Customs charges for online order from EU?

Buster_Danog

Does the Royal Mail charge any fees for collecting import duties from the EU? I bought some clothing from an online retailer and have the option of forwarding the package with UPS or another carrier which will likely come through the Royal Mail. 

Edited to add: Found something of an answer from Google. The Royal Mail charges £8 and a previous thread on MSE mentions £11.40 for UPS. However the Royal Mail website is saying there is no VAT or customs charge under £135 which is news to me. I'll go with the normal international mail option and see if the Royal Mail charge me.

BrexitHorrorman

Buster_Danog said:

Does the Royal Mail charge any fees for collecting import duties from the EU? I bought some clothing from an online retailer and have the option of forwarding the package with UPS or another carrier which will likely come through the Royal Mail. 

Edited to add: Found something of an answer from Google. The Royal Mail charges £8 and a previous thread on MSE mentions £11.40 for UPS. However the Royal Mail website is saying there is no VAT or customs charge under £135 which is news to me. I'll go with the normal international mail option and see if the Royal Mail charge me.

The MLS blog on this is helpful (buying-online-from-europe-post-brexit) as long as it's kept up-to-date.  I think the £135 rule is still in force, but may change.  However I've been hit VERY hard!  Here's my sad tale!

In the blog there is detail of a customer paying £94 on a £265 order.  Well, today I can beat that!  I buy records from overseas and all has been fine ... until today.  Four LPs arrived from Germany yesterday via Fedex.  Here is what the records cost me:

Subtotal:123,96 €

Shipping costs:11,95 €

incl. Tax:21,70 €

Discount:-0,00 €

Total:135,91 €

You'll notice that the total is below the £135 threshold for customs charges.  So imagine my surprise when I received a text, and then an email, from Fedex saying that I owed £105.95 in import charges.  I thought it was a scam!  I phoned them and apparently it's estimated (although they want paid now!) and I should receive a breakdown in 10-14 days.

So, how on earth can they charge nearly the same in customs fees as the value of the goods?  Surely this must be incorrect? Worse still, I have another, almost identical package from the same vendor arriving this week - I've already had a Fedex bill for ... £105.96.  There's a third waiting in the wings.  Eek!

One further thing: if, at the point of sale, I had ANY idea of the scale of these charges, do you think I'd have purchased the goods?  NO chance.  Is there any way we can find out prior to purchase what the likely import charges will be?

Rant over, but I truly, truly hope that Fedex have got this seriously wrong!

Any advice gratefully received!!

Buster_Danog

Ouch. I would have thought they would charge people before delivering the goods although I guess it is not practical for you to send let them be returned to sender. I didn't get charged but I think the system has changed again since then and even items of a low value can attract a fee. 

I can only recommend import fee calculators online but I don't know if they are being updated with the latest changes for EU to UK purchases.

Niloticus1

Ouch! I can only sympathise with the OP. That sounds completely wrong. It would be good to hear Fedex's explanation for the charges... I buy a lot of stuff from overseas and, fingers crossed, the "keep it below £135" rule has worked well. I'm still a bit confused as to HOW the £135 is actually made up though. I shop regularly at an Italian online retailer which gives a lot of discount vouchers. I've now built up €50 in discounts. If I use those for a single order, will the £135 rule apply to the amount I paid or to the value of the items BEFORE discount?
TIA

BrexitHorrorman

Niloticus1 said:

Ouch! I can only sympathise with the OP. That sounds completely wrong. It would be good to hear Fedex's explanation for the charges... I buy a lot of stuff from overseas and, fingers crossed, the "keep it below £135" rule has worked well. I'm still a bit confused as to HOW the £135 is actually made up though. I shop regularly at an Italian online retailer which gives a lot of discount vouchers. I've now built up €50 in discounts. If I use those for a single order, will the £135 rule apply to the amount I paid or to the value of the items BEFORE discount?
TIA

Niloticus1 I'll let you know when Fedex come screaming for their money. I'm gonna insist on a breakdown and we'll see how they calculate it.

BrexitHorrorman

Niloticus1 I've received a bunch of gobbledegook from Fedex, but the basis seems to be that they want £12 in "Disbursement Fees" and £93.96 in "Original VAT".  Is that German VAT that hasn't been paid (although it probably has)?  When I speak to a human being, instead of receiving the excreted contents of a computer's digestive system, we may be able to make some headway!

jon81uk

Niloticus1 said:

Ouch! I can only sympathise with the OP. That sounds completely wrong. It would be good to hear Fedex's explanation for the charges... I buy a lot of stuff from overseas and, fingers crossed, the "keep it below £135" rule has worked well. I'm still a bit confused as to HOW the £135 is actually made up though. I shop regularly at an Italian online retailer which gives a lot of discount vouchers. I've now built up €50 in discounts. If I use those for a single order, will the £135 rule apply to the amount I paid or to the value of the items BEFORE discount?
TIA

The £135 or €150 is whatever the retailer declares but I think is usually after discount but including postage costs.

You still pay VAT under £135 but not import duty.