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Ordered something from Poland recently via DHL. Got the demand for Brexit-based charges before it left Poland, paid it, got the receipt.
Now I get a phone call claiming to be from DHL, asking for a similar, but slightly higher amount, for 'VAT' (Tax was included in the earlier amount). They know my name, number (obviously), and the company I'm ordering from. I told her the relevant customs charge and tax had already been paid and ended the call. The amount I paid seems right based on an online import duty calculator, so I don't think I've underpaid.
Am I being a bit paranoid to think it smells scammy? It's not beyond the realms of possibility for DHL to just be a bit shit...
The whole system is rubbish and it cold well be a scam also.
I bought some items from Europe once, they shipped in two packages but with one invoice. I had to pay twice for the whole amount and it was wrong anyway.
The amount I paid seems right based on an online import duty calculator, so I don’t think I’ve underpaid.
You have to pay import duty and VAT - it's usual for shipping companies to collect the VAT (you're not going to pay VAT to a Polish company).
You should get a breakdown of what charges you paid before it left Poland - was this to DHL or the company you purchased from?
If you've got paper work from DHL I'd be inclined to say it's a scam.....
(you’re not going to pay VAT to a Polish company)
You are if they've registered to pay UK VAT. Or used a service that handles UK VAT for them. Of course, that doesn't mean that cockups and chaos won't result in the VAT being requested on delivery as well.
You should get a breakdown of what charges you paid before it left Poland – was this to DHL or the company you purchased from?
Sales tax was removed from the price I paid in Poland, so I owe VAT, but the goods were of 'EU origin', so as I understand it do not attract customs charges (as long as the manufacturer has stated this etc).
So it's VAT plus whatever charge DHL want to gouge from me for sorting it out. I definitely paid an amount equivalent to the 20% plus charge, so the VAT has been covered.
It's such a simple system, I can't believe why we didn't adopt it decades ago instead of this free trade bollocks. 🙂
Neither of the two possible explanations for the call reflects well on DHL, though.
I ordered something from Poland a few months ago. As I wasn't VAT registered they said they needed to add VAT at 20% to my order. The total including VAT came to around £120. I wasn't charged any more or any import duty by their courier (can't remember who but probably DHL or FedEx).
We are having a nightmare with this in work, each courier company seems to be interpreting the rules differently, quite often if you can speak to someone it gets sorted, but it's a big pita
I sent a pair of binoculars to Czech Republic for repair. The repair was somewhere in the region of £275 plus about 45 quid return carriage, incl VAT and customs clearance.
Because I wanted the initial package to be fully insured (Parcelforce) I completed an invoice showing the total replacement cost (£1000) . I also included a scanned copy of the original 2016 purchase invoice (incl VAT) from the original UK retailer.
There was a requirement to complete an export/import declaration, and there was a choice of categories to state what I was exporting to Czech Republic. There was no category for repairs under temporary export but nevertheless overtyped the category with the words "for repair" several times.
I received the return package with the import paperwork clearly showing that the importation/customs fees had been paid for by the sender, and that there were no charges outstanding for the recipient. The invoice on the package, and the invoice I had received and saved showed that the charge was for repair and service.
The carrier emailed me several days later with a demand for import duty, customs clearance and VAT for the value of the binoculars.
I contacted their customer services and sent them detailed evidence of all of the above. Invoices, original purchase receipt, carrier papers showing duty and customs clearance already paid, and evidence that the VAT had already been paid in 2016 on original import.
They waived all fees. But I responded to the effect that had I not had all that paperwork, or the nouse to challenge the demand I would have been seriously out of pocket. I even tactfully told them that I would give the benefit of the doubt between incompetency and what could have been construed as a fraud, but unsurprisingly heard nothing back. Tossers.
Spoke to DHL, confirmed all charges have been paid.
So be warned if you're ordering stuff from abroad - if it's a scam, it's a bloody sophisticated one, and has enough detail to sound very plausible.