arrived!!!! Came via FedEx, paypay haven't even taken their payment for it yet!!!

jimmyb1978

Hahaha further to my post this morning I've arrived home to a letter from FedEx asking for payment of my duties!!

cortina

Just make sure that Fedex provide you with an actual invoice showing the amount of duty they paid - they (all of them) 'pad' the numbers.

Be prepared to sit on the phone for a day or so, listening to crappy music while some muttering minion asks you repeatedly for the same numbers and puts you on hold while he goes for a couple of pints and a game of darts with the lads.

Don't ask for a supervisor or a manager as there are only two people at Fedex who answer phones but who are extremely adept at "doing voices"

Maybe you should just pay 'em.

jimmyb1978

Well as I have always managed to evade any customs fees when buying from overseas I initially thought that I could just ignore this as I had received the item already, thinking that like above they would hold it for ransom before i paid the fee.

however after a couple of searches I figured its just best to pay as they will end up taking me to court no doubt. they did provide an invoice, dont mind the £8ish VAT but their 'handling fee' cost more at over £10!!