talkmagic.co.uk

You guys are lucky...

Being in an uber-hamlet, our post often arrives after 1pm, if at all.

Our 'local' post office (a corner shop with a postbox) shuts at lunchtime, and our next 'main' post office is a 20 mile drive.

Anything which needs signing for usually goes back to the sorting office, which means leaving work early and hiking off to get to the sorting office by 5pm. And even then, 9 times out of 10 the parcel is still not back.

AND THEN... sometimes they won't let it go unless you have a proof of address...

AND THEN!!! ... if you get a jobsworth, they won't let it go until next-day!!!

Well I just called in on my way to work - the jobsworth was there!

They dont take cards - only cheques or cash (which I didnt have) so I got to go back either Friday or Saturday.

Had a look at the parcel - £4 handling charge by the postie, and £23 VAT!!!!!!!!!

Cant understand it, not sure whether to pay and try to claim it back or just write it off as a bad bet

£23 VAT means that the DVD has been valued at about £132.00 yet the price is only $29.95 (less than £17.00 at today's rates) and you should contest the valuation because it should be made based on the details advised by Ellusionist as shown on the green sticker or other customs paperwork.

If the local jobsworth won't help then get in touch with the Post Office HQ nearest to you and ask them to sort it out - send a copy of the Ellusionist page showing the prices as 'proof'. £23 is ridiculous and a blatant rip off IMHO.

Brad Christian has visited TM recently and perhaps an email to him to advise of the problem might mean he can check what's being sent out and values declared etc?

Thanks Mandrake - Once I pick it up tomorrow / Saturday, I will check the paper work - the jobsworth wouldnt give me the parcel to look at properly.

I just looked on the Ellusionist interweb thingy - and they do not put the value of the item on the green sticker.

Tempted just to leave it there.

Use of a green sticker indicates a low value otherwise they'd probably have to use the full set of Postal/Customs documents. On that basis, the DVD can't cost more than £50 and VAT must be no more than £8.75. with any duty only about £3.00. Q.E.D.!

(E-mail Brad sharpish!)

Yep! something has gone very wrong here. There is NO way it can be that VAT.

Has anyone got his email?

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... _CL_001454

...might be handy...

Customs duty is waived if the amount is less than £7.

Import VAT is not payable on commercial consignments eg goods purchased over the internet with an intrinsic value not exceeding £18

On $29.95 the above ought to apply.

Thanks for all the help guys.

Of all the stuff I've ordered over the years (including import Laserdiscs which I had to phone the order through - no internet back then) from the US, this is the first problem I've had.

I usually downloaded from Eillusionist, but thought I'd get the DVD as well this time.

LEt you know how I get on

Cheers
Rob

Remember the TM motto: Nil Carborundum Illegitimi.

Ha - glad to see that NUMS have used my dilema in their latest Email.

Well done Chris

Does that mean I get an extra discount hehehe

Cheers
Rob

Well I got to the bottom of it -

I collected the parcel today, and paid the £24odd VAT.

I then telephoned HM Customs, and spoke to a very helpfull man (I know, I was surprised also!)

It seems that the Customs sticker on my parcel belonged on a parcel where someone had ordered a set of earings from the USA.

I have know returned the documentation to HM Customs, for a refund.

Moral of the story - its always the caretaker in a rubber mask.

Rob

Thanks for that - nice to know our parcel delivery and import supremos are on the ball.