FedEx/Control Account pursuit of VAT not owed

Casskale

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

DullGreyGuy said:

The legislation entitles the charge to cover the cost of providing the service

I agree they can charge the disbursement fee and that's fair enough (so was included in the £41.81 I said OP should pay), I haven't checked but I would assume the same legislation doesn't cover the debt recovery fees? 

DullGreyGuy said:
if you require extended credit terms and additional help being reminded you have to pay then an extra £3.75 doesnt sound too bad for it.

It doesn't but why pay it? They didn't ask nicely and have no way to enforce it.  

They can obviously just not deliver any parcels to the OP going forward.  It's hardly a sensible decision to cut off purchases from anyone who uses FedEx just because you incorrectly think they've done something wrong.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Casskale said:

They can obviously just not deliver any parcels to the OP going forward.  It's hardly a sensible decision to cut off purchases from anyone who uses FedEx just because you incorrectly think they've done something wrong.

Long time, no speak.

So, how have you been? 

raddougall

Adding to this thread because I have a similar problem with Fedex. 

Delivering a parcel with no warning that it's from abroad and then subsequently sending a demand for payment of VAT and other charges over 2 weeks after the delivery is flipping scam. 

I never agreed to those charges. I didn't accept the parcel on the basis of being charged another £50. Probably 10-20 parcels get delivered to my address every week, how the heck is anyone accepting a delivery supposed to know there is a charge for it. It likely wasn't even me who took it from the delivery driver. 

It's like a shop letting you sample some food, waiting until you've swallowed it and then telling you it was chargeable because it contained an ingredient from another country and demanding £50 before you leave the shop. On what freeking planet is that acceptable? You can't demand payment after the fact.

I did not know the parcel was being sent from outside the UK so how could I possibly have known about charges in advance. As someone already mentioned, the gov website says the carrier can hold the parcel until charges are paid, which is fine, presented with the options I would have said to return it to sender. I don't see how they can assume that I agree to charges and then try to pressure me into paying them. 

Aylesbury_Duck

raddougall said:

Adding to this thread because I have a similar problem with Fedex. 

Delivering a parcel with no warning that it's from abroad and then subsequently sending a demand for payment of VAT and other charges over 2 weeks after the delivery is flipping scam. 

I never agreed to those charges. I didn't accept the parcel on the basis of being charged another £50. Probably 10-20 parcels get delivered to my address every week, how the heck is anyone accepting a delivery supposed to know there is a charge for it. It likely wasn't even me who took it from the delivery driver. 

It's like a shop letting you sample some food, waiting until you've swallowed it and then telling you it was chargeable because it contained an ingredient from another country and demanding £50 before you leave the shop. On what freeking planet is that acceptable? You can't demand payment after the fact.

I did not know the parcel was being sent from outside the UK so how could I possibly have known about charges in advance. As someone already mentioned, the gov website says the carrier can hold the parcel until charges are paid, which is fine, presented with the options I would have said to return it to sender. I don't see how they can assume that I agree to charges and then try to pressure me into paying them. 

There is no scam, unless the parcel you received was entirely unsolicited and sent only to cost you money.  Was it?  If it's something you ordered, it's your responsibility to know where you're ordering it from and whether charges apply, because it's you importing the goods.

Your shop analogy is flawed.   Fedex can demand payment after the fact.  Someone posted the precise legislation showing that.

born_again

raddougall said:

Adding to this thread because I have a similar problem with Fedex. 

Delivering a parcel with no warning that it's from abroad and then subsequently sending a demand for payment of VAT and other charges over 2 weeks after the delivery is flipping scam. 

I never agreed to those charges. I didn't accept the parcel on the basis of being charged another £50. Probably 10-20 parcels get delivered to my address every week, how the heck is anyone accepting a delivery supposed to know there is a charge for it. It likely wasn't even me who took it from the delivery driver. 

It's like a shop letting you sample some food, waiting until you've swallowed it and then telling you it was chargeable because it contained an ingredient from another country and demanding £50 before you leave the shop. On what freeking planet is that acceptable? You can't demand payment after the fact.

I did not know the parcel was being sent from outside the UK so how could I possibly have known about charges in advance. As someone already mentioned, the gov website says the carrier can hold the parcel until charges are paid, which is fine, presented with the options I would have said to return it to sender. I don't see how they can assume that I agree to charges and then try to pressure me into paying them. 

As you are the importer it is your responsibility👍 Check retailers T/C & charges.

