VAT free loop hole to be closed by budget
- Thread starter mangaman74
- Start date
Neferpitou
Stand User
HdE said:
Could you please provide some evidence (internet link) that you not obliged to pay those £8 handling fees then?
HdE
Comic Book Guy
OOOPS! I'm using the term 'duty' incorrectly. It's been VAT and the Royal Mail handkling fee that I've been stuck with before. Apologies for that.
As y'all will no doubt have discerned, it's a subject I'm pretty outspoken about. But here's the thing:
I REALLY wish I could provide something conclusive. But sadly, I just can't. This is why I encourage everybody to do their own digging on the subject.
It's a situation that attracts a fair bit of attention, and there are a number of consumer advice sites where discussion of the handling fees is ongoing. It's quite surprising at how convoluted the discussion can become. This is why I describe the handling charge as 'dubious' as opposed to 'wrong' - although there are some arguments that certainly suggest that the charge is unethical.
If anyone wants to sling me a PM, I'll be happy to share a link to the discussions I've found most useful. You may want to draw your own conclusions from them.
As y'all will no doubt have discerned, it's a subject I'm pretty outspoken about. But here's the thing:
Neferpitou said:
I REALLY wish I could provide something conclusive. But sadly, I just can't. This is why I encourage everybody to do their own digging on the subject.
It's a situation that attracts a fair bit of attention, and there are a number of consumer advice sites where discussion of the handling fees is ongoing. It's quite surprising at how convoluted the discussion can become. This is why I describe the handling charge as 'dubious' as opposed to 'wrong' - although there are some arguments that certainly suggest that the charge is unethical.
If anyone wants to sling me a PM, I'll be happy to share a link to the discussions I've found most useful. You may want to draw your own conclusions from them.
ConanThe3rd
Railgun
Did this actually happen?
butch-cassidy
Straw Hat Pirate
Amazon.com already offer a service where they will pay your VAT on their end which avoids it being impounded and you having to pay those extra fees. VAT pre-paid like with Amazon and play at the moment.
Perhaps we will see more retailers taking up this sort of system?
Perhaps we will see more retailers taking up this sort of system?
otaku010884
Student Council President
I don't think it's fair that sellers or buyers should be penalized. I think it's a crock of doo doo! Animation cels are fairly few in the UK, most of them being found in the US and of course Japan. Makes me angry that collectors like me have no choice but to import but get slapped in the face by greedy governments and mailing services!
How can Royal Mail justify £8 handlin fee? Their service has been getting worse as time wares on. BOO!
This is cack! Why don't these selfish politicians get their fingers out their bums and start working FOR THE PEOPLE?! They line their pockets while the rest of us struggle! I call for an uprising, who's with me?
How can Royal Mail justify £8 handlin fee? Their service has been getting worse as time wares on. BOO!
This is cack! Why don't these selfish politicians get their fingers out their bums and start working FOR THE PEOPLE?! They line their pockets while the rest of us struggle! I call for an uprising, who's with me?
butch-cassidy said:
I would certainly support this. Everyone wins - the taxes are paid, RM and their evil sibling Parcelforce don't have to clear it for me, I don't have to pay a ridiculously disproportionate surcharge to them in return...
Regular importers should be able to set up their own accounts or prepay everywhere, Amazon.com-style.
Just got my £102 overcharge refund agreed on a previous shipment, after a couple of months. Hurrah!
R
Neferpitou
Stand User
HdE said:
While it maybe dubious fee, I don't think Royal mail will happily accept not receiving the fee. While in no regards am I suggesting you are lying, I don't think many will be able get far just refusing to pay the fee.
Maybe telling us what actions you took against royal mail to not pay the fee would be useful knowledge to enlighten us with?
Project-2501
Straw Hat Pirate
Its a handling charge, they have to do work to process the customs charges so they pass the cost on to you. People have claimed its illegal due to a clause in the postal act but the OFT ruled that they can charge for this service.
HdE
Comic Book Guy
Project-2501 said:
Now THAT is interesting.
I recently had a look back over the consumer websites that first visited when I started having problems with Royal Mail - it appears that the whole issue gets bogged down in semantics. However, some people are still having success in reclaiming the fee or not paying it at all. It appears that in spite of the OFT's ruling, there are still legal and illegal ways for mail providers to go about collecting fees.
Basically, I can't stress enough that people need to look into the situation for themselves to see what they can find out, and if they don't like what they find, then COMPLAIN about it. When numbers of people speak up, great things can be accomplished.
In response to Neferpitou:
Neferpitou said:
No problem at all, Neferpitou, and no offence taken. What you ask for is only reasonable.
For my part, I paid the fee the first time it was charged, but under protest. I've had two 'near misses' as well.
On those occasions, I've basically followed the advice that's given by the more reasonable folks commenting on the consumer advice sites that discuss the fees. I tell the staff I'm happy to pay VAT, but not the handling fee. I also remind the Post Office staff (politely - they are not the policy makers, so there's no point treating them like 'the enemy') that it is illegal for them to withold my post from me under those circumstances.
The parcels have been released to me at that point.
Project-2501
Straw Hat Pirate
HdE said:
They are not witholding the parcel illegally. The postal act specifically allows them to hold it if there are customs charges pending and also allows for them to make a charge for a service they have provided to you, in this case handling the customs process.
ilmaestro
State Alchemist
All I can say about this is that the extent to which the **** gets taken just goes up every day. £18 was a fairly crucial for anyone importing from the States, cheap sites like DVDPacific were selling $50RRP items at a price point that had finally dipped below £18 as the exchange rate slowly recovered, but there's no way it will get to the stage of that being the equivalent of £15.
Like people say, at least amazon.com's VAT prepayment might be handy now (rather than them still taking extra money for VAT on items that would never be charged, and then having to faff about to get it back >_>), but their DVD discounts are pretty ****** compared with other places.
Like people say, at least amazon.com's VAT prepayment might be handy now (rather than them still taking extra money for VAT on items that would never be charged, and then having to faff about to get it back >_>), but their DVD discounts are pretty ****** compared with other places.