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DHL Customs Clearance

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  • 16-04-2020 10:07am
    #1
    super_sweeney
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭


    Is there any way to object to this?

    I got the same today. I paid 57 euro for some goods.

    DHL paid the customs for me without my consent at a standard rate of 44 euro ontop of my already paid delivery and cost of goods. So VAT came to 21.98. when it should have been only paid on the 57 euro as that included shipping.
    So should have been 12 euro.
    Then then apply a minimum charge of 14.50

    So total vat bill is 36.48?? instead of 12?

    I am not arguing paying FYI. I will happily pay the revenue the 12 euro VAT.

    I just dont think its right a company can pay a revenue bill for you without asking and then charge you admin on doing that?

    So back to my question. How can i appeal this?

    MOD: I have split this away from the previous 4 year old thread


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    #2
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,841 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    In a lot of cases, shippers don't declare the shipping properly or at all on the paperwork. In this case the courier must charge VAT/Duty on shipping, which is their standard rate for the service, less 30%. This is all detailed on their website, although it is quite hard to find.
    They do the customs clearance which they are entitled to charge for, and believe me €14.50 is reasonable for doing it. There are places that do it around that start at €40-50 per customs entry. if you import from outside the EU, its a cost of doing business.

    If you can show on paperwork and through the likes of Paypal that the amount you paid is inclusive of freight, they may refund the difference on the VAT. DHL won't refund the customs clearance charge.

    First post here should clarify most questions: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055862554


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    #3
    super_sweeney
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭super_sweeney


    thanks for the reply.

    Yeah it all makes sense alright. Its just the figures they used are not correct and they are not willing to re-issue with correct figures.

    So just wondering what the dispute process is.

    I have contacted revenue to ask them can I pay it with them.

    would be great if we could just pay other peoples bills then apply a random admin fee to it :D


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    #4
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,841 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    super_sweeney wrote: »
    thanks for the reply.

    Yeah it all makes sense alright. Its just the figures they used are not correct and they are not willing to re-issue with correct figures.

    So just wondering what the dispute process is.

    I have contacted revenue to ask them can I pay it with them.

    would be great if we could just pay other peoples bills then apply a random admin fee to it :D

    They have laid out the VAT on your behalf, and done a customs entry for it. It has shipped on their service, so they do the entry. Revenue appoint the couriers as their agents in these matters, and they have to put massive amounts of money into an account for revenue to pay for these shipments. You can claim as I stated above, for about €8. Every other courier will do the same, by the way, apart from An Post who charge €10.


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    #5
    super_sweeney
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭super_sweeney


    whiterebel wrote: »
    They have laid out the VAT on your behalf, and done a customs entry for it. It has shipped on their service, so they do the entry. Revenue appoint the couriers as their agents in these matters, and they have to put massive amounts of money into an account for revenue to pay for these shipments. You can claim as I stated above, for about €8. Every other courier will do the same, by the way, apart from An Post who charge €10.

    thanks for the info.

    I will agree to disagree on one point.

    not all couriers operate this way inclusive of An Post.

    I had a package shipped about 2 weeks ago through them and then just sent me the bill from Revenue and then once I paid revenue it was released. no extra admin processing. Just the Vat payment which I dealt with revenue directly.

    Perhaps a mistake on someones behalf but I can only speak from personal experience.

    thanks for the useful information though its much appreciated.


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    #6
    Hallaz
    Registered Users Posts: 204 ✭✭Hallaz



    You can query the charge directly with customs / revenue .

    I had similar case few years ago where the shipper over declared the freight charges by more than 3 times.

    UPS would not entertain the refund query and advised to deal directly with customs/revenue.

    I sent letter to refund section at Dublin airport but likely you can now send under “myenquiries” if you are registered on line for your normal revenue interactions.

    I received refund from them to my bank


    Did you receive a copy of the customs entry from DHL to show breakdowns?

    I’m a little bit confused by your numbers above but you do pay vat and duty charges on the CIF (cost, insurance and freight cost of the goods)

    As long as you are clear with the numbers to customs/revenue they will refund the difference.



    I do find when anpost take care of clearance there’s a fair chance they don’t charge the admin charge. This is always a bonus!

