Starlet_Sam
Moderator, Regional Area Reps Supervisor & Gay Car
So, I'm sure a lot of you guys have imported parts from outside the EU and I'm sure almost the same number have, at some point, been charged VAT and possibly Import Duty too. We all know that when this happens we also get a lovely charge from the courier adding their little "handling fee" onto the same invoice.
Well yesterday I got such a note. I had bought a Knocklite a few weeks ago from the USA so that I could mapping my own car and it had been chosen for for such a charge. I had incurred a charge of £8.95 VAT (which I am OK with paying, not exactly happy but OK with it) and Parcelforce had added an £8 handling fee for their "services". You may have heard/read that once you pay the VAT the courier can no longer hold your parcel from you even if you don't pay the handling fee. This is because it is illegal for them to deliberately delay the delivery of post once all statutory charges are paid. The important bit here being the word statutory, basically the tax. There are 2 reasons why I refuse to accept this handling fee:
1. Their "service" is completely unsolicited. For the people out there who don't know what this means, it means that I never asked them to do any of this on my behalf. It's just like me turning up to their depot and washing a van window, then demanding they pay me any price I make up because I have provided them with a service.
2. Being charged VAT and Import Duty is a 100% reasonable thing to expect when privately importing goods. In that respect it is 100% reasonable to expect that, as the courier for such parcels, you would have to process these through Customs just like they have to process them through regional depots. As such the cost to do so should be absorbed as a business cost. You wouldn't expect (or accept) a letter through the door asking for extra money because they had to fill the lorry with diesel on the way to deliver your parcel no would you?! No, so I don't buy this either
Essentially I see this as a speculative invoice, where the sender basically bundles a fee in with the official taxes in the hopes that people pay it and shut up. I'm sick of this blatant profiteering and repectfully tell these couriers to suck my fuckin balls, I've already paid!
I decided that for the good of the community I would see what would happen if I were to refuse to pay this handling fee. I went into the collection office and from the start I made them aware I was there to pay for the VAT and the VAT only. He initially went into the back room and returned soon after to tell me that his supervisor would not release the parcel until ALL charges were paid. I told him that the law says I can and that the law is bigger than his supervisor. Again he went into the back room and returned to say that regardless of what the law said my parcel would not be released and that the £8 is actually a fee charged by customs. This is not true. Customs are there to collect taxes, they cannot charge you for taking money off you! Once more into the back room and he returned to say that yes they would release it but he wanted to warn me that HMRC would be hot on my ass and probably fine me for doing this, "I'll take the risk" I say to him.
When my parcel turns up on the desk the label stuck on it clearly states the VAT at £8.95 and below it says "Parcelforce Handling Fee - £8.00". So I say the the helpful man "see, it says right there it's for you, not customs" to which he replies with "yeah, but Parcelforce and Customs work together, it goes to Customs". I kicked the (what I take to be) bullshit away from my shoes and call his bluff, still refusing to cough up. I then leave. Every bit of paperwork now his scrawling all over it to say I haven't paid the Handling Fee.
So, to sum up, I refused to pay their charge and I walked out of there with my parcel, a threat that Her Majesty will kick my arse and a huge amount of self respect for standing up for myself (however small my stand may be).
I'll update this as it progresses, if anything happens that is!
Well yesterday I got such a note. I had bought a Knocklite a few weeks ago from the USA so that I could mapping my own car and it had been chosen for for such a charge. I had incurred a charge of £8.95 VAT (which I am OK with paying, not exactly happy but OK with it) and Parcelforce had added an £8 handling fee for their "services". You may have heard/read that once you pay the VAT the courier can no longer hold your parcel from you even if you don't pay the handling fee. This is because it is illegal for them to deliberately delay the delivery of post once all statutory charges are paid. The important bit here being the word statutory, basically the tax. There are 2 reasons why I refuse to accept this handling fee:
1. Their "service" is completely unsolicited. For the people out there who don't know what this means, it means that I never asked them to do any of this on my behalf. It's just like me turning up to their depot and washing a van window, then demanding they pay me any price I make up because I have provided them with a service.
2. Being charged VAT and Import Duty is a 100% reasonable thing to expect when privately importing goods. In that respect it is 100% reasonable to expect that, as the courier for such parcels, you would have to process these through Customs just like they have to process them through regional depots. As such the cost to do so should be absorbed as a business cost. You wouldn't expect (or accept) a letter through the door asking for extra money because they had to fill the lorry with diesel on the way to deliver your parcel no would you?! No, so I don't buy this either
Essentially I see this as a speculative invoice, where the sender basically bundles a fee in with the official taxes in the hopes that people pay it and shut up. I'm sick of this blatant profiteering and repectfully tell these couriers to suck my fuckin balls, I've already paid!
I decided that for the good of the community I would see what would happen if I were to refuse to pay this handling fee. I went into the collection office and from the start I made them aware I was there to pay for the VAT and the VAT only. He initially went into the back room and returned soon after to tell me that his supervisor would not release the parcel until ALL charges were paid. I told him that the law says I can and that the law is bigger than his supervisor. Again he went into the back room and returned to say that regardless of what the law said my parcel would not be released and that the £8 is actually a fee charged by customs. This is not true. Customs are there to collect taxes, they cannot charge you for taking money off you! Once more into the back room and he returned to say that yes they would release it but he wanted to warn me that HMRC would be hot on my ass and probably fine me for doing this, "I'll take the risk" I say to him.
When my parcel turns up on the desk the label stuck on it clearly states the VAT at £8.95 and below it says "Parcelforce Handling Fee - £8.00". So I say the the helpful man "see, it says right there it's for you, not customs" to which he replies with "yeah, but Parcelforce and Customs work together, it goes to Customs". I kicked the (what I take to be) bullshit away from my shoes and call his bluff, still refusing to cough up. I then leave. Every bit of paperwork now his scrawling all over it to say I haven't paid the Handling Fee.
So, to sum up, I refused to pay their charge and I walked out of there with my parcel, a threat that Her Majesty will kick my arse and a huge amount of self respect for standing up for myself (however small my stand may be).
I'll update this as it progresses, if anything happens that is!
nice one
