Parcelforce 'Clearance fee'

digp

seems like parcelforce are going to lose this argument.

custardy

i dont see how you can be sure.

anyway have you approached customa to question them? surely they have been happy with this set up?
seems perhaps you should be questioning them directly since they released it to a 3rd party

RArch_2

Hi everybody, I'm new to your forum.

I've just been stung too for the Parcelforce Clearance Fee for a package from Japan. Unfortunately I paid the full amount by visa using their website before I thought about this fee and did a search which turned up this thread.

The address on the letter I got today indicates that my parcel is being held locally in London and £13.50 is just a crazy amount for a local delivery! If I asked a mini cab to collect it for me it would cost about the same but I would have it today!

Here are the tracking stages from the EMS website:

Sep 27 18:51
Arrival at inward office of exchange
COVENTRY PARCELFORCE UNITED KINGDOM

Sep 27 19:09
Awaiting presentation to customs commissioner
COVENTRY PARCELFORCE UNITED KINGDOM

Oct 2 17:51
Departure from inward office of exchange
COVENTRY PARCELFORCE UNITED KINGDOM

Oct 3
Retention P95631
UNITED KINGDOM

I wonder, who decides on what packages get pulled off the belt for the Customs? I cannot imagine the Custom Officers having the time to check all of them which I guess is why sometime packages come in with no charges.

Well up on you geolabuk for taking some action, I hope you get satisfaction.

geolabuk

Custardy - please read my posts - Customs have already written to me with the relevant legislation. The Parcelforce clearance fee is not covered by their law, it is a charge by Parcelforce PLC. You seem to be a doormat rather than a person, someone who would be subservient to all petty minded Hitlers and not stand up for your rights under the law.

I am just standing up for my rights and possibly showing that even the Royal Mail will break the law if you let them get away with it.

smcaul

geolabuk wrote: »

The parcel is not taken out of the system, Parcelforce is in the same building a Customs, there are no transportation costs.

In actual fact it's the other way round, Customs work in the PF building (International Hub in Coventry).

It is Customs who decide which parcels are checked, PF just carry out the work on behalf of Customs - I believe this is the same for all major carriers.

And to let you all in on a little secret, International parcel delivery is a total cash cow for the companies - It used to be cheaper in actual costs for PF to send a parcel from London to Los Angeles then it as for the same parcel to go from London to Glasgow - yet it would cost almost 10x as much to send. This was few years ago but I cant see that much would have changed!!!!

custardy

geolabuk wrote: »

Custardy - please read my posts - Customs have already written to me with the relevant legislation. The Parcelforce clearance fee is not covered by their law, it is a charge by Parcelforce PLC. You seem to be a doormat rather than a person, someone who would be subservient to all petty minded Hitlers and not stand up for your rights under the law.

I am just standing up for my rights and possibly showing that even the Royal Mail will break the law if you let them get away with it.

as iver said it if proves to be illegal then thats fine(if you read my posts!) BUT why would the companys have customs in the building then?
surely it has nothing of interest to them from that viewpoint thus it would be down to customs to remove these items and house then in their storage area?

as for me being subservient,lol if only you could meet me i could dispell that one and anyone that knows me would confirm im not

liffy99_2

Another vicitm of the ludicrous Parcelforce clearance fee.
Although I've had to pay it to get my item (for the sake of £14.04 VAT) I've written to;
Postcomm
Parcelforce
Parcelforce Legal Dept
Radio 4
(and posted on this forum)

In the letter I have also questioned why, when we already pay for Customs & Excise through our domestic taxes, have some of their responsibilities been devolved to an independent company and we are now being charged again - I don't recall seeing a reduction in my income tax !
More importantly I have stated, and vowed, never to use Parcelforce again for any of my domestic post and to take all steps to try and avoid using them in any future imports I deal with. Perhaps if we all started writing they would realise that they would be losing a lot more than a £13.50 charge in future revenue.

Hope the legal challenge has a good result - I wonder if radio 4 might take this up on "You & Yours" or similar (Martin, is it something for your radio slot ???).:mad:

liffy99_2

By the way - does anyone know how to stipulate which UK delivery service to use ? How can I avoid Parcelforce being involved when, seemingly, I have no choice as to who handles my mail on arrival in the UK ?

Brooke_Daver

liffy99 wrote: »

By the way - does anyone know how to stipulate which UK delivery service to use ? How can I avoid Parcelforce being involved when, seemingly, I have no choice as to who handles my mail on arrival in the UK ?

Don't they all charge a fee for their customs clearing service?

Brooke_Daver

liffy99 wrote: »

Another vicitm of the ludicrous Parcelforce clearance fee.
Although I've had to pay it to get my item (for the sake of £14.04 VAT) I've written to;
Postcomm
Parcelforce
Parcelforce Legal Dept
Radio 4
(and posted on this forum)

In the letter I have also questioned why, when we already pay for Customs & Excise through our domestic taxes, have some of their responsibilities been devolved to an independent company and we are now being charged again - I don't recall seeing a reduction in my income tax !
More importantly I have stated, and vowed, never to use Parcelforce again for any of my domestic post and to take all steps to try and avoid using them in any future imports I deal with. Perhaps if we all started writing they would realise that they would be losing a lot more than a £13.50 charge in future revenue.

Hope the legal challenge has a good result - I wonder if radio 4 might take this up on "You & Yours" or similar (Martin, is it something for your radio slot ???).:mad:

Whenever you import things and have a third party arrange the customs clearance, a fee is always involved, why would they do it for nothing?