I had a card from royal mail today

GeeBee38

'Unfortunately we can't deliver your item because there is a fee to pay'

I have posted it back, i needed to add 2 stamps, it also has a custom charge of £8 (not paid by me)

I havent had any email or phone call to say i have won anything

Any ideas?

Thank you

Daza

If it has a customs charge of £8 - you will need to pay that yourself - it is for importing items from outside the EU that are above a certain value

As the package will be from outside the EU - maybe you have won something from the comps that originate from Australia

GeeBee38

Thank you daza, I can't afford the £8 so what will happen? i don't recall entering any sort of comp outside the uk?

Thanks

JessicAhh

I suspect it will just get returned to sender, if you don't pay the £8... If you have a small, friendly local post office, and the parcel is there, they may let you see it to decide if you want to pay the £8...

Do you enter any of the Australian daily comps?

Bear in mind that the customs charge only becomes payable if goods are worth a certain amount...

From http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/post/buying.htm#3
All other goods
If you order or send purchased goods other than alcohol, tobacco, perfume and toilet water from a country outside the EU then you:
don't have to pay Excise Duty
may have to pay Customs Duty on goods with a value that exceeds £135
will have to pay import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £15
Note that on all goods from outside the EU, Customs Duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is £9 or under.

I suspect the £8 is VAT only, if Customs Duty is waived.

So... if the VAT is 20%, declared value of product is c. £40... ?

GeeBee38

Thank you JessicAhh, all I know is the parcel is at my main sorting office

Will they try to delivery it to my door then ask for the £8, how does it work?

And I didn't even know there was any Australian daily comps?

I usually only do the click to wins and the magazine ones?

Thanks

JessicAhh

What does it say on the card about the customs charge? Usually if they want you to pay it, they tell you on the card to pay for the excess postage and customs charge at the same time...

GeeBee38

Thanks, One sec, I will upload a pic, just turning my pc on as I'm on mobile at the moment

MaineBlue

GeeBee38, I'm reading that as you only need to pay £1.19

ie Payment due: £1.18

GeeBee38

Thank you MaineBlue, so what does the tick on the £8 box mean?

Thanks

brownhandbag

I think the postie has just ticked the wrong box, hope is something nice for you

StokieBecks

Think postie has ticked wrong box.if you jad to pay the customs charge it would have been included in the total and you wouldnt receive your item until it is paid. Think it must be a large envelope with a normal stamp on (have you had a birthday recently? These are usually cards that wellmeaning relatives havent realised it's too big for a normal stamp)