Import tax on countertop water filter!

s_harry

Hi there, recently I purchased a countertop filter which I was super happy with, but this was short-lived when I then received a £95 import tax bill!!  I contacted the company directly and they advised that this is due to Brexit. I replied, but haven't heard back following my customer feedback on 17 November.

Surely import tax should be stated clearly under the 'Shipping' tab? I naively assumed that as I was purchasing via a co.uk website from the UK, that import tax wouldn't apply, just a delivery charge. I looked back through the website and they have written this at the top of their webshop, however, if you click on the item you want on the home page, as I did, you would be none the wiser. Can anyone offer any help or advice or do I need to just put this down to experience, pay the £95...and in the future check EVERY website before purchasing anything to see where it is being shipped from?!!

Thanks in advance. 

Sandtree

s_harry said:

Surely import tax should be stated clearly under the 'Shipping' tab?

No, if the total value of the parcel is over £135 then its the importer's responsibility since 1st Jan 21... this is a new development and before that it was always the importer's responsibility however within the EU was tax free.

Brexit has meant more people are being hit given some companies have EU distribution centres but plenty of posts from pre-Brexit of people buying thinking it was UK or simply not realising its the importers responsibility and then getting goods coming from USA, China etc.

It'd be a nightmare for all but the largest companies to keep track of the tax regimes across the globe and tell the customer what the customer's own government is going to charge them. That said, couriers do offer their corporate customers the option of offering their customers the fully landed cost however because there is FX risk involved (the import taxes will be charged in local currency) they tend to load the price somewhat and so it can be false economy