Crazy Import Fees

toasty111

Hi 

Just looking for a bit of advice.

So I bought a UNIZ IBEE 3D Printer via Kick starter it was $450 plus about $60 shipping.  I had to create and provide and EORI number for them.

It has been quite a long delay but I finally get an email from the manufacturer sending me a link with UPS tracking - there are import fees to pay.

I'm no stranger to these having purchased many items over the years and incurring import fees; usually 20% VAT on the the goods and shipping price with a small admin fee included also for the courier.

So I was expecting around £150 or so -  they want £1350  - £1330 Government and £30 Brokerage fee on a $450 purchase !!

So obviously this floored me, how on earth has this incurred 3x the price on import duty, according to others on the Facebook group most UK people have incurred around £60-£65 fees on the printer which seems rather low considering the price.

How could this have happens and what are my options ?

Thanks

Aylesbury_Duck

Sounds like an administrative error.  Do you have the item yet, or is it still in UPS's possession?

toasty111

UPS still have it - will be contacting them tomorrow

Aylesbury_Duck

UPS won't release it unless you pay up, so I think you have two options.  Pay up, take the item and then dispute the tax with HMRC, or refuse to collect it, at which point I assume it will go back to the sender.  The problem you have is that UPS have paid the fee already, so you now owe them.

toasty111

Yeah which is the thing they all pay beforehand so will start chasing for the money, if it was just a bit more than expect fine to claim back but when its 3x price of the actual item and I'm not 100% to getting it back...

k3lvc

What's the proper price of the printer and have they used this on the paperwork rather than your 'kickstarter' price ?

toasty111

Total price was $450 plus $60 shipping  actual retail price is $999 so still miles off 

toasty111

I've had no notication from UPS themselves yet just UNIZ

mattyprice4004

They've clearly been under-declaring the others for this to come out at £60 or so - and it looks like they've gone far, far the other way with yours. 
I wouldn't be paying it, I import regularly and I'm happy to help resolve mistakes but there's no way I'd be handing over the best part of a grand and a half with no guarantee of a resolution. 

MattMattMattUK

mattyprice4004 said:

They've clearly been under-declaring the others for this to come out at £60 or so - and it looks like they've gone far, far the other way with yours. 
I wouldn't be paying it, I import regularly and I'm happy to help resolve mistakes but there's no way I'd be handing over the best part of a grand and a half with no guarantee of a resolution. 

I would say that £60 is not wildly out, $510 is £366, there is no import duty on printers, so VAT would be £73.20, there will be an element of under declaring to get the VAT to £60-65, but from inexperienced people it is generally people forgetting to include freight and insurance in the customs declaration.