Import Duty Charge but Goods Already Arrived - Do I Pay?

Singhbury

Hey All - This is my first forum post!

I have recently purchased an item on Amazon for £300 and it arrived in early June with no issues.

However I have received in the last week a letter from DHL stating that outstanding tax is due amounting to £74.

I did not realise that there was an import tax duty I needed to pay so I don't want to pay this charge.

Normally, the import tax duty invoice is sent to the buyer before the goods are delivered but in my case I've had the goods for a month and I want to return the item rather than keep it and pay the import duty however the 30 day return policy from the Amazon Seller is now expired.

So I am unsure on how to proceed? Please can someone help

p3ncilsharpener

You need to pay the import duty.

J_B

Presumably, your contract is with Amazon, not DHL.

Go on your Amazon account and look at 'your account' and 'your orders' then look at 'invoice' - what does it say?

Thrugelmir

Singhbury said:

I did not realise that there was an import tax duty I needed to pay so I don't want to pay this charge.

No one does. We all live and learn. 

Unfortunately DHL are liable to pay this money over to the HMRC on your behalf. They'll therefore use every means at their disposal to collect the monies due. If you have no wish to incur further expense best to pay up now. As this matter isn't going away. 

pogofish

What has this got to do with credit cards..?

We already have plenty threads about this in more appropriate forums - and as it is your clear responsibility to be aware of potential duty issues, full chapter and verse on doing your own import clearance, which would completely avoid any expensive service/processing charge and limit any monies due to just the actual duty payable.

MallyGirl

I'll move it somewhere more appropriate

mattyprice4004

You'll need to pay. Import duty isn't a big secret - if buying from abroad it needs to be paid, and if Amazon don't pay it on your behalf (as with sales from Amazon EU) then it's down to you. 
Couriers can't win, if they held the parcel before payment then 50% of people would whine about it - and if they deliver and collect later the other 50% whinge. 

Ultimately it's on you, the consumer, to know what taxes etc will be levied if you buy from abroad. If you don't pay they'll just pass it to debt collectors and the amount will creep up.

Sandtree

Singhbury said:

I did not realise that there was an import tax duty I needed to pay so I don't want to pay this charge.

Then don't pay, it'll get passed to debt collectors and you're fairly likely to end up with a CCJ against you for 6 years but as long as you don't want any credit or mortgage etc or any jobs that require credit check in that timescale its fine.

Otherwise, pay what you owe for importing goods.

prowla

This has been the case for years - I remember long ago buying a couple of DVDs from the US and when they arrived, the duty & fees ended up take the price higher than if I'd bought them here on the High Street.

Sandtree

prowla said:

This has been the case for years - I remember long ago buying a couple of DVDs from the US and when they arrived, the duty & fees ended up take the price higher than if I'd bought them here on the High Street.

Import duty was introduced in 1932... so for a few years and long before DVDs existed

molerat

Normally, the import tax duty invoice is sent to the buyer before the goods are delivered

Only generally with Royal Mail.  All the major couriers invoice after delivery.