Parts from Germany, delivered, import VAT letter from P/Force AFTER delivery?

motorguy

Ok, so ordered some new car parts from a German Ebay seller.

• Parts dispatched
• Arrived in UK via ParcelForce.
• Notice from ParcelForce that it was with Customs and if Import Duty was due i would get a letter about the amount due which i would need to pay, then parcel would be delivered.
• Parcel arrived Friday via Parcelforce.

Got a letter from Parcelforce yesterday saying

• Excise Duty, Import VAT and clearance fee of £66.55 due
• When i pay it goods will be released and delivered
• If not paid within 20 days they would return the goods to sender

All fair enough, but i have the goods here?

There is no "if you dont pay we will come hunt you down for the money", just that they wont deliver the goods and return them to the sender?

I'm in Northern Ireland if that makes any difference but i doubt it.

Any thoughts?

• Pay it?
• Ignore it?

powerful_Rogue

Pay it. The money is owed. All that will happen if you don't is that they will pass it to their debt collectors.

theonlywayisup

Some couriers do payment before, some after and some a mix of both.  It is due so you have to pay it, regardless of when the notification arrived. 

motorguy

Just tried to pay it and the payment reference number comes up as "No charges are available for this parcel."

So i cant pay it anyway.

I guess i'll wait and see if theres a follow up letter.

prowla

Keep a screenshot of the attempt to pay!

Thrugelmir

How do PF request you settle the charges? A letter sounds as if the goods were incorrectly released. 

Tranboy

People at my work have been banned from using our address for goods ordered from abroad due to this problem.  Trainers ordered from America were after delivery followed by an invoice from UPS that came to more than half the value of the goods, he was made to pay it with no option of just ignoring it.

motorguy

Could it be because of the NI Protocol and it was raised in error?

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/eu-exit-and-northern-ireland-protocol

"This allows goods to flow to and from NI to the ROI and the rest of the EU as they did while the UK was a member of the EU, without customs checks, tariffs or new paperwork."

motorguy

An update - got another letter from Parcel Force, same as last one, only £0.00 in all the columns.

I "assume" its to do with the Northern Ireland protocol.