Royal Mail "handling fee"
Discussion
shep1001 said:
FedEx delivered my item recently then a week or so later with no warning sent me an invoice demanding £16 which included £12 processing fee.
What warning would you have liked, or been happy with? Would something like "Hello, we're going to send you an invoice for £16" have sufficed?GC8 said:
For some couriers it is definitely a targeted revenue stream. Not the case with RM although that may change. Their handling fee was always modest too.
It's not a revenue stream though, they don't get the money, it's collected on behalf of the government. Any handling fees cover the costs of having staff process paperwork and chase up payments etc. If the item is was only £15 then you shouldn't be paying any duties on it. The limit for charges is £18
dxg said:
soad said:
Been stung twice myself (purchased watches from the USA).
Pretty sure ParcelForce charged/s even more?
It was £13.50 last time for me. Annoying, as I'd factored in VAT and an £8 handling fee, so it was a surprise to have my parcel held hostage for another £5.50.Pretty sure ParcelForce charged/s even more?
If a parcel is received from outside the EU addressed to you, we will clear the goods through HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). You will required to repay all the relevant import duty, excise duty and VAT, (as determined by HMRC), together with our Customs clearance fee, details of which will be sent to you by letter. We charge a Customs clearance fee to help cover the cost of additional handling, administration, collection of monies and provision of facilities for Customs clearance of packages.
We have two levels of clearance fee for import parcels. There is a charge of £13.50 for express parcels imported with GLS or through the EMS channel from other Posts networks and also for high value standard parcels (valued at over €1000). For all other import parcels, an £8 charge will apply.
These clearance charges are only applied if a duty or tax is payable on the parcel.
We will also make a charge if we have to hold your parcel whilst Customs process it, so we would recommend that you respond promptly to any Customs queries to avoid these charges. We will not levy a fee for the first 10 days, after 10 days however, storage fees will be charged. For more than 10 and up to 20 working days, - £5.50 per parcel. For each subsequent working day over 20 working days - £1.35 per parcel. All parcels valued at over £2,000 are placed in secure storage until completion of Customs formalities.
http://www.parcelforce.com/parcelforce-worldwide-c...
Nickyboy said:
GC8 said:
For some couriers it is definitely a targeted revenue stream. Not the case with RM although that may change. Their handling fee was always modest too.
It's not a revenue stream though, they don't get the money, it's collected on behalf of the government. Any handling fees cover the costs of having staff process paperwork and chase up payments etc. If the item is was only £15 then you shouldn't be paying any duties on it. The limit for charges is £18
It clearly is a revenue stream and it is clearly targeted by those couriers who charge larger fees.
GC8 said:
Nick, I think that you need to think for longer before you post. My previous comments show that I understand exactly what happens and I am more than familiar with the Tariff.
It clearly is a revenue stream and it is clearly targeted by those couriers who charge larger fees.
How do you mean targeted? It clearly is a revenue stream and it is clearly targeted by those couriers who charge larger fees.
I don't know any company that will clear your goods through customs without charging for it, after all it is a service you're paying for. The only difference is what the companies do with regards assisting the clearance of the goods. Royal Mail don't seem to do much, they don't even deliver it
LoonR1 said:
What warning would you have liked, or been happy with? Would something like "Hello, we're going to send you an invoice for £16" have sufficed?
Same system DHL use would be good start, automated call and/or email informing you of the duty to be paid and a mechanism to pay it there and then.shep1001 said:
Same system DHL use would be good start, automated call and/or email informing you of the duty to be paid and a mechanism to pay it there and then.
The only information they have on the recipient is a name and postal address. How do you suggest they turn that into a phone call or email?shep1001 said:
LoonR1 said:
What warning would you have liked, or been happy with? Would something like "Hello, we're going to send you an invoice for £16" have sufficed?
Same system DHL use would be good start, automated call and/or email informing you of the duty to be paid and a mechanism to pay it there and then.LoonR1 said:
But then you'd complain that the automated call and / or email, just came out of nowhere with no warning
No at all, it was combined with a tracking notification for delivery of the item to ensure I was there to sign for it or arrange a different day OR collection from the depotshep1001 said:
TooMany2cvs said:
The only information they have on the recipient is a name and postal address. How do you suggest they turn that into a phone call or email?
No; when the order was placed they requested email & a contact number for the courier The limit may £18 but what really annoys me is that includes P&P, anything bought from the US also has to have an invoice on the outside of the package. Just to rub salt in the wound US Postal recently hiked up their charges. My hobby is US model railroads, getting the small stuff is getting harder by the week.
I'm over it now, its paid and fitted to the car so its all good.
The item was a set of shims for a rear axle, only made in the US, for a US rear axle, part was about £8, post took it over the £15. Then I got hit with £8 and a couple of quid customs.
I paid more in post and charges than the item cost.
I was annoyed because the charges compounded, and also because I cant get the item here so I had no option than to buy in the US.
The item was a set of shims for a rear axle, only made in the US, for a US rear axle, part was about £8, post took it over the £15. Then I got hit with £8 and a couple of quid customs.
I paid more in post and charges than the item cost.
I was annoyed because the charges compounded, and also because I cant get the item here so I had no option than to buy in the US.
Bloody hell, I've got 3 different car parts on the way from the USA right now, tracking shows one of them is already sat in customs. And it shows its gone from USPS to Parcelforce- so I'm going to be stung for even more.
If I'd know I would have got them all to be sent together in one package!
If I'd know I would have got them all to be sent together in one package!
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