Not sure if right page, help with customs charges from royal mail

aled247

Hello.
As stated sorry if on wrong page, if so please advise where I should move this too.
Anyway, I am a UK Citizen who lives in the UK, I purchased a new mobile phone from carphone warehouse (worth £200) and I still have the receipt to prove this.
I then went to the USA on holiday but accidently left my phone with a friend in the USA who kindly took it to the US Postal Service who advised on the right service and had it posted back to the UK (It cost around $25 to send).
I have received a card from Royal Mail saying the sender did not pay full postage and that I owe £53.16 to collect it?! From a quick google I am assuming this is purely down to 'Import VAT' and 'Customs Charges' which I had never really heard about as never had a parcel delivered from outside the UK that I am aware of. I have seen I can appeal this with a specific form which I intend to do, but what are my chances of getting this back? Any advice?
If I knew it would be so high I would have just collected it when I returned to the US in 2 months.

Mela322

Was it just the uncorrect postage box ticked or are both boxes ticked. Border control is very specific on how to fill out the form. Did your sender put "personal belongings" on the declaration form?

I would find out what was put on the declarations form and if they wrote personal belongings and you have your proof of purchase from here, you should get your money back.

However, if the declarations form just list a phone and model, you may not get a refund.

teezie

The card normally states if it's a customs/import charges, and will also tell you how long you've got to pay and collect it (usually 18 days if i'm not mistaken), as far as I know, if you don't it gets returned to sender which may be your best bet