Bloody Customs!!

NORTH1

I picked up a battery grip of e-bay for 31 euros happy days I thought. Well I got a letter from Revenue telling me that they want a copy of my receipt as the item was bought out side the the EU vat at 21% is to be added.

I'm thinking this is around 6 euro's how can this be cost effective for revenue then I see they are also charging me a 6 euro handling fee also so 12 euro's we are now getting to around half the cost of the item bought, and still hardly cover the civil servants time involved in stopping the package been delivered.

I think the country is screwed!!

Anyway I forwarded all the details to revenue and copied it to my local TD Brian Lenihan......Doh.....

SinisterDexter

And you haven't even got to the fun part of it!

Your Post-man & probably local Parcel collect office won't have your parcel - it will be in an other office further away where YOU will have to DRIVE too too collect YOUR parcel YOU paid the post office 6EURO to handle!

(only certain parcel collection offices handle money)
(I gave them all the coppers I had, and asked for my cup back - he didn't bother to count it infront of me)

djd80

I got one of those letters the other day for a £23 item I bought off ebay...Sent em the paypal receipt and got an email back saying there would be no charge and the parcel was now on its way...

trishw78

In fairness this is something you should've factored into your purchase. People are all time getting caught with Customs it's the Law.

Did you still get the item cheaper then buying either in a bricks & mortar or inside the EU?

NORTH1

Hold on Trish, I not complaining about the law just the petty amount involved and how it would not be cost effective to the return of money they receive through this exercise. Oh and vat at 21% never cross my mind when I clicked pay on an item 27 pounds sterling.

In all honesty it is revenue doing its part to keep prices here inflated, and keep us in the dark ages before internet commerce's.

Captain Flaps

I had a different experience with customs. I bought an old, SECOND HAND Mamiya medium format camera off the internet from KEH.com, based in Atlanta in the USA. Rather than being sent a letter by customs, I was doorstepped by the postman with a bill for €125 (roughly 21% of the value of the item).

I mistakenly beleived that as I had bought a used item I would not be required to pay customs or VAT, as it would have been paid by whoever originally bought the item, and I had paid sales tax to the store that sold me the item.

A quick call to the customs office made me aware of this. Even after accepting this silly rule, I was pretty annoyed with them, as I couldn't understand how presenting me with a bill (payable ONLY with cash or cheque) was considered acceptable practice. I pointed out that it was unreasonable for them not to contact me about this but to expect me to have 125 euro on me on a given day, and for them not to accept card payments for this was unacceptable.

Just a heads up; beware of buying ANYTHING from abroad unless you're willing to deal with that shower, now that we're in a recession they're really clamping down on purchases from outside of the EU and they'll try to bleed every penny they can out of you.

PopeBuckfastXVI

I'd imagine it's cost effective to check a random selection of parcels.

Yours might get them 6 euro, another might get them 600. Seeing as they have to check both parcels anyway (or at least a good sample of parcels) if they are to find the 600 euro ones then they are better off collecting the 6 euro owed by you, as opposed to opening and checking the parcel for nothing at all. In the end of the day they've checked 2 parcels and gotten 606 euro, instead of checking 2 parcels and getting 600.

NORTH1

Yes, on the letter it says payment cannot be by laser/credit card. Could you imagine a business that wont except a card payment, let alone our own civil servants in revenue. Bananna Republic!

NORTH1

I dont think I would thrust 600 euros worth of items in the post! You would want to be mad!

PopeBuckfastXVI

A d3x from Hong Kong would probably be about that or more in vat?

magicbastarder

NORTH1 wrote: »

Hold on Trish, I not complaining about the law just the petty amount involved and how it would not be cost effective to the return of money they receive through this exercise.

i assume they would respond that the law is the law, regardless of the amount involved.

NORTH1

magicbastarder wrote: »

i assume they would respond that the law is the law, regardless of the amount involved.

Politican's seem to think differently its ok to loss billions put they want my six euros plus handling fee.

LeoB

1 or 2 points.
This becoming very regular. There has been so many purchases made outside the state they are obviously trying to get in some revenue.
Customs target certain areas (electronics) and examine the details of what is due in from what part of the world. The U.S.A and Far East are the big target areas and if you are one of the randomly checked parcels with understated (local) value be prepared to pay.

SinsterDexter. You are slightly off the mark.
1) The handling charge from An Post is €5 on any customs charged parcel I deliver.
2) If you get a docket to collect your parcel in an office that is where you collect it. It will not be in an office further away unless you dont collect it within a specified time It is ticked off on the back of the sheet.
3) An Post are only the agents doing a job. Should we collect money for someone else and not get paid?

Agree with trishw78. the possible end cost needs to be factored into any purchase from outside E.U in case your parcel is stopped and examined which is done randomly.

