Don’t You Just Love Parcel Force

[Jay61076]

Well got a letter this morning from parcelforce with import duty VAT for some part I recently ordered.

I opened the letter expecting maybe 5 or 10 as the item only cost me 38 including shipping, they have stung me 41.45 Vat and another 13.50 handling so a total of 54.95 for something of only 38.

I have spoken to HM customs and they say I’ll have to put in a claim or ask them to revaluated it ( which could take forever)

So I’m currently in the process of writing a claim letter I wouldn’t mind if it had been a misread of the declaration but even that has the value as 4999yen which is not even 22

Don’t you just love this country

[andi4x4]

Well got a letter this morning from parcelforce with import duty VAT for some part I recently ordered.

I opened the letter expecting maybe 5 or 10 as the item only cost me 38 including shipping, they have stung me 41.45 Vat and another 13.50 handling so a total of 54.95 for something of only 38.

I have spoken to HM customs and they say Ill have to put in a claim or ask them to revaluated it ( which could take forever)

So Im currently in the process of writing a claim letter I wouldnt mind if it had been a misread of the declaration but even that has the value as 4999yen which is not even 22

Dont you just love this country

Oooo ...... Bummer !

I had loads of stuff before I left the uk last year and never got charged a penny ! One item was a 1500 camera lens from Hong Kong ! Here on the Isle of Man, I don't think they do it, probably don't have enough people buying from outside EU. I have spent a fortune this last few months - over 1000 and most of it from HK or USA, but not paid any import duties. Parcel Farce don't deliver here though - they hand over to the Isle of Man Post Office.

[BiggusDitchus]

Parcel Farce is an absolute joke, I found it amusing they left me a note on Christmas Eve that they had tried to deliver a parcel but no one was home... the note said the item would be available for pick up at local sorting office after 24 hours. What are the chances someone would have been working there on Christmas Day? Its hard enough trying to find one working on most other days!

[007al]

I had a delivery by Parcel Force on the 7th of november.No one was in so he gave it to some one walking past who signed it Guy Fakes! They apparently said they lived here,so the numpty just gave it away.And they couldnt understand why i was going ballistic on the phone!

[mobias]

I'm sure as we all know its a complete lottery as to what you get stung for and what you don't. RC Champ sourced stuff don't have a good history with me of getting cleanly though customs. Both a full option High Lift and Hotshot via them cost me dearly.

[ryanbored]

I read recently there was a "Blacklist" Where once you're names on it all your parcels are stopped. Now I thought it was all big brother propaganda, but recently i have not had one Item delivered that has escaped customs. (The past 4 have had charges) So I'm waiting on some beadlock wheels now from the states, If i get charged for those I'm gonna get everything sent to my granny

[hairyguy4]

i recently had a delivery of a crawler from america via ups i think, a couple of days after it arrived i got a letter saying i had to pay 50 before i could recieve it?? well it looks like they made a c*k up lol

[mobias]

i recently had a delivery of a crawler from america via ups i think, a couple of days after it arrived i got a letter saying i had to pay 50 before i could recieve it?? well it looks like they made a c*k up lol

Watch out for that. I similar think happened with me when I got someone in the states to buy me an ipod and send it over via Fedex. It arrived safe and sound and I thought great no tax sting. Then about a week later a letter arrived saying Fedex still had it and they weren't going to release it until I coughed up 35. I decided to ignore it thinking they must have made some mistake and would probably forget about me. No such luck - I got threatening letters and then eventually had to pay.

[Wireless]

I have had exactly the same problem with Parcel Farce. I got charged more than 10x what the value of the parts were. IIRC, it took about 10 weeks in total to get the money refunded. Parcel Farce were utterly useless and completely washed their hands of it. HMRC were excellent. They answered the phone fast, understood my query and sorted it out, my only gripe being it took them a long time to do it.

When my GB-03 Hotshots and a few other misc model plane parts showed up a few days ago, there was a customs fee. Our post lady delivered the parcel to the door but I didn't have any cash. In complete contrast to the UK when Parcel Farce won't even bring it to the door until you pay, she left me the parcel and told me to drop into the local post office any time to pay the fee (about 25).

