Couriers demanding cash on delivery - is it legal?

Bitrocking

I recently purchased an item of sports equipment on ebay, from Ohio, USA. I was quite pleased to get it for a good price even after adding on postage, packaging and the import and customs charges. it is due to be delivered in about 3-4weeks. However, when telling a friend, she said that she made a similar purchase, but when UPS arrived to deliver, they demanded £50 cash delivery charge before they would part with the item. She signed a delivery notice, but had not been expecting the charge, did not get a receipt in hand and she thought it was lucky she'd had the cash in the house.
Is this legal? I have paid via Paypal, the original item costing just under £75 and the import and customs charges at £27.30. As i work full time, I have sent it to my paents house so someone would be in for the delivery, but don't want them to get a pushy courier saying they must pay cash at the door or they will not deliver. Any advice, please?

duchy

Sounds like your friend was charged a customs charge- which would be legal

[Deleted User]

Hi,

here's a bit of reading for you.

Edit: just spied this on another thread, so seems the norm,

Possible win - £26.31 customs to pay!
Received a letter from Parcelforce saying they had a parcel to deliver from USA but I needed to pay customs charge first.

Collabora

Bitrocking wrote: »

I recently purchased an item of sports equipment on ebay, from Ohio, USA. I was quite pleased to get it for a good price even after adding on postage, packaging [STRIKE]and the import and customs charges[/STRIKE].

i removed the Import and Custom Charges as when you purchase from outside the UK these are not included in the price you pay.

These will be added as they enter the UK, but you may not even get to pay these as it depends if the container your goods are in is stopped and checked by customs. If it is stopped then the courier will have to pay these charges before that are allows to take the goods, then some couriers will deliver them and then invoice you after, others will invoice you and you have to pay before they will deliver your goods. I have never heard of a courier driver demanding the payment at the doorstep

alykatz

Collabora wrote: »

i removed the Import and Custom Charges as when you purchase from outside the UK these are not included in the price you pay.

These will be added as they enter the UK, but you may not even get to pay these as it depends if the container your goods are in is stopped and checked by customs. If it is stopped then the courier will have to pay these charges before that are allows to take the goods, then some couriers will deliver them and then invoice you after, others will invoice you and you have to pay before they will deliver your goods. I have never heard of a courier driver demanding the payment at the doorstep

Not quite true as it depends if the ops seller is using the global shipping programme where all import duties ect are paid at checkout.

Op do you know if you paid vat ect when you paid?

If not then as above you may be subject to import duties.

Collabora

alykatz wrote: »

Not quite true as it depends if the ops seller is using the global shipping programme where all import duties ect are paid at checkout.

Op do you know if you paid vat ect when you paid?

If not then as above you may be subject to import duties.

but the OP is jumping the gun just because someone says they were charged £50 by a courier, which is what i was explaining the way it works regarding duty.

If that same friend stated they won the lottery would she also believe it

alykatz

Collabora wrote: »

but the OP is jumping the gun just because someone says they were charged £50 by a courier, which is what i was explaining the way it works regarding duty.

If that same friend stated they won the lottery would she also believe it

Agreed it may have been jumping the gun.

But i was replying to this in particular as you seem to also be jumping the gun without knowing all the facts, and i didnt want the op to think it wasnt possible when it actually may be.:)

Collabora wrote: »

i removed the Import and Custom Charges as when you purchase from outside the UK these are not included in the price you pay.

Collabora

alykatz wrote: »

Agreed it may have been jumping the gun.

But i was replying to this in particular as you seem to also be jumping the gun without knowing all the facts, and i didnt want the op to think it wasnt possible when it actually may be.:)

Only going off by experience as i buy stock from USA and other countries and have yet to have import and custom charges added at sale point.

I have sometimes avoided these charges and other times have been hit. the largest was £3,200 in charges

soolin

Collabora wrote: »

Only going off by experience as i buy stock from USA and other countries and have yet to have import and custom charges added at sale point.

I have sometimes avoided these charges and other times have been hit. the largest was £3,200 in charges

If OP has bought via the GSP programme then all the duty, import charges etc will have already been paid.

Collabora

soolin wrote: »

If OP has bought via the GSP programme then all the duty, import charges etc will have already been paid.

but we don't know that as all the OP is worried as her friend got charged by courier.

The info i gave is 100% correct in how the system works regarding import duty

wealdroam

Collabora wrote: »

but we don't know that as all the OP is worried as her friend got charged by courier.

As the OP has already told us:

Bitrocking wrote: »

I have paid via Paypal, the original item costing just under £75 and the import and customs charges at £27.30.

...it is probably safe to say that the purchase was made via the GSP programme.

With that in mind, I feel you have made a mistake by 'correcting' the OP's post:

Collabora wrote: »

i removed the Import and Custom Charges as when you purchase from outside the UK these are not included in the price you pay.

At best, you are only guessing when you say that.