Models from Canada wonderful Parcelforce

[Lovemymodelling]

I purchased 12 freight cars from a known Canadian shop early May, I chose the option of surface as no speedy need for the items , with the COVID delaying stuff I thought I’d just sit back and watch, when it came to end of July I thought I’d have a track and see where the parcel was i had looked early July and just stated was on the way to the U.K. after leaving Montreal, however this time I was shocked to see the parcel had been returned the day prior! I called Parcelforce and they said they had sent me my customs invoice and 2 reminders and I’ve had neither, I suspect they have used an incorrect house number as I’ve a copy of the invoice for the items and this is also folded for use as my delivery address and all is correct there, this was on 29th July and I’ve phone records to prove it and the very unhelpful Parcelforce phone operator said it couldn’t be stopped on return , so I’ve just looked at the tracking as I’m taking my complaint via resolve and the parcel didn’t leave the U.K. for return a week later , I’m trying to get them to prove to me they send it to the right address and a week later their reply is deafeningly silent ,...I have to now pay again for my models to be sent to me and I’m requesting if they are at fault that Parcelforce cover this,,,,,anyone else had customs problems lately?  

Edited August 10, 2020 by Lovemymodelling
Spelling

[298]

Not recently, but yes- I have a truss bridge with about 15000 miles on it for the same reason. 

 

Due to the current cost of importing items from the US I've been using this service alot less so can't vouch for their current performance, but I've certainly heard or experienced every single problem that they or the Royal Mail could come up with. Timings are vastly different at the moment but I recently used to try to guess where parcels were or used a proper courier with tracking, it  commonly used to take six days for each stage- firstly to arrive in the UK, then for Mount unPleasant to send it to the local sorting office, then another six for them to send a card out asking for more money. So it was worth enquiring at the sorting office after two weeks.

[rodshaw]

A problem possibly of my own making and not related to Covid delays or Parcelforce but earlier this year I ordered three Model Railroader back issues from the US. A couple of weeks later a card was dropped through my door saying I had to pay VAT and a Royal Mail handling fee. MR had posted all three mags together and the total value was over the VAT threshold.

I decided not to pay and emailed MR to say they should expect the mags to be returned from UK customs. If so, could they give me a refund or post them again but individually. They were very good about it and offered to pay the VAT and handling fee as well as giving me electronic copies. The paper copies had by now been returned to them and I was happy with the electronic ones anyway so I told them to forget it.

But just beware if you order more than one mag at a time - it doesn't take much to go over the VAT threshold.

[doctor quinn]

Hi Rod, There is no VAT on magazines so you could have appealed the decision. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users#postal-packages-imported-arriving-from-countries-outside-the-uk-or-eu

Edited August 12, 2020 by doctor quinn
Add link

[Lovemymodelling]

Thanks all I’ve tried resolve with no luck so I’m putting a claim with HM money claim online for £89’(CAD $150) they also returned the parcel in express and the business (OVR) have to pay this , it’s meant to return the same method as sent (surface) so more expense the last communication was actually saying “we are sorry you didn’t receive the charge letter” slug get admission here I think, but what also got me cross was I called them on  30th July and they said it had gone back so when I looked in Canada post tracking it didn’t leave until 5th August and was sorted at the hub on the 4th for export so why couldn’t they have sorted back to me, I’ve all the photo evidence , from now on its FedEx or UPS 

[Regularity]

Do you have a contact number for them: I don’t want to go through their automated system if I can help it!

[Lovemymodelling]

7 hours ago, Regularity said:

Do you have a contact number for them: I don’t want to go through their automated system if I can help it!

