VAT rebate on RMA goods originally bought in the EU but subsequently replaced from the UK?

Terpsichorean Master

Hi all,

I've recently been sent a replacement toothbrush handle from Oral-B, after the original device I bought had failed under warranty, and in the process I received a customs notification from An Post/Revenue that included Import Duty/VAT/Admin charges.

This device was initially purchased on Amazon Germany and the Irish rate of 23% VAT was paid on the sale price at the time.

Yet this returns process has now generated a second, even larger, VAT charge.

I don't understand why there should be any VAT liable on this replacement device, considering that VAT has already been levied and paid at initial time of purchase, and there has been no secondary purchase. Particularly given that this replacement is simply nothing more than the exercising and fulfillment of my EU-mandated warranty rights on a defective product, from a purchase that was made inside the EU.

A second (and larger) VAT charge in this context seems unwarranted and excessive to me, especially as Oral-B doesn't have a dedicated Irish RMA service - so any and all such issues for their Irish EU customers' have to be directed through and dealt with, by Oral-B UK.

Does anyone know if it's possible to claim back the second VAT levy or the Import Duty - and, if so, what is the process to do so?

TIA.

Allinall

Unfortunately revenue aren’t interest in back stories.

All they see is an item arriving from outside the EU, and they charge VAT on its value.

If you have any claim, it would be with the original supplier.

Terpsichorean Master

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124065484#Comment_124065484

Perhaps not, but that "back story" is the context that defines whether or not tax is actually, or should be, due in any given situation, by their own stated rules.

Otherwise they can just levy tax whenever they want on anything and everything, ad infinitum. And where's the fairness, or just application of law, in that?

IMO this is a clear example of double taxation and I don't find it credible that Revenue are unaware of such issues, considering not only how well-informed they are of just about everything else when it comes to taxation, but also how many people are being affected as such, by the number of companies selling here from within the EU, who (lazily) choose to lump us in with the UK for their RMA purposes.

This is a pretty widespread practice, in most cases a holdover from before Brexit. So there must be some means of addressing it; and if there isn't, there certainly should be.

And how could I even have a claim from the original supplier? They didn't charge me anything, it's Revenue who are doing that.

Anyway, I bought it on Amazon Germany, but I dealt with customer service through Procter & Gamble and it was replaced by Oral B UK's RMA outlet, Olympic Shaver Centre - where would I even start‽