Royal Mail £8 Internal Post Handling Fee scam?

Keep_pedalling

KxMx wrote: »

I agree for many there is no need for supplements, however I an several others take different ones on medical advice, due to diagnosed medical problems. So OP may fall under that category

Unlikely if they are importing them from the US, home of the greatest number of snake oil salesmen on the planet.

shaun_from_Africa

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Unlikely if they are importing them from the US, home of the greatest number of snake oil salesmen on the planet.

My mother takes a couple of different supplements, both of which were suggested by her GP and I buy these for her in the US as the price there is about 1/2 of what they cost in the UK.
Just because someone is importing stuff like this from America doesn't automatically mean that it is because someone over there recommended its use.

doveman

zax47 wrote: »

Good luck with that whole "wanting someone to do something for nothing" thing - of course you can always do it yourself for nothing, assuming that you feel your time & effort costs less than £9.89 of course. :T

Did you ask the sender to state "Goods to be cleared by importer" on all the paperwork (airwaybill, commercial invoice)? Then you could have done it yourself, arsed about filling in forms, travelling around the place, dealing with the intransigent monolith of HMRC and spending much more than you were charged, both in time and money....

If you had even the slightest clue of what's involved then you wouldn't be moaning and you'd think it was a bargain.

Typical reply I was expecting from the idiots who troll this thread. If you had bothered to read my post without the attitude you would have seen that I was reporting that DHL have increased their charges since I last used them, such that they no longer provide a cheaper option than Royal Mail. Hopefully that warning will help somebody, unlike your rants.

doveman

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Your biggest waste of money was not the import charges but the £45 spent on pointless vitamin supplements, now that really is a rip off.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/dec/17/vitamin-supplements-waste-money-scientists

Thanks for your ignorant option. I have medical need to take the supplements I ordered. Hopefully you never get osteoporosis or nerve damage as a result of vitamin (i.e.VITAL nutrients) deficiencies.

zax47

doveman wrote: »

Typical reply I was expecting from the idiots who troll this thread. If you had bothered to read my post without the attitude you would have seen that I was reporting that DHL have increased their charges since I last used them, such that they no longer provide a cheaper option than Royal Mail. Hopefully that warning will help somebody, unlike your rants.

You appear to have confused me with someone who gives a toss... This thread is full of people whining that there are costs associated with importing things into the UK (and I see you've been here before too... ) Do your research then decide - buy, or don't - but most come whining on here and haven't even bothered to check.

You won't find anyone now who'll clear for "a couple of quid" as even DHL realised it was an expensive luxury they couldn't afford to support any longer. Royal Mail will charge you £8, or clear it yourself.

{FWIW, DHL put the fee up to £5 in Jan 2013, so it hasn't been "a couple of quid" for some time...}

KxMx

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Unlikely if they are importing them from the US, home of the greatest number of snake oil salesmen on the planet.

The vitamin I take I buy from a UK website who import it from the States. It's a market leading brand over there.

The same formulation used to be available from Holland and Barratt, who stopped it last year. And went over to the poor strength, cheap quality but very expensive tablet format like all the other UK producers.

I wanted to stick with what worked, the capsule containing high strength pure powder format.

If the sole UK stockist didn't have it, I would be importing from the States too.

SimonWillins

My supplier combined two items and this put them over the tax limit. I had no opportunity to pay the tax in advance of the package, even had I know it was combined. It is one thing that I might elect to have RM act on my behalf to pay my tax, but another entirely if I have no opportunity to pay the tax differently, without incurring a fee. Similarly, are we to see employers charge a handling fee to collect PAYE? Do businesses therefore have the right to charge and administration fee to collect VAT, as RM are doing?
I have no issue paying the tax, but I object to fees that are not related to tax which cannot be avoided. If I pay the tax, the parcel should be released upon proof of tax payment. There is no option for this. If there were I would use it.

vuvuzela

SimonWillins wrote: »

My supplier combined two items and this put them over the tax limit.

SimonWillins wrote: »

I have no issue paying the tax, but I object to fees that are not related to tax which cannot be avoided.

Just highlighting a couple of lines you wrote.
Clearly the fee *can* be avoided, if multiple parcels are sent. I'd take it up with your supplier and ask them to send goods in parcels that are below the limit in future. Might cost you more in postage, but less in fees. Your choice...

lovinituk

SimonWillins wrote: »

My supplier combined two items and this put them over the tax limit. I had no opportunity to pay the tax in advance of the package, even had I know it was combined. It is one thing that I might elect to have RM act on my behalf to pay my tax, but another entirely if I have no opportunity to pay the tax differently, without incurring a fee. Similarly, are we to see employers charge a handling fee to collect PAYE? Do businesses therefore have the right to charge and administration fee to collect VAT, as RM are doing?
I have no issue paying the tax, but I object to fees that are not related to tax which cannot be avoided. If I pay the tax, the parcel should be released upon proof of tax payment. There is no option for this. If there were I would use it.

You state 'supplier' so I assume you are a business? If so, then you shouldn't be splitting packages anyway to dodge import taxes.

sheramber

SimonWillins wrote: »

My supplier combined two items and this put them over the tax limit. I had no opportunity to pay the tax in advance of the package, even had I know it was combined. It is one thing that I might elect to have RM act on my behalf to pay my tax, but another entirely if I have no opportunity to pay the tax differently, without incurring a fee. Similarly, are we to see employers charge a handling fee to collect PAYE? Do businesses therefore have the right to charge and administration fee to collect VAT, as RM are doing?
I have no issue paying the tax, but I object to fees that are not related to tax which cannot be avoided. If I pay the tax, the parcel should be released upon proof of tax payment. There is no option for this. If there were I would use it.

You can clear the item through customs yourself and not pay Royal Mail or anyone else.

Filling in the customs declaration yourself

The sender must write ‘goods to be declared by importer’ on the customs declaration form.

Before you can collect your goods, you’ll be sent:

a full customs declaration form to fill in
a letter explaining how to pay any tax or duty you owe


It will of course cost you time and money to collect it.