Importing Goods - Import Duties/Document Fees etc...

[Andy M]

While on holiday last month my missus took a liking to some furniture. Way too big to stuff in our suitcases (;)) we found a shipping company, bought a crate and shipped the items back to the UK.

The shipping from Thailand -> Southampton cost approx £150, and now the freight company want £260 to handle the documents etc, plus another £80 to ship the item to our home in the north west.

Given that the original goods only cost £150, spending approx £500 on shipping is a bit of a wounder.


The breakdown in cost is:

Shipping from Thailand to Southampton: £150 (paid)

---

Customs Clearance: £55
Customs Examination/DTI Fee: £17.50 ?
Deferment Fee: £25 ?
D/O Fee: £35 ?
Documentation: £50
ICD Presentation Fee: £15 ?
Port Security Fee: £3.50 ?
Terminal Handling Charge: £60 ?

TOTAL: £260.75

---

Shipping from Southampton to Liverpool: approx £80


Is this a usual sort of cost, or am I being taken for a ride?

[Andy M]

Anybody?

[RUSSELLM]

Shouldn't there be some VAT or import tax on there aswell ?

Edited by RUSSELLM on Tuesday 5th August 09:04

[Kinky]

Andy,

To be quite frank and honest, I'd say that £260 is a really good price; as is the £80 fee to deliver.

K

[XJSJohn]

Kinky said:

Andy,

To be quite frank and honest, I'd say that £260 is a really good price; as is the £80 fee to deliver.

K

Kind of ironic given that the first 8,000 miles only cost 150 squids!!

Kinky is however, probably right!

[Muzzer]

Andy M said:

Shipping from Thailand to Southampton: £150 (paid)

---

Customs Clearance: £55 Not too bad but not the cheapest
Customs Examination/DTI Fee: £17.50 ? Standard
Deferment Fee: £25 ? [b]Standard/[b]
D/O Fee: £35 ? Not bad
Documentation: £50 A bit steep. £35 is about right for this
ICD Presentation Fee: £15 Not sure about this one....
Port Security Fee: £3.50 ? Standard
Terminal Handling Charge: £60 ? Standard

TOTAL: £260.75

---

Shipping from Southampton to Liverpool: approx £80 You haven't said how much volume you have but this is about right for 3-4cbm. Any less and they're taking you for a bit of a ride.


Is this a usual sort of cost, or am I being taken for a ride?

Edited by Muzzer on Tuesday 5th August 08:48

[Andy M]

Thanks for the replies

It's a 1m crate, so 1CBM?

Approx 70kg in weight...

[Muzzer]

Andy M said:

Thanks for the replies

It's a 1m crate, so 1CBM?

Approx 70kg in weight...

As in 1m x 1m x 1m?

If so, yes it is 1cbm and you shouldn't pay anymore than £50 at the absolute most for delivery from port to your house.

[Andy M]

Muzzer said:

Andy M said:

Thanks for the replies

It's a 1m crate, so 1CBM?

Approx 70kg in weight...

As in 1m x 1m x 1m?

If so, yes it is 1cbm and you shouldn't pay anymore than £50 at the absolute most for delivery from port to your house.

Yeah, 1 x 1 x 1.

What about the other costs? Given the size in question, aren't they a bit OTT?

[AMZ1]

Are you using a clearing agent or talking the shiping company directly?

I import furniture for business purposes. First container i used a clearing agent and frankly paid over the odds (you learn from your mistakes). Second time i dealt with shipping company directly and save a couple of hundreed squids.

So if you are not talking to the shipping company directly, have a word with them and see what numbers they give you.