UPS Custom charges not billed at time of importation

tonydoh111

Hi, I bought a jacket from a website called eXXpozed 8 weeks ago and it was delivered from Germany by UPS. It was too big so I returned it and was refunded in full, Brilliant.
However, yesterday I received an invoice from UPS for £76.97 for "Custom charges not billed at time of importation". Now had I known I would have to pay this I would never have bought the jacket in the first place or wouldnt have taken from the UPS delivery driver. Receiving this bill 8 weeks later seems laughable, can anyone tell me where I stand with this legally its outrageous!

Diamandis

It's up to you to check the customs charges when importing items from other countries. There may be a way to claim back from hmrc if you've returned it and have proof of doing so.

Aylesbury_Duck

tonydoh111 said:

Hi, I bought a jacket from a website called eXXpozed 8 weeks ago and it was delivered from Germany by UPS. It was too big so I returned it and was refunded in full, Brilliant.
However, yesterday I received an invoice from UPS for £76.97 for "Custom charges not billed at time of importation". Now had I known I would have to pay this I would never have bought the jacket in the first place or wouldnt have taken from the UPS delivery driver. Receiving this bill 8 weeks later seems laughable, can anyone tell me where I stand with this legally its outrageous!

You owe the money, it's entirely legal and not at all outrageous.  You as the importer of the goods are liable for any customs charges.  The retailer doesn't need to tell you and indeed, no retailer is going to waste their time calculating potential customs charges to any of the dozens of countries their customers might order from.  It's your responsibility to research what charges might apply.

What UPS and pretty much all couriers do is pay the charge on your behalf and then pass the cost onto you.  They aren't going to sit on a warehouse full of parcels awaiting importers to pay the charges before delivering them to their final destination.

What you may be able to do is to reclaim the charge from HMRC since you returned the item, but any administrative charges levied by UPS will still be yours to pay, and you need to pay the whole of UPS's bill first.  They'll pursue you legally, otherwise.

born_again

This has been the case since we left the EU. Always need to check when purchasing anything from oversea's if you are liable for duties payable.

Sadly if they wanted the charge when it was delivered. Saying return the item, does not get you out of paying the import duties/vat etc that HMRC want, or UPS charge for processing the duties.

As you returned the item, you can claim the charges (or at least the HMRC ones) back.

sheramber

As UK is no longer in EU customs import charges/VAT are due on purchases from out with UK. By ordering from abroad you are the importer.

The courier who collects the parcel from customs pays any charges due on your behalf unless you elect to travel to the import warehouse and clear customs yourself. the courier also charges a handling charge.

details are here
https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad

You now owe the courier who will  pursue the debt.

As you have returned the goods I believe you  may be able to apply to HMRC Customs and Excise for a refund of the  their charges but you will not get a refund of the courier's handling charge.

mattyprice4004

This has been the case for years now - if you import from outside of the UK, there's charges to pay. 
Legally you have to pay it, it's not the fault of UPS that you didn't know the rules. 
You can claim a refund from HMRC but it'll be less the import charges. 

screech_78

How on earth is it outrageous? You’ve imported from from outside of the UK and therefore, you’re liable for the associated costs. It’s your responsibility to make yourself away of the costs involved. 

pinkshoes

tonydoh111 said:

Hi, I bought a jacket from a website called eXXpozed 8 weeks ago and it was delivered from Germany by UPS. It was too big so I returned it and was refunded in full, Brilliant.
However, yesterday I received an invoice from UPS for £76.97 for "Custom charges not billed at time of importation". Now had I known I would have to pay this I would never have bought the jacket in the first place or wouldnt have taken from the UPS delivery driver. Receiving this bill 8 weeks later seems laughable, can anyone tell me where I stand with this legally its outrageous!

Their website delivery section states:

About deliveries to non-EU countries and incurring additional duties and fees you can find information for example at http://auskunft.ezt-online.de/ezto/Welcome.do and especially for Switzerland at http://xtares.admin.ch/tares/login/loginFormFiller.do.

And it also states:

When delivery address is located in Switzerland, United Kingdom or outside the European Union, tax of 19% (DE) is deducted in the checkout.

We left the EU in January 2021 so the consumer has been responsible for import duties for a long time. This is something you need to factor in when purchasing outside the EU. No different to buying anything from other non-EU countries in the past. 

It would be best to pay the money owed, then claim it back. You won't get all of it back as there will be handling fees that usually get added on too. 

Manxman_in_exile

Can import/customs charges be reclaimed after you have returned the goods?

I'm sure this has cropped up before and I seem to recall that it was pointed out that the relevant HMRC web page and form said that the reclaim had to be done before return.

I may be mistaken but I suppose it is to try to ensure that goods actually are being returned, and people aren't just saying they've been returned.

halla

I’ve just been given a £1000 bill for import duty, that I had no knowledge of.  The web site METECHNIC did not have any signs of import costs.

they Ask you to wait while there expert delivery guy works out the delivery cost.  Why not give a warning, here.
I also buy car parts from AUTODOC a German company.  Should I be expecting an import bill to appear, any time soon.
they have sites for different languages, how difficult is it to give a clear warning.  I see this as theft.
then theirs tnt.  Often my daughter buys from Hong Kong.  I get a card from the post office.  It’s up to me whether I pay the extra.  I believe they send the parcel back.  And refunds given.

it is a shock and no way can you back out of the transaction.
mecatechnic do not care, they have your money.
tnt do not care because they pay your import duty and charge you what they want for handling+ duty.
this is white collar stealing.

This is totally wrong.  Because there was no indication of import duty will be added.
ian

I will pay the extra £1000.

but for those that like to be an pain.  I still have a Porsche 911e 1971.

Pollycat

halla said:

I’ve just been given a £1000 bill for import duty, that I had no knowledge of.  The web site METECHNIC did not have any signs of import costs.

they Ask you to wait while there expert delivery guy works out the delivery cost.  Why not give a warning, here.
I also buy car parts from AUTODOC a German company.  Should I be expecting an import bill to appear, any time soon.
they have sites for different languages, how difficult is it to give a clear warning.  I see this as theft.
then theirs tnt.  Often my daughter buys from Hong Kong.  I get a card from the post office.  It’s up to me whether I pay the extra.  I believe they send the parcel back.  And refunds given.

it is a shock and no way can you back out of the transaction.
mecatechnic do not care, they have your money.
tnt do not care because they pay your import duty and charge you what they want for handling+ duty.
this is white collar stealing.

This is totally wrong.  Because there was no indication of import duty will be added.
ian

I will pay the extra £1000.

but for those that like to be an pain.  I still have a Porsche 911e 1971.

Was this a business to business transaction?
If so you have no consumer rights.

Was your order from Autodoc fulfilled from the UK or Germany?