Cheap Mercedes Alloys?

[E55BOF]

Nothing to do with HMRC; it's not import duty or VAT. In the unlikely event that a mistake has been made in Customs clearance, that can be corrected, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. Legal proceedings would go nowhere; I have no contract with UPS, but the amount is so small that it would not be worth it.

I'd just like to know what the legal basis is for this charge being levied on the recipient. Royal Mail don't try to charge me for carrying parcels to my door and ringing the doorbell.....

 

[SpikyMikey]

Depends on the Incoterm used by the sender when booking the shipment with UPS. I guess they used the common "DAP" - Delivered At Place.
Basically the sender pays for everything bar any cost involved with the clearance of the goods (VAT, Duty & clearance charges), which the receiver must pay UPS for.
When we send our stuff to customers, it goes "DDP" - Deliver Duty Paid, which basically means UPS or whoever bills us for any charges they incur. And man, do they ever!!!
Just as an example, here's a recent invoice for one of our International shipments giving a breakdown of charges.

 

[E55BOF]

I found this:

"Entry Preparation Fee: UPS will charge a fee for every import shipment subject to formal customs entry requirements and not requiring duties, taxes and other governmental charges pre-paid on behalf of the payer. 6,60 € per shipment."

So UPS is charging a fee for presenting the goods for Customs clearance? I don't see that the customer is liable, and there's nothing about it in the ad. I'll pay it - it's washers - and ask why I'm liable separately, just for interest.

 

[SpikyMikey]

I found this:

"Entry Preparation Fee: UPS will charge a fee for every import shipment subject to formal customs entry requirements and not requiring duties, taxes and other governmental charges pre-paid on behalf of the payer. 6,60 € per shipment."

So UPS is charging a fee for presenting the goods for Customs clearance? I don't see that the customer is liable, and there's nothing about it in the ad. I'll pay it - it's washers - and ask why I'm liable separately, just for interest.

Yep exactly. Your seller really should have pointed that out.

 

[clk320x]

I found this:

"Entry Preparation Fee: UPS will charge a fee for every import shipment subject to formal customs entry requirements and not requiring duties, taxes and other governmental charges pre-paid on behalf of the payer. 6,60 € per shipment."

So UPS is charging a fee for presenting the goods for Customs clearance? I don't see that the customer is liable, and there's nothing about it in the ad. I'll pay it - it's washers - and ask why I'm liable separately, just for interest.

Good luck getting a reply from them.

I sent a parcel via UPS, cost me £30 ish, had a random £17 charge from UPS on my card a week or so later, no luck finding out what it was for via email. Gave up - as phone calls lead to a wasted hour. If you have free time though worth a go.

 

[E55BOF]

Good luck getting a reply from them.

I sent a parcel via UPS, cost me £30 ish, had a random £17 charge from UPS on my card a week or so later, no luck finding out what it was for via email. Gave up - as phone calls lead to a wasted hour. If you have free time though worth a go.

I'm not the sender, though; I'm the recipient. UPS don't have my card details, which is presumably why they sent me an invoice for payment. I'll pay this one by bank transfer, but if the same thing happens with the second set of wheels, once they have safely arrived I'll reply declining to pay on the grounds that I'm not legally liable for the debt, and see what happens. I can't believe a big company like UPS would knowingly send out speculative invoices asking for small payments from people not actually liable for those payments, so maybe it's a computer glitch.

I do have plenty of free time...

 

[Doodle]

Royal Mail don't try to charge me for carrying parcels to my door and ringing the doorbell.....

Except when those parcels have come from overseas and are not exempt. Their charges are even more expensive than UPS, and usually only release the goods once paid.

I ran this past a friend while we were out for dinner this evening, she's worked in courier and customs clearance for about 20-odd years now. If it's just UPS's charge and nothing else, then by all means have at it; that's between you and them and it's basically an implied nicety that you'll pay, but with the caveat of burned bridges. You can probably even phone them to negotiate.
If there's any element owing to HMRC, just pay it. They're like the Dementors from Harry Potter, except with even less compunction.

 

[E55BOF]

No, it's nothing to do with HMRC. I'd not bother to negotiate over such a small amount, but it's really idle curiosity which leads me to wonder if I'm actually obliged to pay UPS at all. The use of the phrase 'maintains the right', rather than 'has the right', strikes me as lawyer-speak for 'we hope you will think that you are obliged to pay', which suggests to me that it's speculative rather than legally sound.

 

[Spider10]

The way I didn't have to pay the fed ex bill is I argued that I never gave them permission to act as my broker ie pay the tax and then bill me ,I said if they can prove on paper that I gave my permission then I would quite happily pay the bill
Never heard anything else from them

 

[Doodle]

No, it's nothing to do with HMRC. I'd not bother to negotiate over such a small amount, but it's really idle curiosity which leads me to wonder if I'm actually obliged to pay UPS at all. The use of the phrase 'maintains the right', rather than 'has the right', strikes me as lawyer-speak for 'we hope you will think that you are obliged to pay', which suggests to me that it's speculative rather than legally sound.

That was the understanding I had from my conversations tonight, especially if they've already handed over the parcel. It feels increasingly speculative - I had assumed that there was some element of monies owing to HMRC which had required them to do some clearance work (because that's usually the case). Looking at the whole picture now, it's like they've just sent you a begging letter because the parcel from overseas has given them an opportunity.

 

[clk320x]

I do have plenty of free time...

Ah ok. In that case I can understand.