 No afraid not it’s the automated system and they they “ask” you only ask for an advisor if an emergency 

[rodshaw]

9 hours ago, doctor quinn said:

Hi Rod, There is no VAT on magazines so you could have appealed the decision. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users#postal-packages-imported-arriving-from-countries-outside-the-uk-or-eu

I can't see mention of magazines being exempt anywhere here. I don't think the domestic exemption applies to imports from outside the UK or EU. For example, try this duty calculator and be sure to specify magazines:

https://customsdutyfree.com/duty-calculator/

[melmerby]

There is no VAT on magazines. AFAIK It doesn't matter where they come from.

Newspapers, books etc. are all VAT free

https://www.centralbooks.com/kbase/magazine-publishers-information/tradetariffcommoditcodes.html

 

[Regularity]

No VAT on printed matter(is a tax on knowledge) but there is if it is in electronic format.

Make sure the customs label clearly states books/magazines/papers/printed matter. Any of those. But not “Goods”.

Ask me how I know.,, 

[z4driver]

Never had VAT charged on any book or magazine I've ordered from the US including ones I've ordered directly from Kalmbach.  As has been said books & mags VAT free.

 

Lee

Edited August 13, 2020 by z4driver
So as to make sense

[John Harris]

6 minutes ago, z4driver said:

Never had VAT charged on any book or magazine I've ordered from the US including ones I've ordered directly from Kalmbach.  As has been books & mags VAT free.

 

Lee

 

Lee is right, though as Regularity points out it should be clearly stated they are  "printed material".  I also assume the magazines didn't include a free DVD as that might make a difference.

 

I regularly order books from places as diverse as Russia and Japan, I have never encountered any delays or issues will an order.

 

jh

[doctor quinn]

As Reguarity said it depends on what the hoods are described as on the Customs Declaration.

 

Magazines are listed as Periodicals in the UK combined tariff and are zero-rated (as are books) the import VAT liability on a product is usually the same as for domestic sales.

https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/headings/4902?currency=EUR&day=12&month=8&year=2020

Edited August 13, 2020 by doctor quinn

[Regularity]

I tried the Parcelforce phone number, but it requested that only calls for delivery of parcels of a medical nature be made.

So I went on-line and filled out a question, to receive an email telling me to call their customer help line. Which is the same number!

I ignored the exhortations to hang up, and after 3 choices (2, 1 and 3, I think) was put through to a person in Aldershot who took the requisite details (tracking number, intended address, etc.) and not only provided me with the requisite 17 digit number, but also took the payment for VAT + £12, and the parcel will be delivered on Monday: online tracking confirms this status.

So, if you see that an invoice has been raised as an update on the tracking page, but you haven’t received it after a couple of days, give them a call...

[Zunnan]

I've had two issues this year with imports.

 

First one I had the customs invoice to pay come through the door, which I duly paid and then nothing. When I rang to check where it was they informed me it had been delivered, and when I went into further detail I found it had been delivered to an address in Durham, some 190 plus miles away and they wouldn't attempt to recover it. They decided to blame me for the error, to which I pointed out that they had managed to put the customs slip through the right door and asked why the parcel didn't follow, but to no avail. Thankfully the vendor could see the issues too and gave a full refund including shipping cost.

 

Second problem I had an order for several sets of Athearn replacement LEDS. Entered UK customs, then sat there at Heathrow for 4 months and the tracking went deathly silent after that. Nothing the vendor or I did in the meantime trying to get them to clear through worked. The tracking number never even passed to the Royal Mail system for them to get me a customs invoice sent out. Again, full refund was issued without question. And having asked in the several months since, the tracking number STILL shows up as held at Heathrow.

[Mike Buckner]

Misleading thread title

[Regularity]

23 minutes ago, Mike Buckner said:

Misleading thread title

Irony.

[Regularity]

I spoke too soon.

Despite having the correct address (reiterated when paying the customs fee), and two other ways of contacting me (email and phone), and being here awaiting the parcel all day, it appears that parcels leave the international hub in Coventry without suitable means of delivering them:

 

[Mike Buckner]

Waiting for a British Gas Engineer is like Tantric Sex.  You stay in all day, and nobody comes.