Reclaiming my import duty / tax

babajang

To set the scene i purchased a pair of £180 walking boots from a company called Onrunning, the website was completely in English and all prices listed in sterling so being a little naïve I believed it to be a UK site, but no, it was a German based website.

 A week later i was contacted by UPS saying I owed £80 import fees, I decided that I wouldn't pay these fees and would let the package be returned to sender... As you can guess this wasn't the case, I had a UPS delivery which I didn't have to pay to receive or even sign for! This package was for the boots, which I have since returned to sender as I didn't want them with the astronomical price of import (even though UPS didn't chase for any payment) obviously I have kept all proof of this happening, receipts and tracking numbers.

Fast-forward a couple of months and I receive a letter from a company called Control Account, a debt collection agency demanding the import duty AND collection fees, I explained to them the situation which they have acknowledged but after another couple of months they write again to me demanding more money!! I have looked into this company and its a completely legit company and are acting 100% on behalf of UPS.

I'm disgusted with UPS as they operate on a policy of the customer must pay to receive items that have import duty on, they have taken the decision to pay the fees on my behalf and then send a debt collection agency to harass me! As this was upsetting certain family members I bit the bullet and paid but now need advise on how I will go about claiming what I can back from HRMC? its very confusing as there are many forms and if anyone has experience in this field i would appreciate a little guidance .

Thrugelmir

There's no possibility of recovering the taxes paid. Don't blame UPS either. They are simply operating the rules as they should. 

sheramber

Although you sent them back , or even of you had refused the package on delivery, the package has been imported by you as the buyer and import charges are due. y going to the entry port

 You cannot recliam import charges for a change of mind.

Flight3287462

You wouldn't/shouldn't have been charged VAT in Germany.  It would only be payable (+ import tax) when it arrived in the UK.

Aylesbury_Duck

You are responsible for any import charges because you are the importer.

Keep_pedalling

Flight3287462 said:

You wouldn't/shouldn't have been charged VAT in Germany.  It would only be payable (+ import tax) when it arrived in the UK.

The seller would have applied UK VAT (German VAT is 19%), but because the boots exceeded £135, import duty would have also been applied by HMRC. Additional VAT would also be added as you have to pay VAT on top of any import duty.

If the OP still has the appropriate info they should be able to claim back any additional import taxes from HMRC, but not the UPS charges. That will be impossible if they have no proof the boots were returned.