Just about all from out of UK will mention that they are not liable for local taxes & import charges. 

Such as AliExpress & this is just on a item description page & not hidden away.
For items delivered from outside the European Union, you may be subject to additional charges for VAT and, when applicable, customs duties in your country. If AliExpress is obliged by law to collect VAT, you will see the VAT inclusive price at checkout. For more information about these costs, please contact the tax and customs authorities in your country.

DullGreyGuy

raddougall said:

Adding to this thread because I have a similar problem with Fedex. 

Delivering a parcel with no warning that it's from abroad and then subsequently sending a demand for payment of VAT and other charges over 2 weeks after the delivery is flipping scam. 

I never agreed to those charges. I didn't accept the parcel on the basis of being charged another £50. Probably 10-20 parcels get delivered to my address every week, how the heck is anyone accepting a delivery supposed to know there is a charge for it. It likely wasn't even me who took it from the delivery driver. 

It's like a shop letting you sample some food, waiting until you've swallowed it and then telling you it was chargeable because it contained an ingredient from another country and demanding £50 before you leave the shop. On what freeking planet is that acceptable? You can't demand payment after the fact. 

The law says you did agree to them by virtue of asking an overseas seller to ship the items to you from outside the UK. It's one of the few areas of law where it's not a nanny state and people are expected to know and accept the consequences of their actions. 

Its not a shop allowing you to sample food and then billing for it... its you going to a restaurant, without looking at the menu asking for their biggest steak and best bottle of red then complaining when the £5,000 bill comes after you've finished the Château Haut-Brion 2008. Everyone else looked at the menu, saw the prices and so went for the steak-frits and a Diet Coke. You then try to blame the restaurant for some reason when you got what you asked for and billed accordingly. 

visidigi

To be clear for all - if you are approached to pay the charges by FedEx this is because the shipper told FedEx you were to pay them if they were levied.

FedEx are only doing what they were asked by the shipper, who is doing what you asked when you purchased goods from them.

raddougall

visidigi said:

To be clear for all - if you are approached to pay the charges by FedEx this is because the shipper told FedEx you were to pay them if they were levied.

FedEx are only doing what they were asked by the shipper, who is doing what you asked when you purchased goods from them.

"...who is doing what you asked when you purchased goods from them. " < you're making a large assumption here that the seller said this and also that the seller disclosed that they are shipping from abroad.

This needs to change because consumers are getting shafted. We can't complain because the deed has been done, so we have no way not to accept this. In any other situation this would be called Fraud.

eskbanker

Who is the seller?

visidigi

raddougall said:

visidigi said:

To be clear for all - if you are approached to pay the charges by FedEx this is because the shipper told FedEx you were to pay them if they were levied.

FedEx are only doing what they were asked by the shipper, who is doing what you asked when you purchased goods from them.

"...who is doing what you asked when you purchased goods from them. " < you're making a large assumption here that the seller said this and also that the seller disclosed that they are shipping from abroad.

This is a dumb situation really because its a 3 way. Its like 3 people all arriving at a roundabout at the same time, I never agreed to charges, Fedex say I did and the seller told them to contact me, the seller never disclosed to me that it was from abroad, Fedex gave me no prior warning of this shipment having fees, I am supposed to pay VAT on things I import but did I really 'import' something if I had no idea.

It needs to change because consumers are getting shafted and they can't complain because it seems the deed as been done so they have no way not to accept this. In any other situation this would be called Fraud.

 
You are responsible for knowing when you buy something if there is importation required - you seem to be looking for any 'out' you can to absolve yourself of responsibility for buying an item - and throwing around words like scam and fraud doesn't exactly look like a good approach.

If the shipper you bought from didn't, in either website, or checkout process, inform you it was coming from abroad and/or that you would be liable for the import fees then your argument here isn't with FedEx, its will the seller you bought from.

If they did (and they generally do in those terms and conditions they have) then you were made aware and you should be paying the amounts (and the fees for doing so, as it would cost you far more to have cleared it yourself or via a broker).

You say FedEx didn't tell you, well check the shipment information - see if your email or mobile phone number was given to them by the shipper - if they didn't then there is no way for FedEx to tell you - the fact you got it in a letter means it looks highly likely the shipper didn't give the courier your contact information.

It doesn't need to change - its worked just fine for years and the laws cover it. What it depends on is the shipper being clear with you and giving the carrier enough information to be able to let the customer know.