Like night and day...

[dazaa]

i recently had a delivery of a crawler from america via ups i think, a couple of days after it arrived i got a letter saying i had to pay 50 before i could recieve it?? well it looks like they made a c*k up lol

Hi

I also had the same problem when i bought a super champ, the seller put the value as $70 (what i paid for it) but afew weeks later parcel force sent a letter saying i had to pay 25 customs fee, so i had to pay Oh well, the only thing bugging me is a friend buys lots of stuff from the us and never has to pay customs?

regards

dazaa

[Rabiedmushroom]

We've had similar problems from that useless bunch Parcel Farce. I reckon they look at the customs form in $dollars and assume it means GBPounds, thus instantly doubling the 'supposed' value of the item to charge VAT on top. Incompetant bar-stewards

However, good sellers like StellaModels, and JR-RC & Vellrip from Ebay, seem to fill out the customs form as a 'gift/toy parts' and very clearly mark the currency. I haven't had any trouble with any of their shipments, and return as a customer because I can rely on their packages.

[Live Steam Mad]

A couple of thoughts for you.. I heard that Parcel Farce had last year opened a new state of the art facility at Bowring Park, Liverpool ;-

Liverpool Depot

K-L Rocket Trading Centre

Bowring Park Road

Liverpool

L14 3NZ

08700 844 579

...this instantly meant a tightening up of the enforcement, and people started to be VAT'ed left right and centre on stuff. I have noticed that I cannot ever receive a parcel from the USA over 36 GBP without being VAT'ed on it. I woudn't mind but Parcel Force also charge an OUTRAGEOUS (unlawful?) Clearance Fee for handing the parcel to Customs and returning it on your behalf. This seems to be 8.50 GBP for light weight items and 13 GBP for heavy items. Things from HK generally come through without any charge, or at least they did for many years until recent times. I seem to remember being charged on my last item from HK. I just ordered a Subaru Brat from Stella Models and we shall see what happens...

Also the VAT & clearance free was only payable upfront, not at the door, that change only happened in this last year.

The biggest 2 gripes that I also had with the Farce was that they once "lost" an entire very large Amiga 1200 + HD package from me that I sent back, took 6 weeks to get the money back, and that they (according to a newspaper) played football with packages sometimes when they were bored!

Also HM Customs and Excise are currently recruiting 200 people to work at the Liverpool and Bootle docks in their offices there, I know since I just went on a 1 day training course for the interview... so don't expect any relaxation of being VAT'ed on items from abroad...

VAT is wrong, and import duties are wrong. All IMHO, my usual disclaimer .

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[Jay61076]

I didn’t have any issue with paying something as there bound to catch up now and then.

My problem was despite it being clearly marked as 4998 yen ( about 22) they charged me a total of 41.45 which means that someone at the Coventry office thinks it’s worth about 250.

I will try and get most if not all of it back, but it’s the amount of hoops I have to jump through 1st

Some people may not have been able to pay up front then put in a claim. When I spoke to HMRC they said I have to supply a cover letter, copy of purchase, copy of the customs declaration and a copy of the invoice they sent.

And don’t get me started about not getting it delivered until its payment is made

[bigoggy]

i used to work for them. your right about they playing football with stuff. i really hate them, hence i quit half way through a shift 4 years ago

[TWINSET]

I didnt have any issue with paying something as there bound to catch up now and then.

My problem was despite it being clearly marked as 4998 yen ( about 22) they charged me a total of 41.45 which means that someone at the Coventry office thinks its worth about 250.

I will try and get most if not all of it back, but its the amount of hoops I have to jump through 1st

Some people may not have been able to pay up front then put in a claim. When I spoke to HMRC they said I have to supply a cover letter, copy of purchase, copy of the customs declaration and a copy of the invoice they sent.

And dont get me started about not getting it delivered until its payment is made

If the charges are wrong, HMC do refund the error - there's are very few 'hoops' to jump thru, just phone them to get the exact procedure confirmed.

