Is this a rip off or what

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:07

My neighbour took a parcel back to the UK to post for me for my granddaughters Birthday, she paid

an extra fee for what they call Sign For.

I have been tracking it so I know its reached Thailand.

My Son has just rung to say they have left a card for him to collect it from a local Post Office

But here is the RIP OFF they want £40 Tax

Since when do you pay extra, its not like mailing a letter and forgetting to put enough Stamps on the envelope.

This has made me so angry so far with the posting and now the £40 was it worth sending presents.

From an irate Sheila :((

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:10

My Son ordered something of the Internet, it came from China, he had to pay more for the tax than he did for the item.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:15

I understand if I bought over the Net, but my friend went into a post office in the UK and paid the fee plus the extra for the Sign For Service

minertor



Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 1238

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:22

When I worked for Royal Mail, there was a chinese family in the area served by my office. Twice they had a parcel of cigarettes sent from China. Each time there was duty of £150 to pay. They were informed both times but collected neither parcel.



Tony

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:32

HI Minertor

I have sent/received parcels from parcel force, when my family were in Teneriffe but I have never had to pay Tax and neither did they

Now I feel like I havent bought my granddaughter a present as my Son has to pay out bloody tax to get it

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:47

Since when have goods sent through the post to other countries been duty free?

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:53

Not sure what you mean, my friend wrote on the parcel contents toys, then it was weighed and paid for/plus extra for it to be signed for, what are you paying Parcel Force for if not some tax, never heard of this before,

why wasnt the duty asked for at the UK post office, then would save my Son having to pay extra, at least I would have then bought the presents.

I feel cheated now that I know I did not buy the present

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:59

If my friend in the USA was kind enough to send me a nice present, say a new Rolex watch (some hope) I'm sure those nice people at UK customs would like me to pay import duty? I'm sure Thailand has import taxes as well, the TRNC certainly does if you were sent a nice new TV from another country for example.

jax47


Joined: 03/10/2008
Posts: 102

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 13:59

Hi Sheila



What a shame, you must be so upset.



What did your neighbour actually declare as the value of the contents of the parcel on the customs declaration at the Post Office? The reason I ask is, when my daughter was in Australia and I sent her parcels I always just said the goods were worth a small amount so she didnt have to pay Customs Duty and although you are supposed to list what they actually are, I always just put "gift - fancy goods" or "toiletries" The parcels were never opened and she never had to pay any duty...

Denise


Joined: 14/03/2009
Posts: 590

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 14:00

some items attract a customs duty. i have paid duty on items coming from the uk in the past. before sending it is always better to inquire if a duty is applicable as each country can have different laws.

jax47


Joined: 03/10/2008
Posts: 102

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 14:03

You cannot pay the Duty here in the UK - if it is due it has to be paid in the receiving country which is why its better to underestimate the value.



PS a friend sent me some Rayban sunglasses from the USA a few years ago BUT put the full value on the parcel and it cost me £20 in duty - it made them dearer than buying in UK.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 14:08

Hi Jacki

My friend didnt put a value (I think) just said they were toys for the grandchildren, if she would have known this she would have asked about other taxes etc to pay she would have paid it, as I said pay whatever is needed to get it there safe.

Now what do I do at Christmas with all their presents, the mind bogles

jax47


Joined: 03/10/2008
Posts: 102

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 14:25

Hi Sheila



It may have changed since I was sending stuff to OZ about 4 years ago but I always HAD to put a value on the Customs Declaration...it was actually our local Post Office owner who hinted to me to make it a lower value.



Unfortunately even if you paid a lot to make sure it gets there safe, if it is above a certain value (dont know what) the recipient may have to pay duty...........there is no way YOU can pay the duty in advance I'm afraid.



You may be able to find out via the internet what sort of gifts attract duty perhaps, as some things may be exempt...not sure?



Sorry to be of so little help...hope someone has some ideas for you :(

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 15:36

Thanks for the info Jacki

It just came as a shock

Ailletoo


Joined: 24/01/2009
Posts: 1003

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 15:38

Postal items sent from abroad to Thailand are subject to selective inspection by the Customs officers.



The customs officers will independently make assessment of their value and deliver them to the Thailand Post Co.,Ltd for delivery to the addressee from whom duties will be collected on behalf of the Customs. It is the Thai Customs that are making this charge and not the Uk postal service you used. The Post Co. in Thailand will keep the parcel for 30 days and if it is not collected within that time, it will be returned to the country of origin.



It looks like you were unfortunate that it was your parcel that was randomly chosen for inspection. What a pain!

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 16:16

Thanks for the info Frank

I hope they didnt open the Birthday cards as well as the presents and took the money out

trust my luck

breezyboy


Joined: 14/05/2007
Posts: 1179

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 18:49

Next time use a customs declaration form stuck on the parcel. Post offices used to have them.

Either put samples of no commercial value or "present value £10"

Local import duties plus VAT are usual. You pay them in the UK as well even from the Channel Islands sometimes.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 20:02

Thanks Breezyboy will mention this to my friend when she next post a parcel for me,

I will find out tomorrow when my Son collects it and finds if everything is in the box, or if they have tampered with it.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
13/10/2009 20:24

I sent a Birthday card to my ex fiancee last week ensuring it was posted within the UK so it would reach her on time, but have yet to receive any acknowledgement of its arrival! Maybe she doesn't love me any more, nor any less either from the time we split!



Richard

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 09:25

Richard, she's probably trying to tell you something. You'll get over it don't worry. There are millions of other women just wanting to meet you - get out there and put yourself about!! )

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 09:38

Bill



Thanks for those words of encouragement however, you haven't met or seen me. You'd understand when one day you do!



Richard

come_on_aylin


Joined: 14/06/2008
Posts: 908

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 10:02

My husband recently ordered something from USA to be delivered to our daughter in UK, before delivery we were informed that we had to pay quite a substantial amount of tax/vat.

Last Christmas, my brother-in-law, despite being asked not to, sent a small package of presents for our kids here. The customs declaration stated the package contained a bracelet, playing cards and a book. It arrived ok but when we opened it the cards and book had been removed which explained the rather neat stapling on the package. Perhaps that was the equivalent of taxation.

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
14/10/2009 11:13

My grandaughter is a Gymnast and Mum orders leotards from the USA, she has to pay tax but it is still works out cheaper than buy them here.