Parcelforce 'Clearance fee'

custardy

ian1969uk wrote: »

Quick question please.

I am expecting a delivery from the USA, value of goods £20, postage is £10, so a total value of £30.

Am I right in thinking that customs duty isn't payable on goods with this low a value? I know VAT at 20% of £30 (£6) will be payable, but will customs duty be payable as well?

Thanks.

no customs duty

ian1969uk

custardy wrote: »

no customs duty

Cheers, so £6 and whatever fee Royal Mail or whoever decide to charge.

chrissybear

I had an interesting experience recently.

I have had success in getting parcels from ParcelFarce before by turning up at their office and telling them I am happy to pay the VAT and Customs but NOT the clearance fee. I may have been made to wait while they have a fag and a coffee, but I have eventually got it. An invoice has always followed which I have ignored and nothing else was ever done.

However, the bully boys are upping the ante.

The last parcel I went to collect, I went through the usual process and, this time, a "heavy" is fetched. A tall bloke with an attitude. He does not give his full name, just his first name "for security reasons" (BS) but insists there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I can have my parcel as he is now following revised internal rules from PF about the clearance charge. He then removed the parcel from my view and ensured it was not reachable through the service desk.

In other words, they are now trying to BULLY people out of their money and holding parcels to ransom in order to frighten people into paying!! I wish I had videoed this exchange and may well do next time!

I did not take this lying down, so asked to speak to his line manager (none available of course!) so I asked for the next line of management up and insisted he gave me a contact detail (he didn't seem keen) - This escalated it to their "MDs Office" on 01908 687249. By the nature of the message on the phone it is obvious they are expecting calls on this number and it is doubtful whether it is anything but a small call centre in Milton Keynes. I digress....

A call to a lady on this number, and again I explain that it is illegal for PF to hold onto my parcel and hold it to ransom, she calls the nameless PF man in the office and "authorises" my parcel's release, with the promise of another invoice in the future.

It is absolutely APPALLING that PF are now employing heavy-handed tactics to get their £8 or whatever ransom charge. The sooner someone with more legal knowledge than I tackles this farcical situation, the better.

As for the future, well, if I could avoid using them I would, but I would seem to have no say over who deals with my parcel once it enters the UK.

custardy

chrissybear wrote: »

I had an interesting experience recently.

I have had success in getting parcels from ParcelFarce before by turning up at their office and telling them I am happy to pay the VAT and Customs but NOT the clearance fee. I may have been made to wait while they have a fag and a coffee, but I have eventually got it. An invoice has always followed which I have ignored and nothing else was ever done.

However, the bully boys are upping the ante.

The last parcel I went to collect, I went through the usual process and, this time, a "heavy" is fetched. A tall bloke with an attitude. He does not give his full name, just his first name "for security reasons" (BS) but insists there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I can have my parcel as he is now following revised internal rules from PF about the clearance charge. He then removed the parcel from my view and ensured it was not reachable through the service desk.

In other words, they are now trying to BULLY people out of their money and holding parcels to ransom in order to frighten people into paying!! I wish I had videoed this exchange and may well do next time!

I did not take this lying down, so asked to speak to his line manager (none available of course!) so I asked for the next line of management up and insisted he gave me a contact detail (he didn't seem keen) - This escalated it to their "MDs Office" on 01908 687249. By the nature of the message on the phone it is obvious they are expecting calls on this number and it is doubtful whether it is anything but a small call centre in Milton Keynes. I digress....

A call to a lady on this number, and again I explain that it is illegal for PF to hold onto my parcel and hold it to ransom, she calls the nameless PF man in the office and "authorises" my parcel's release, with the promise of another invoice in the future.

It is absolutely APPALLING that PF are now employing heavy-handed tactics to get their £8 or whatever ransom charge. The sooner someone with more legal knowledge than I tackles this farcical situation, the better.

As for the future, well, if I could avoid using them I would, but I would seem to have no say over who deals with my parcel once it enters the UK.

do your own clearance
problem solved
histrionics not required

chrissybear

custardy wrote: »

do your own clearance
problem solved
histrionics not required

No histrionics in my post, custardy. Just facts.

Since you are obviously in the know, please can you tell me HOW MSE readers can do their own clearance?

custardy

chrissybear wrote: »

No histrionics in my post, custardy. Just facts.

Since you are obviously in the know, please can you tell me HOW MSE readers can do their own clearance?

since you have internet access
why not read about it on this very thread

chrissybear

I will happily do so, though there is really no need to patronise me with the phrase "since you have internet access".

It's not really consistent with the Forum Etiquette rule, which states "Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps."

custardy wrote: »

since you have internet access
why not read about it on this very thread

custardy

chrissybear wrote: »

I will happily do so, though there is really no need to patronise me with the phrase "since you have internet access".

It's not really consistent with the Forum Etiquette rule, which states "Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps."

yawn,you shout at me in your post then whine on manners
ironic
now if you want we can look at why you moan about PF,then go through the whole process again without doing any research on the process

Reverbe

custardy wrote: »

yawn,you shout at me in your post then whine on manners
ironic
now if you want we can look at why you moan about PF,then go through the whole process again without doing any research on the process

I see no evidence of Chrissy bear internet shouting.. ie using caps in their post... :huh::huh:

custardy

Reverbe wrote: »

I see no evidence of Chrissy bear internet shouting.. ie using caps in their post... :huh::huh:

well pop to specsavers