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Customs charge for ordering from America

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I've bought things from America numerous times. eBay, American websites going back years & years. I've been hit with customs charges before but out of say 20 items perhaps only once or twice. Obviously i've not kept a running tally, it may be 12 items it may be 30 items. Bottom line is i know i've ordered numerous things from America before and from the top of my head i've literally only been hit with a customs charge a couple of times.



Ordered a set of earphones on a good deal from America. Thought no more of it until i got a text this morning from Royal Mail saying i had a charge half the price of the bloody item.


Now i'm not sure where i stand. Can i just refuse the whole lot and get a total refund - as in don't pay the charge and get a refund on my item or are you not eligible for a refund in this scenario?


It's annoying how it seems to be hit and miss as to whether you get charged or not so how are you supposed to even factor it in when you decide whether you should take up that 'good deal' or not??
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  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 74,101 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I've bought things from America numerous times. eBay, American websites going back years & years. I've been hit with customs charges before but out of say 20 items perhaps only once or twice. Obviously i've not kept a running tally, it may be 12 items it may be 30 items. Bottom line is i know i've ordered numerous things from America before and from the top of my head i've literally only been hit with a customs charge a couple of times.



    Ordered a set of earphones on a good deal from America. Thought no more of it until i got a text this morning from Royal Mail saying i had a charge half the price of the bloody item.


    Now i'm not sure where i stand. Can i just refuse the whole lot and get a total refund - as in don't pay the charge and get a refund on my item or are you not eligible for a refund in this scenario?


    It's annoying how it seems to be hit and miss as to whether you get charged or not so how are you supposed to even factor it in when you decide whether you should take up that 'good deal' or not??

    If you refuse to pay the charge then the item will be returned to sender. The US give buyer fewer rights than we do in the U.K. And you are unlikely to get any refund at all.

    Just consider yourself lucky that you get so few charges. It is probably best to work on the principle that you will pay charges and handling fees, and everything you don't just be pleased that your items were cheaper than you budgeted for.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • soolin wrote: »
    If you refuse to pay the charge then the item will be returned to sender. The US give buyer fewer rights than we do in the U.K. And you are unlikely to get any refund at all.

    Just consider yourself lucky that you get so few charges. It is probably best to work on the principle that you will pay charges and handling fees, and everything you don't just be pleased that your items were cheaper than you budgeted for.
    How do i know what they'll charge?


    In future i'd factor this in. Based on previous i didn't expect to be charged anything because i very rarely am. If it happened even somewhere near 25% of the time and i knew how much i'd likely get charged then i wouldn't have even bothered with the item.



    I remember one time i was charged but barely anything. Does it depend on what you're buying?
  • antrobus
    antrobus Posts: 17,386 Forumite
    How do i know what they'll charge?

    .....

    Read this;
    https://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/International-customs-charges-leaflet-Jan-2017.pdf

    If the goods are from a non-EU country - over £15 and you have to pay VAT, over £135 and there may be duty as well, and RM charge an £8 handling fee.

    VAT is normally 20%, duty depends on what it is.
  • Lucky you.... maybe you'd like to contact HMRC and let them know of there error so you can pay the charges you've managed to avoid.
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 74,101 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    antrobus wrote: »
    Read this;
    https://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/International-customs-charges-leaflet-Jan-2017.pdf

    If the goods are from a non-EU country - over £15 and you have to pay VAT, over £135 and there may be duty as well, and RM charge an £8 handling fee.

    VAT is normally 20%, duty depends on what it is.

    It's also worth adding that some couriers charge more handling than RM.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • Thanks for the link and helpful info.

    Lucky you.... maybe you'd like to contact HMRC and let them know of there error so you can pay the charges you've managed to avoid.
    Maybe you'd like to talk sense :rotfl:
  • Based on previous i didn't expect to be charged anything because i very rarely am.

    Like you, I hardly ever got charged (normally shipments valued at around £25 to £40 from the USA) but this changed about a year ago.

    In the past year I've received about 15 shipments and from memory, I would say that of the 15, I've been charged VAT on 9 or 10 of them.

    One thing worth pointing out to others is that the VAT exemption on goods below £15 doesn't apply when receiving goods that have come from the Channel Islands.
    Shipments of any value from the CI could have VAT and a handling charge added on.
  • Factor it into any purchase you make - if you don’t get charged it’s a bonus.
    You tried to save money by cutting out tax etc that’d be charged in the UK - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

    If you let the parcel go back, you’ll (rightly) have return charges etc deducted from your refund.
  • pogofish
    pogofish Posts: 10,853 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Why not do your own import paperwork and limit any charging to just the duty due?

    Chapter and verse has been posted here several times before.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 17,972 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It looks like this HMRC notice explains what you need to do:

    "Notice 371: importing goods for disabled people free of duty and VAT"
    Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-371-importing-goods-for-disabled-people-free-of-duty-and-vat/notice-371-importing-goods-for-disabled-people-free-of-duty-and-vat


    If I'm reading it correctly, it sounds like you need to apply for a certificate in advance, and it must be attached to the shipment.

    So I guess you'd need to buy from a supplier who understands the requirements and is prepared to cooperate with following them. (I suspect that the average online US retailer might not.)
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