Online website claiming to be UK based and VAT issue

pipkin12

Hi
Just wondering if anyone can shed some light on this for me please. I recently ordered a dress from a website called www.urdress.co.uk. They state on the website that they are a UK Based retailer and when you look at their delivery policy they reference the Royal Mail and DHL. they also accept payment and list all their prices in sterling.

I purchased the dress to the amount of 74 pounds plus 15 for delivery. The dress was subsequently shipped from Hong Kong and given to DHL in Shannon. Customs held my item for a number of days saying it was awaiting customs clearance and now wont release it until i pay the Vat on it to the amount of 23.44 euro. Considering that i was unaware that my item was in fact coming from China and there was no mention of such nor of further costs Im now stuck having to pay this charge, There is no UK point of contact for the website in question. They have emails and an onlie chat facility whose operators do not have the best standard of English anyway.

The website says that they will reimburse it if i show them an invoice for the vat but the fact remains that i shouldnt have to pay it at all as the Website essentially stated the whole thing was a uk based operation. Any advice would be extremely appreciated.

Who can I complain to? DHL also wont release the item until the VAT is paid. I appreciate it isn a huge amount however im more indignant over the hidden charge aspect of it.

Jarren

Seller is based in China as you said


http://whois.domaintools.com/urdress.co.uk

How did you pay ?

Paypal ,credit card ,etc....

pipkin12

Jarren wrote: »

Seller is based in China as you said


http://whois.domaintools.com/urdress.co.uk

How did you pay ?

Paypal ,credit card ,etc....

Paid by credit card?

Nody

Or under T&C you can see it as well.

Arbitration
Where the parties fail to settle dispute within 30 days after such dispute occurs, they agree to submit such dispute to Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (the “HKIAC”) for arbitration which shall be conducted in accordance with the Commission's arbitration rules in effect at the time of applying for arbitration. The arbitral awards are final and binding upon both parties.

Anyway; contact the seller and see what they say. You can always refuse to pay the customs and it will be returned but then you need to start the process of a refund (don't send it back with out it; if you pay the customs ask how it will be refunded before doing so etc.).

pipkin12

Nody wrote: »

Or under T&C you can see it as well.

Anyway; contact the seller and see what they say. You can always refuse to pay the customs and it will be returned but then you need to start the process of a refund (don't send it back with out it; if you pay the customs ask how it will be refunded before doing so etc.).

if i refuse to pay customs will they not pursue me prior to sending the item back?

rubadub

In future always look for an actual postal address, it should be in the contact page. This site has none, it has pidgin english too.


hmv.co.uk used to ship from jersey so you were liable for VAT too.