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I bought some goods from China a few weeks back and today received a VAT invoice from DHL.
DHL delivered the items to me and claim that VAT was due at customs. I don't dispute this and accept that I have to pay the outstanding VAT. BUT they've added a £10 admin charge to the invoice which I do dispute as I did not request this service.
Anyone else been in a similar situation? The invoice is targeted at my own company not me as an individual as the product is being used by us for R&D. I don't really want to end up with a default notice for the sake of £10 but equally don't want to give DHL £10 for a computer generated letter.
"DHL delivered the items to me and claim that VAT was due at customs. I don't dispute this and accept that I have to pay the outstanding VAT. BUT they've added a £10 admin charge to the invoice which I do dispute as I did not request this service."
By employing them (via proxy) to deliver your goods, you did request that service.
I had one a while back....
I just pay as its usually less than I get stitched up by parcelforce.
Its just the price of doing business abroad, just make sure the invoices are adjusted to a favourable amount 🙂
It is generally considered a legitimate charge, somebody had to process it through customs, someone has to manage the admin to pay HMRC, someone has to be there to answer the phone when you call up to complain, someone has to chase you for the money, someone has to process your payment, whilst it is mostly automated they had to invest in those systems, maintain them (IT guys are expensive!) and feed the meter to keep it all working.
Other companies charge similar, or even greater amounts! Royal mail charge you and hold the package. I think the last parcel-force one I had was £25!
FedEx have been doing it for years. It's not a legitimate charge because you didn't instruct them to pay HMRC the VAT. You also didn't employ them - unless you did, of course - and have no contract whatsoever with them; the person you bought the item from did. Plenty of people have refused to pay the admin fee on these grounds. Try a web search for 'FedEx customs charge'.
is it really worth the hassle? Chalk it up to experience and next time factor it into the money you have saved.
Were the goods correctly valued on the import documents?
you can opt to attend an innovations workshop instead*
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*not actually true but I like the use of Lego in the picture £10 doesn't buy a lot
Personally its an ok deal and is really part of the whole clearance in the air process and I would see this as a legitimate part of their service.
Def better than it ending up being held in customs awaiting payment.
£10 for brokerage of your goods through customs sounds pretty fair
Yes, its payable and £10 is quite a cheap admin fee too. I've been charged £25 admin before by others.
Count yourself lucky a friend of mine had some suits from HK impounded. It took him months to get them.