FedEx sent me a Duty & Tax Invoice - Advice needed

flyingflea

I won a competition to win a camera from a US based company. It arrived the next week via FedEx but today I have received a Duty & Tax invoice for £25.86 (£12 clearance admin charge + £13.86 disbursements out of the scope of EU VAT).

The camera itself was worth £69. Is it right that I have to pay to receive my prize?

cono1717

Yes it's right, see https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2171931

flyingflea

How annoying, I don't even want the camera they sent me. The camera was supposed to be worth £150 but due to shipping costs from the US they decided to send me an inferior model and not what they advertised.

flyingflea

So what's to stop someone from abroad sending a letter with a declared value of £100 to someone in the UK just to cause financial loss and inconvenience to the sender?

Other than refusing the letter or paying return postage, there isn't is there?

cono1717

You can claim the cost back if you send it back via https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-266-rejected-imports-repayment-or-remission-of-duty-and-vat/notice-266-rejected-imports-repayment-or-remission-of-duty-and-vat ultimately I imagine that as the contract started with the sender you can instruct FedEx to collect the admin charge from them as they don't have a contract with you

peachyprice

flyingflea wrote: »

So what's to stop someone from abroad sending a letter with a declared value of £100 to someone in the UK just to cause financial loss and inconvenience to the sender?

Other than refusing the letter or paying return postage, there isn't is there?

So we should do away with tax and duty on mail from abroad just in case someone somewhere is childish enough to do this?

MataNui

cono1717 wrote: »

ultimately I imagine that as the contract started with the sender you can instruct FedEx to collect the admin charge from them as they don't have a contract with you

I did this only a few weeks ago and they took the admin charge off without argument. I emailed them saying that their 'admin' charges would of been known by them at the time of the order so should of been added to the advertised postage costs. Instead they basically ambushed me with an additional charge that i had not contracted for in order for them to keep the advertised cost low.

flyingflea

peachyprice wrote: »

So we should do away with tax and duty on mail from abroad just in case someone somewhere is childish enough to do this?

I'm not suggesting that. I'm saying there must be a better way of dealing with it. Even ParcelForce's policy of holding onto the package until you pay the ransom is better than this.

Russftl

If it's a prize, is it not considered a gift and do you have to pay duties at all?

I had one of these today, albeit a little more warrented from a purchase, but you'd expect to be told in real time to release your package than they assume it's worth you while. In fairness, they did deliver from the US in about a day and a half putting UK post to shame. Lucky to not getbyour yogel package stolen or left in a bush somewhere. To be fair i've had regular packages from outside of the EU, also competitions wins and never been charged. It should be done at source eiher way sobyou can factor these things in to the budget. Why chase money when you can have it advanced. Silly system really sort of their dodgey admin fees which aren't legally obligated, certainly not as the receiver as you entered no contract with them.

marliepanda

Russftl wrote: »

If it's a prize, is it not considered a gift and do you have to pay duties at all?

I had one of these today, albeit a little more warrented from a purchase, but you'd expect to be told in real time to release your package than they assume it's worth you while. In fairness, they did deliver from the US in about a day and a half putting UK post to shame. Lucky to not getbyour yogel package stolen or left in a bush somewhere. To be fair i've had regular packages from outside of the EU, also competitions wins and never been charged. It should be done at source eiher way sobyou can factor these things in to the budget. Why chase money when you can have it advanced. Silly system really sort of their dodgey admin fees which aren't legally obligated, certainly not as the receiver as you entered no contract with them.

Gifts have price limits, last I checked it was £35.

custardy

Russftl wrote: »

If it's a prize, is it not considered a gift and do you have to pay duties at all?

I had one of these today, albeit a little more warrented from a purchase, but you'd expect to be told in real time to release your package than they assume it's worth you while. In fairness, they did deliver from the US in about a day and a half putting UK post to shame. Lucky to not getbyour yogel package stolen or left in a bush somewhere. To be fair i've had regular packages from outside of the EU, also competitions wins and never been charged. It should be done at source eiher way sobyou can factor these things in to the budget. Why chase money when you can have it advanced. Silly system really sort of their dodgey admin fees which aren't legally obligated, certainly not as the receiver as you entered no contract with them.

It can be (except for RM due to the postal set up),but people want cheap postage.