Sending parcels to Ireland - What to do?

Nebbit

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

soolin

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did the value of the books plus the postage exceed €45 as then duty would be payable. Even if you declared the value of the books as a negligible amount, customs can consider the value under declared and expect the recipient to pay the charges. 

35har1old

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did you include a commercial invoice and codes for the items which are available online
Do you no anybody who lives in Northern Ireland who could forward the parcel on to the address in the Irish Republic
Have you asked other carriers for a quote for delivery who may no what information is required for a successful delivery

Nebbit

I followed the procedure requested by the post office which works successfully with other countries eg France & Italy. 

Nebbit

soolin said:

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did the value of the books plus the postage exceed €45 as then duty would be payable. Even if you declared the value of the books as a negligible amount, customs can consider the value under declared and expect the recipient to pay the charges. 

The value of a parcel containing one book was definitely below that level

BethRobinson

soolin said:

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did the value of the books plus the postage exceed €45 as then duty would be payable. Even if you declared the value of the books as a negligible amount, customs can consider the value under declared and expect the recipient to pay the charges. 

The returned parcel would say whether a charge was applied to it if it was returned.

martindow

Were they really a gift?  If this was a sale, Gift is not the correct declaration as you should tick the Goods you are selling box and put the HS Tariff number in the box lower down.  For Royal Mail you use the CN22 form which you should also sign and date at the bottom.

I imagine it coould be returned if they consider there is an error on the form or that the declaration does not match the contents in some way.

Nebbit

martindow said:

Were they really a gift?  If this was a sale, Gift is not the correct declaration as you should tick the Goods you are selling box and put the HS Tariff number in the box lower down.  For Royal Mail you use the CN22 form which you should also sign and date at the bottom.

I imagine it coould be returned if they consider there is an error on the form or that the declaration does not match the contents in some way.

It was definitely not a sale. I did use the CN22 form. The purpose of sending the books was for the people in Ireland to write reviews for a publication I edit, on a voluntary basis. And they are  paid for writing the reviews either. I could have put 'commercial sample' but as  no one was making any money, I think 'Gift' is the most honest description. It may be that someone in Ireland opened the parcels, saw the publisher's press release accompanying the book, and thought it was something fishy?

Nebbit

I mean to say 'They are *not* paid for writing the reviews'

Nebbit

If anyone is still reading this, I can now report that I have got some more information, after negotiating with the Irish Post Office through Twitter.  I was told that the parcels were returned undelivered because the recipients were asked to pay customs duty, and did not pay. I then said surely if it is a gift they should not have to pay. I was told that yes anything stated as a gift and valued as under 45 Euros inc postage should not attract duty. My item was well below this value. But apparently even though I wrote 'gift' on the customs declaration sticker, the post office worker completing an online form on her computer classified the parcel as 'other' and therefore the electronic systems immediately triggered a charge. Once a charge has been requested there is always a long delay in case the recipient wishes to pay, before the decision is made to return the item to the sender.  I *may* now have the courage to try sending another parcel to Ireland....

Sledger

Interesting I sent 10 Floppy discs disquetes to Dublin and this was sent to Royal Mail today following endless e mail exchanges hitting a brick wall.

Sent: 16 December 2024 00:18

To: (Removed by Forum Team) at royalmail.com ; postalreview at royalmail.com 
Subject: To The CEO Escalated Complaint 1-(Removed by Forum Team) - ECRT/MM - Enquiry Reference: (Removed by Forum Team)

 

Dear CEO Simon Thompson 

Now to complicate things further my second order attempt to Dublin  placed on 17 October was giving a Tracking number "GREAT"  and advised the recipient to track it.  This given Tracking number did not work only to be informed by RM it can't be tracked and still No answer why RM give a Tracking Number so have your IT remove it from your site to avoid giving false claims.  Endless message exchanges with the recipient as to the parcel whereabouts hit a brick wall.    The parcel contained 10 No brand new floppy Discs (Disquetes)  as declared on the attached hand wriiten Parcel Packaging form given to me at Addlestone Post Office. This parcel was returned to me on the 9 December where somebody has inserted CD on it  ??? and the item is not on your prohibited list to Dublin so what is the issue.

By complete contrast I purchased a Battery from China  years back for 99p which was a complete mystery. Excluding the actual battery cost, packaging, labour and profit there was a 10% e bay fee a 30p min Paypal fee leaving 60p for international Postage from China to the UK.  This prohibited battery arrived by RM where you could not post a letter for 60P so how that work ???s.  All the prohibited items internationally and within UK can be ourchaed on E bay for decades such as propane lighter fluid, 1 lite of metalated spirt etc. How??

From: customerresolution at royalmail.com 
Sent: 06 December 2024 17:44
To:  *****hotmail.com>
Subject: 1-(Removed by Forum Team) - ECRT/MM - Enquiry Reference: (Removed by Forum Team) 

Enquiry Reference # (Removed by Forum Team) Response By E-mail ((Removed by Forum Team)) (06/12/2024 05.44 PM) Dear ****   Thanks for your email.   I've picked up this case on behalf of my colleague Salina and I'm sorry to learn that you remain unhappy with her response.  I understand that she explained in her previous email to you that any further appeals would need to be considered by the Postal Review Panel. Our position on this has not changed and should you wish to appeal my decision you will need to contact them.  They can be contacted by emailing postalreview@royalmail.com, or by writing to Freepost Postal Review Panel.  Please quote the reference number 1-. Thank you for contacting me again and I am sincerely sorry that I cannot send you a more favourable reply.   Kind regards (Removed by Forum Team)