Fedex import tax

peanut85

I hope this is the right section to post. I bought an item from Europe in Feb this year. I was aware of the possibility of the import tax following brexit but I received the item via Fedex with no mention of import charge prior to delivery. Now nearly 3 months later I have received a written bill from Fedex for that parcel, asking for a payment. I haven’t yet paid the charge and have just received another letter saying I have 10 days to pay. I have looked online and all I can find is info detailing you have to pay to receive the item, but as I already have the item, what rights do they have to enforce the charge? Many thanks for your help in advance. 

Caz3121

many courier companies will pay the duties on your behalf, deliver the item to you and then bill for reimbursement (usually this is sooner than 3 months)

Aylesbury_Duck

They have a right to enforce the charge.

pphillips

If you don't pay the import tax they can take you to the County Court.

sheramber

Would you rather they held your parcel for three months until they billed you and you paid?

macman

Are you disputing the amount charged? If not, why would you not pay up?

mattyprice4004

Couriers can't do right nomatter what they do. 
Hold the parcel and request payment up front? People moan.
Give the parcel over and then request payment? People try and wriggle out of what they owe. 
You know it's due, you knew it was coming by your own admission - just pay your bill. 

What makes you think you're special and have a right to evade the Government-levied VAT and duty that FedEx have already paid on your behalf? 

Sandtree

To play devils advocate.... what is the legal grounds for the courier to charge (rather than the moral grounds)?

There is no contract between the recipient and the courier... we all know that one when a courier loses/damages a parcel... so its not a contractual obligation to pay them. So is there a statute that allows them to?

Put it another way, if @mattyprice4004 was kind enough to decide to randomly pay my self assessment tax bill without my requesting him to etc I doubt he'd have legal grounds to sue me for it let alone adding an admin fee on top.

PS... I know this is how it does work but not sure what creates the debt, and particularly the admin fee, in the first instance beyond the moral.

custardy

Sandtree said:

To play devils advocate.... what is the legal grounds for the courier to charge (rather than the moral grounds)?

There is no contract between the recipient and the courier... we all know that one when a courier loses/damages a parcel... so its not a contractual obligation to pay them. So is there a statute that allows them to?

Put it another way, if @mattyprice4004 was kind enough to decide to randomly pay my self assessment tax bill without my requesting him to etc I doubt he'd have legal grounds to sue me for it let alone adding an admin fee on top.

PS... I know this is how it does work but not sure what creates the debt, and particularly the admin fee, in the first instance beyond the moral.

Except you were aware of the self assessment requirement and @mattyprice4004 has saved you time and effort to do something that was required due to your actions.

powerful_Rogue

Sandtree said:

To play devils advocate.... what is the legal grounds for the courier to charge (rather than the moral grounds)?

There is no contract between the recipient and the courier... we all know that one when a courier loses/damages a parcel... so its not a contractual obligation to pay them. So is there a statute that allows them to?

Put it another way, if @mattyprice4004 was kind enough to decide to randomly pay my self assessment tax bill without my requesting him to etc I doubt he'd have legal grounds to sue me for it let alone adding an admin fee on top.

PS... I know this is how it does work but not sure what creates the debt, and particularly the admin fee, in the first instance beyond the moral.

Duties and taxes are the responsability of the importer. The courier is carrying out this function on behalf of HMRC.

sheramber

Sandtree said:

To play devils advocate.... what is the legal grounds for the courier to charge (rather than the moral grounds)?

There is no contract between the recipient and the courier... we all know that one when a courier loses/damages a parcel... so its not a contractual obligation to pay them. So is there a statute that allows them to?

Put it another way, if @mattyprice4004 was kind enough to decide to randomly pay my self assessment tax bill without my requesting him to etc I doubt he'd have legal grounds to sue me for it let alone adding an admin fee on top.

PS... I know this is how it does work but not sure what creates the debt, and particularly the admin fee, in the first instance beyond the moral.

You can go to the entry point and pay the duty yourself to avoid paying a courier to do it or you.
If your parcel is not noted appropriately then the courier pays the duty on your behalf as stated on the government page.