North1. Why not trust €600 worth of goods in the post? An Post provide a good service and provided your parcel is properly packed and sealed there will not be a problem. An Post drivers are good at their jobs and are tightly monitered. Mind you courier firms I have seen just drop stuff over walls or leave in bins if they get no Answer.
I will check it out but I think you may be able to pay by laser at post office counter. The reason cash and checque are only accepted is An Post take out their €5 from cash payments and use copy of checque as a recipt to claim payment back from revenue. This from what I hear is happening in all E.U. countries. Revenue protection is vital for E.U countries at this time and I think if anything it will do our economy good as they get stricter more people will pay the extra and buy from within the E.U and also it might get more people into Irish shops.

I have been one of the people critising Irish shops in the past but I do think they are becoming more competitive

magicbastarder

NORTH1 wrote: »

Oh and vat at 21% never cross my mind when I clicked pay on an item 27 pounds sterling.

where did the item come from?

NORTH1

Nice post LoeB,

I just would not trust a long distance transaction over a couple of hundred euros. Its not an post I wouldnt trust.

Hong Kong, the guy was a trusted seller on e-bay.

NORTH1

"Thank you for your email. Customs Charges of €12.84 are due on your package (€6.84 VAT plus €6 post office handling fee). Your expected day of delivery is Tuesday 6th April. The charges can be paid to the postperson on delivery by cash or cheque/postal order made payable to“ An Post”. If you are not in when An Post call, they will leave a note in your letterbox advising where to collect your parcel and pay the charges.

Any queries or questions relating to the delivery of your package should be directed to An Post Customer Service at 1850 575859.



For your information; If your seller had correctly declared the exact contents and the correct value of the goods as detailed in your paypal receipt on the CN 22- Customs Declaration , your package would have been cleared through Customs within 24 hours of receipt."

FYI Guys the seller wrongly declared what was in the package?!

SinisterDexter

LeoB wrote: »

SinsterDexter. You are slightly off the mark.
1) The handling charge from An Post is €5 on any customs charged parcel I deliver.
2) If you get a docket to collect your parcel in an office that is where you collect it. It will not be in an office further away unless you dont collect it within a specified time It is ticked off on the back of the sheet.
3) An Post are only the agents doing a job. Should we collect money for someone else and not get paid?

Nope I got charged €6 - do you get a staff discount? Bastard!:p

I usually get parcels delivered to one office - not a post office, parcel distribution place.
And no, when I got a battery - electrical item - delivered I had to go to another distribution centre (half hour drive further) because my usual one didn't deal with cash.

My main issue was that I was paying €6 for.....????? A service where I did all the work.


This is what happened, all within a few days, and this is my story!

AnCatDubh

I've done the expensive camera in the post thing, just include insurance and factor in the customs/taxes.

I've done the expensive gear both by the courier people and by the "an post" people and tbh, imho, the postman who arrives at our door is just the biz - we are early on his round and if we aren't up / in at the time he calls, he'll continue his rounds and pop back before returning it to the office if he still can't get it to us.

If it's back to the office then a collection note at the local post office is left.

To be fair, the courier guys are ok but your either there or not - we've had one or two of them a little abrupt over being in or not being in. If not in, you get a second chance the following day, but i often wonder if you have no one at home while they are calling (people at work or whatever) then you are left in a bind.

For me, both offer good services, but An Post are somewhat better on the delivery side of things with a bit more personal service. I don't know if that is indicative of the situation throughout the country or just a local thing.

The one area where the couriers probably have the upper hand is the online nature of the parcel tracking. I know the post has a tracking number too, but in my experience it tends to be a little behind.

The long and short of it - I have no difficulties sending expensive gear by post (insurance precautions taken).

TJJP

LeoB wrote: »

1) The handling charge from An Post is €5 on any customs charged parcel I deliver.
2) If you get a docket to collect your parcel in an office that is where you collect it. It will not be in an office further away unless you dont collect it within a specified time It is ticked off on the back of the sheet.
3) An Post are only the agents doing a job. Should we collect money for someone else and not get paid?

1) Eh, No. The handling charge is €6
2) Eh, No. As the office is cash handling, it's not the local office. In Dublin the only location for such customs issues is on Lr. Ballymount in Tallaght (for example).
3) Eh, dunno. €6 seems a bit steep. However, the An Post aspects of the 'service' are good. Dealing with revenue or trying to contact their office dealing with this is a pain.

LeoB

TJJP wrote: »

1) Eh, No. The handling charge is €6
2) Eh, No. As the office is cash handling, it's not the local office. In Dublin the only location for such customs issues is on Lr. Ballymount in Tallaght (for example).
3) Eh, dunno. €6 seems a bit steep. However, the An Post aspects of the 'service' are good. Dealing with revenue or trying to contact their office dealing with this is a pain.

