paying customs,after i got package?

Deano045

hi,
i ordered from america and got my package last month no hassle at all,
then the other day the deliverly company ring me up saying theres a balance owed on that deliverly of 39euro for customs,

i always thought customs wud hold your package, then contact you with the duty needed to be paid on it, and they would send it on once it was paid,,

i really dont understand it,

its there mistake i reckon, so i dont see how i am going to be paying!

what do yous think


thanks
Dean

dazftw

What company and usually customs is to be paid to the delivery man before you recieve the package!

mcaul

Sometimes they ask you to pay there and then and sometimes they send the invoice later. Refusing to pay will have a collection agency after you very quickly especially if its Fedex. - Then you'll suddenly find you can't get a credit card, mortgage, car loan etc etc. - All for arguing over €39 which you owe as you received the goods.

Bluefoam

I got a digital camera from Hong Kong recently, which initially was delivered to the wrong person. But which was subsequently delivered to me.

About a month and a half later I got a letter from a debt collection agency.

I rang them imediatley and ate the face off them, because I was never approached by DHL for the money or invoiced...

Do you think that this debt collection fiasco will effect my credit rating?

Deano045

it was UPS,

it all just seems a bit odd to me, no letter or invoice, just a phone call off some fella from UPS, a month later

miju

Bluefoam wrote:

Do you think that this debt collection fiasco will effect my credit rating?

if the name of the debt collection agency is on this list then yes its a distinct possibility. if they're not then you should be OK

rubadub

Yeah I got charged after, and got legal letters about paying when I didnt. I paid in the end.

My problem with it is that a stranger could send you a pencil overnight via fedex. The pencil could have a €1 value, the shipping could have been €400 for speedy delivery.

You get the pencil in the post, think it strange and do nothing, then 2 months later you are charged vat, duty etc on the shipping cost, could be €100+.

Unlikely to happen, but it could happen with gifts etc, point is if the person delivering said "you owe €100", you could just refuse it there and then, dunno what comeback you have later otherwise.

I was well pissed off with fedex, I never signed for the package, my housemate did, I was thinking of saying I never got it, and didnt know what the charges were for.

MOH

It's one thing getting a bill for the 39 quid, but some guy just ringing you up sounds a bit dodgy. I'd ask for a printed bill.

Owen

This is completely normal. I've bought many things from abroad, and so have other boardsies in the Instruments and in the Photography forum. And unless the item is marked as a "Gift - No Commecial Value", the courier company pays Customs on your behalf, and then invoices you afterwards. They assume you're intelligent enough to realise when importing products from abroad, that you will be hit by taxes, and as such, the quickest way to deliver the parcel to you is to pay it on yoru behalf, and recoup the costs later.

From DHL's Website :

I am going to buy some products from an overseas company that uses DHL to ship. Will I have to pay import duty and VAT on the items I purchase?

Shipments sent from outside the EU may be liable for Customs Duty, Excise Duty and VAT, which DHL is obliged to collect on behalf of the Revenue Commissioners.

Goods are liable to VAT at the same rate as applies to the sale within the State of similar goods - usually 21%.

VAT is calculated on the total of 1) value of the goods for customs purposes, 2) the amount of any other duty or tax applicable, 3) any transport, handling and insurance costs between the place of introduction into the EU and the final destination within the State.

Gifts from one private individual to another up to the value of €45 and commercial shipments up to €23 are usually exempt from VAT & Duty. In all cases if the shipment is a gift then the accompanying proforma invoice should clearly state 'Gift' along with the usual details.

For one off shipments where the value of the goods is less than €250 and the Import Duty due is less than €10 then an exemption from VAT and Duty may also be granted to customers who are VAT registered.

Note that these exemptions do not apply to gifts of alcohol, tobacco or perfume where standard charges apply, even when they are received from another EU country.

For more information on Irish VAT and Duty please visit the 'Customs & Excise' section of the <A HREF="http://www.revenue.ie&quot; TARGET="_new" >www.revenue.ie</A> web site.

Bluefoam

I would be fine if they billed you correctly & didn't have first contact through a debt collection agency...

djfattony2000

The biggest pain is that FedEx charge you an admin fee for them paying your tax, without any warning.

a$$holes........

mickoneill30

I get a fair bit of stuff from abroad and this happens a lot. The alternative is that they hold your item until you pay. I really prefer this way.

Rubadub what's the story with paying tax on the shipping cost? Is there any link for that? I didn't realise they did that.

celt2005

Bought three pair of runners two months ago, got delivered no hassle, and then got a note from UPS in post saying I owed them 59 euro , plus a 5 euro late payment charge.

Do not mind paying the 59, but not paying the 5, seems like a moneymaking racket.

Deano045

yeah when they ring again im gonna ask for a printed bill, iv dont mind paying the 39 if i owe it, just the way they're going about it is really questioning me

Jurisprudence

Does anyone know if I ordered a laptop from Japan would I have to pay customs fees. I know im gonna get done for VAT but such is life. I heard that I wouldnt be charged any customs on top. Was my mate full of wisdom or full of crap?

Id prefer to get charged after I have received the goods. If I was charged afer receipt does anyone know the usual average time frame after receipt they look for the fees?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Demonique

Yep, you get charged import tax of 12.5% on goods ordered from outside the EU. Its added to the purchase price of the item and then you're charged 21% VAT after that.

ViDuchie

Demonique wrote:

Yep, you get charged import tax of 12.5% on goods ordered from outside the EU. Its added to the purchase price of the item and then you're charged 21% VAT after that.

The charge of 12.5% depends on the TAX category of the goods. I know some things are less, for example sporting goods are 2 or 2.5% + 21% on top of it.

E.G..... If the value is 100

+duty @ 12.5% = 112.50
+VAT on the value + VAT on the duty = 136.12

Madness really.

Oh and you can sometimes get hit paying VAT & Duty on the cost of delivery also.

V

Beano

ViDuchie wrote:

The charge of 12.5% depends on the TAX category of the goods. I know some things are less, for example sporting goods are 2 or 2.5% + 21% on top of it.

E.G..... If the value is 100

+duty @ 12.5% = 112.50
+VAT on the value + VAT on the duty = 136.12

Madness really.

Oh and you can sometimes get hit paying VAT & Duty on the cost of delivery also.

V

you ALWAYS pay VAT and duty on the cost of delivery.