Keep every piece of paper with prices on it, including the original wrapping, the seller's declaration, the parcel force charge bill and your proof of payment thru paypal etc.

You need to send the originals of all of these to HMC, so copy them first!

I had an 800 HK$ parcel go thru as 800 US$ a while back (51 versus about 400), and the charges were very high, but got all the 'overspend' back from HMC with just one phone call and a letter.

As Wireless said, it takes a few weeks, but they do do it without any hassle, provided you send them all the info.

It's pointless dealing with Parcel Force, as they just send the money to HMC anyway, whether it's correct or not.

[knotty]

Just as a bit of a heads up on parcel force i recently sent an guitar amplifier by their 48hrs service yet the thing was sat in a sorting depot for 3 days before they even tried to deliver it so how on earth they have the nerve to charge for 48hr service when its obviously not is beyond me.last year while i remember,my sis bought something for my daughter rom amazon.me and the missus came home from work to find a card saying that they(parcel force) had tried to deliver and i could pick up from their leeds depot the next day.a round trip of nearly twenty miles,but it was the bairns birthday so i went.got there to be told that the driver hadnt unloaded it from the van and he would be delivering it the next day.next day came and no delivery and no card. so i rang leeds depot to be told it was there and could i go and pick it up again.went through,and was kept waiting for three quarters of an hour while they found it.i know some have mentioned fed ex and ups on here but a private courier cant be as bad as parcelforce, surely?

[m.l.field]

i know some have mentioned fed ex and ups on here but a private courier cant be as bad as parcelforce, surely?

Don't be so sure. In November Business Post managed to lose a full MSA/FIA rollcage for about 3 days, couldn't even say what depot it was in, then when it did turn up they'd managed to bend it beyond use for anything except scrap metal. Some of the tubes were actually crushed.

[ryanbored]

Ah the joy... This country is in utter shambles, all the way from Customs to the child support agency. One thing I have learnt is; It's life! You can argue -sometimes you get you're money back- as the great Billy Connally says: "I don't vote it, only encourages them!"

[terry.sc]

Ah the joy... This country is in utter shambles, all the way from Customs to the child support agency.

Isn't it a good thing HMRC is a shambles, if they were efficient every parcel would need the duty paid on it.

It's useful that the HK shops declare the smaller items as toy car parts, which have no commercial value and therefore zero rated for duty.

[GroupCracer]

You poor ******s.

Over here in NZ I've, touch wood, never been stung once for bringing stuff in. We don't have import duties on anything though, just GST (goods and services tax) of 12.5%. Usually you just get stung if the parcels declared has been valued at over $500nzd or so. Which never happens as all sellers seem to price items at 10% of what they cost.

[Mad Ax]

I've been lucky, in the last 3 years only got stung once for a customs fee and that was for a camera flash sent from Hong Kong. It was handled by Fedex, who delivered the item promptly, paid the duty on my behalf, then invoiced me for the difference (with a handling fee included). I had to pay, but fair's fair I guess...

Private parcel companies aren't any better with their service, mind... A few months ago I ordered some stuff from a UK-based model shop, to be delivered to my work address. They made a mistake and sent it to my home address via Initial City Link. I got home to find a card stating the parcel would be held in the local depot (20-odd miles away) for 48 hours before being returned to sender. Annoyingly, they only open during office hours - so the next day I took an extended lunch break so I could drive all the way into the city centre to pick up the parcel.

Got there, was kept waiting for 20 minutes, only to be told "We don't have the parcel with us, the driver has taken it today to try to deliver it again, and there's an update on our system to say nobody was in, so it'll be back here at 4:30pm."

WHAT? Well of course there's nobody in, that's because I'm here at your depot, you bunch of half-wits! HONESTLY, why state "will be held at depot for 48 hours" on your calling card when it's a blatant lie..?

In the end I had to take another extended lunchbreak the following day, go all the way back into town a second time, just to get my package (which I still haven't had use for )