1) Will check my parcels tomorrow, fee must have gone up. Apologies folks.
2) This is news to me. If I cant effect delivery of parcel its left in local delivery office for collection.
6) Have been told 1 courier firm charge €11.50 if they keep a packet over night. Airlines charge more for bookimng online where its your Parper, your ink and they dont have to employ someone to issue your ticket

It does sound a bit silly that you cant pay with laser or credit card.

TJJP

LeoB wrote: »

1) Will check my parcels tomorrow, fee must have gone up. Apologies folks.
2) This is news to me. If I cant effect delivery of parcel its left in local delivery office for collection.
6) Have been told 1 courier firm charge €11.50 if they keep a packet over night. Airlines charge more for bookimng online where its your Parper, your ink and they dont have to employ someone to issue your ticket

It does sound a bit silly that you cant pay with laser or credit card.

Seems to be the case alright, if you're not home, normal parcels with no charge can be collected locally. Since Sandyford closed, it's Tallaght only for customs and no laser or visa.

Otherwise, good work LeoB - I've no complaints about The An Post service.

LeoB

SinisterDexter wrote: »

My main issue was that I was paying €6 for.....????? A service where I did all the work.

This is what happened, all within a few days, and this is my story!

I dont disbelieve you SinisterDexter and it does not make nice reading.. I need to be exact when posting. Usually I just look at total of what is to be collected.

As I stated earlier, "Airlines charge more for bookimng online where its your Parper, your ink and they dont have to employ someone to issue your ticket", your doing it all for them there.

My original post on this topic stated a bit in first paragraph about sender/seller understating the value / description and this is a major factor when parcels are being examined.

LeoB

TJJP wrote: »

Seems to be the case alright, if you're not home, normal parcels with no charge can be collected locally. Since Sandyford closed, it's Tallaght only for customs and no laser or visa.

Otherwise, good work LeoB - I've no complaints about The An Post service.

It makes it more logical to have facility to accept laser/visa payments rather than have you drive from Sandyford to Tallaght to pick up a parcel. Not very customer friendly..:(

pullandbang

I don't like sticking my head above the parapet, but I've been incredibly lucky so far (touches underside of wooden desk).

I buy a bit of stuff from Cabelas in the USA. They are a HUGE outdoor fishing/shooting shop - both bricks & mortar and online. now when I say huge, I mean HUGE - one shop alone is over 250,000 sq. ft. and they have loads of shops.
Anyway, I just ordered a few bits the other day and I notice they now have facility where you can prepay your taxes and customs directly to them! Very strange I thought, but I'll give it a go. The items without shipping etc came to $139 but when I got to the checkout (after ticking the "taxes paid" option) the total was $275!
Feck that! Hit the back button a few times and selected my normal postage method and the total dropped to $174 including shipping.

Stuff arrived a week later as usual, delivered by An Post and no duty/VAT?charges.
Great service from our Post office or else I'm just lucky

VanhireBoys

I got a part for my car from the US.. It was new old stock .. The lowest value that can be put on an item is $1 .. I paid the seller $200 including postage and he put the value at $1 .. I just collected it from the Post Office and wasnt charged any import duty or VAT... !

I dont know why I wasnt charged VAT etc. and now feel guilty that I defrauded the revenue.. I am going to go today and fess up as I am unable to live with my concience...!

mrboswell

VanhireBoys wrote: »

I dont know why I wasnt charged VAT etc. and now feel guilty that I defrauded the revenue.. I am going to go today and fess up as I am unable to live with my concience...!

I wouldn't feel too guilty - Cowen and his band of merry misfits will just piss it up against the wall anyway.

LeoB

As vanhireboys stated the value on his item was put $1. Customems can open items like this especially if they are large and then make charges based on 21% V.A.T at Irish valuation, customs clearance fee and Post office handling fee.

Sorry lads I checked this morning and An Post fee has gone up to €6.

Spoke to a lad in the afternoon and he never heard of the problem encountered by people having to go somewhere else to pick up parcel. I do believe you folks but think its a silly situation which could and should be made easier for customers.

thefizz

I find it funny when people complain about being caught out trying to avoid paying taxes, the law is the law afterall.

NORTH1

thefizz wrote: »

I find it funny when people complain about being caught out trying to avoid paying taxes, the law is the law afterall.

I find it more annoying that the goverment changes the laws bumps up prices to make it so we wont be able try to find cheaper deals on-line.

Have you been blind to the news over the last couple of weeks, the rich get there loses writen off and we get screwed for 6 euros ohhh hay look we will stick on another 6 euros just for fun.

The law is the law is only used for us Joe soaps. Thanks for your input to this debate.

walshkvn

21% VAT ... it may be the law but it is a right pain in the ass. This just shows how stuck for cash the overpaid government are.

trishw78

I think this thread has served it's purpose... & has gone off topic at this point.