Can I refuse to pay DHL customs charge / refuse delivery?

Legacy_user

Recently bought a new phone from Gearbest. (£240).
DHL just text me saying I owed them £83 customs charges. That is considerably more than I calculated and I'm frankly not paying it. Will be cheaper buying elsewhere.

Can I refuse to accept the delivery or indeed refuse to pay the charge and what will happen to it? Surely if I don't receive the item the vendor will be obliged to refund me? And if I don't receive the goods then I can't be obliged to pay customs charges (totalling 40%??!?) for them. Will DHL send it back?

KatrinaWaves

You are taking the risk of it being sent back and you losing 'control' of the item.

Its overseas clearly, so you are at the mercy of a company which may not refund you. But you can, of course, refuse to pay,. and it will be sent back. Depending on the company, you will almost certainly need to pay the initial shipping fee, plus costs for getting it back and maybe even a restocking fee. Will that add up to more than the extra that you calculated?

You have calculated 20% VAT, but at £240 you are also liable for customs duty, which varies depending on the item. That, plus a DHL handling charge, will account for the extra.

You will not necessarily get a full refund.

System

Thanks, I have called DHL and told them I refuse it and they said that's fine I can do that.

As for the company I bought from, they are fairly legit. more or less. I can prove I haven't received the item and therefore must be entitled to a refund.

KatrinaWaves

beany_bot wrote: »

Thanks, I have called DHL and told them I refuse it and they said that's fine I can do that.

As for the company I bought from, they are fairly legit. more or less. I can prove I haven't received the item and therefore must be entitled to a refund.

Under what laws?

As I said, you may be liable for restocking fees, the cost they paid to post it to you, and any charges they incur getting it back.

They do not have to be out of pocket because of your change of mind.

System

Laws? huh? If you don't receive something.... you get a refund... lol

As for shipping cost and restock fees thats fine. I'll pay that.

Also I haven't changed my mind. They have put in the wrong value for customs. so I am refusing it.

KatrinaWaves

beany_bot wrote: »

Laws? huh? If you don't receive something.... you get a refund... lol

As for shipping cost and restock fees thats fine. I'll pay that.

In the UK yes.

Our laws do not apply to other countries. lol.

pulliptears

It's a brave move TBH.
Weighing it up you could end up with a phone in hand and have paid more for it (how much more are we talking? £20? £40?) or, you could have no phone and spend three months chasing a refund which you may or may not get bearing in mind UK consumer law doesn't apply.

Personally I'd chalk it up to experience and accept the phone. A bird in the hand and all that.

KatrinaWaves

beany_bot wrote: »

Also I haven't changed my mind. They have put in the wrong value for customs. so I am refusing it.

How do you know? Do you what what % customs duty has been applied?

System

Chalk it up to experience?? The seller put the wrong value on the customs form. More than I paid.

I should just chalk that up to experience and pay more than I should be?

System

KatrinaWaves wrote: »

How do you know? Do you what what % customs duty has been applied?

I called DHL

KatrinaWaves

beany_bot wrote: »

Chalk it up to experience?? The seller put the wrong value on the customs form. More than I paid.

I should just chalk that up to experience and pay more than I should be?

Okay so you paid £240 and have to pay £83 extra, when you must have expected to pay at least £58 (£48+£10 handling)

So right now you are £25 'down' on what you thought.

You say you are willing to pay shipping costs, and a restocking fee if required. DO you think this will be less than £25? Thats only 10% of the purchase price.

Is it worth the fuss for £25?