    Couriers sometimes charge a handover fee if you don’t want them to clear customs and it can be more than their customs clearance fee.    [/SIZE]


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    #7
    super_sweeney
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭super_sweeney


    Hallaz wrote: »

    You can query the charge directly with customs / revenue .

    I had similar case few years ago where the shipper over declared the freight charges by more than 3 times.

    UPS would not entertain the refund query and advised to deal directly with customs/revenue.

    I sent letter to refund section at Dublin airport but likely you can now send under “myenquiries” if you are registered on line for your normal revenue interactions.

    I received refund from them to my bank


    Did you receive a copy of the customs entry from DHL to show breakdowns?

    I’m a little bit confused by your numbers above but you do pay vat and duty charges on the CIF (cost, insurance and freight cost of the goods)

    As long as you are clear with the numbers to customs/revenue they will refund the difference.



    I do find when anpost take care of clearance there’s a fair chance they don’t charge the admin charge. This is always a bonus!

    Couriers sometimes charge a handover fee if you don’t want them to clear customs and it can be more than their customs clearance fee.    [/SIZE]



    thanks that great info! Yeah i submitted an inquiry with revue online. First DHL lady i got was awful and very abusive that I was even calling. I just politely told her I was only looking for a breakdown of how its calculated. She gave me another number and lady was great! Very to the point but understood why I wanted to challenge it but said they dont offer anything like that. Said I was going to contact revenue she said thats fair enough. They will hold package for 10 days then ship it back which is fair enough.


    Yeah the figures dont make sense.
    So I paid 57 euro including delivery. Vat should be charge on this total @23% is my understanding. which is about 12-13 euro give or take.

    DHL charged shipping on top of my already total of about 44 euro. So total is then 101 charge VAT @23% is about 23 euro. Then then add their fee of 14 euro. So comes to around 37 euro.


    At the end of the day my view is and this could be very wrong is only my opinion. I paid for shipping already with the company i bought the product from all my contracts are with the company. So the shipping and additional fees(admin included) should be between DHL and that company in my view. The VAT 100% I agree thats my thing to deal with revenue and i have no issues dealing with revenue on it.

    I just think its very wrong DHL to incorrectly charge VAT and then bill me for that incorrect charge and the tell me there is no way to challenge or dispute it? That sounds illegal. They are basically being given free licence to bill people what they want. I have no contract with DHL here my contract is with the seller in my view.

    anyway sorry for the moan. just my view.

    thanks for all the replies. I will update when revenue reply


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    #8
    Hallaz
    Registered Users Posts: 204 ✭✭Hallaz


    Hi
    Without going too deep it depends on what the freight terms are.

    You can have terms DDP where every charge goes back to shipper.
    You can have terms DDP excluding vat and duty where every charges goes back to shipper except vat and duty.
    You can have terms DAP where every charge goes back to shipper except customs charges and vat and duty.

    General for the public consumer the delivery is DAP and would not include any customs related charges ie in this case the couriers charge, the vat/duty they paid out and this is what it sounds is the agreement you are under.

    (the CIF value I mentioned before would be part of DDP/DAP)

    I understand it seems a lot but unless you don't want the goods I would pay and query with revenue as DHL will not change their charges and you will just be delaying delivery to you. Revenue won't order them to change it.

    If revenue agree with you that you have paid twice they should refund (the vat difference only not dhl admin charge). The only reason they wouldn't is if they decide that shipper under declared the transport charge but that's another issue/the chance you take!
    Make sure you get a copy of the customs entry as you will need this to query with customs.

    After it happened to me I do take more care from ordering abroad as sometimes the additional charges don't make the saving worth it if the item is available locally or I check the shipping options available ie use postal instead of courier.

    good luck!


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    #9
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,841 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    The only case that I have seen that doers this is Amazon from the US. They include all charges, including Customs Clearance, VAT and Duty in their cost to you. No one else does it. Goods have to be cleared from outside the EU, that is the importer responsibility, unless specifically covered in the terms of shipment. The example you use of the previous shipment is down to the incompetence of An Post. They do the clearance work on behalf of C&E and collect the charges on delivery. If you used AddressPal I think the clearance is already included in their fee. Other than that it was an error. Great that they can just keep increasing stamp costs to make up for errors.

    Ring the second number again, and ask for a breakdown of the charges. You need to have these to see what you can query with Revenue.


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