Paying customs charges with An Post

amandstu

I got a reminder in the post from An Post to pay my customs charges "by the 3rd " of the month or my package would be sent back.

On the 3rd I got around to paying and was told it was too late and the package had been returned.

I had taken "by the 3rd" to include the 3rd.

Was I wrong? Do I need to brush up my english comprehension or should AnPost have been more explicit in their communications?

WildCardDoW

No you are correct, by the 3rd includes that day but it seems silly to wait until the day.

...Ghost...

You should make a complaint to them and seek redress. An Post are an absolute shambles to deal with, especially with anything coming through AddressPal. I have had dealings with them, including a complaint I have just submitted.

A couple years ago, hundreds of euros of equipment was stolen from boxes after they accepted the packages. It was a DVR and 8 CCTV cameras. I received only 4 cameras and they denied anything was missing, claiming they delivered everything they received. They weigh packages when they arrive at their UK depot and they used to weigh them on arrival to Ireland. The weight of the package they accepted was different to the weight they put on the box in Ireland, because more than half the equipment was missing. I had to escalate the complaint to an advocate before they paid out any compensation.

I also receive products from Amazon to review, sent at no cost, with a zero value invoice issued. I use addresspal to receive the items and customs charges are applied on top of the addresspal fees. They usually over estimate by a good 50% of the value. I requested a revaluation of a product they priced at €65, but the Amazon list price was only €42. I was asked to submit invoice and proof of value, which I did. After 2 weeks of nothing I wrote back to them asking for the item to be released while they find their arses and elbows valuing the item (a microphone). They mailed me back to say that customs had deemed the item exempt and I would receive the item soon. I waited and 2 weeks later I got an email from the same person to say customs had valued the item at the original value and to pay customs fees. I responded to the person to let him know he had already replied with an exemption notice and I sought clarification, because he had responded to a different thread of my email, suggesting he was treating the case as two separate cases, with two different decisions.

Cue a call to CS yesterday where I encountered an incompetent, rude, evasive liar which has resulted in a formal complaint being sent off. Absolute gobshítes working up there at AnPost. And not an email address to complain to either.

Don't let them off the hook for this. They returned your item early. Your reasons for leaving it to the last day are irrelevant. They need to be held accountable.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122222604#Comment_122222604

You do know that they use volumetric weight for packages?

From my experience with UK couriers, the amount of stuff that goes "missing" is phenomenal.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122236312#Comment_122236312

I went through all this with addresspal. So, in 2022, when an item arrived, they weighed the box(es) and this would reflect on the customer account. They would then open the package to check contents for inspection/customs and would apply a customs code/figure/value to the item. Then the item would be shipped to Ireland and weighed again with the final weight and customer address attached. They may have changed that process since, but it was all part of their explanation before I I proved the weight had changed from their incoming scan, to their outgoing scan.

They had the mass weight for the package, which is what proved them to be at fault. I can't recall the axact weights, but the incoming weight was about 6kg which showed on my account. This closely matched the amazon listed item weight. Then, the final weight applied to the item before being shipped over and finally received by me with a weight of about 2.5kg. Within a large box, there were cables and 3 other boxes. One of the boxes had 4 cameras. The 2 other boxes were full of air. They should have contained another 4 cameras and a DVR.

AddressPal still denied they were responsible, despite the clear weight difference. It took an advocate to get a ruling against them. The place is filled with incompetent, lying thieves.

I mentioned in my previous post that I had a complaint going into them at present. I'll keep this very long story short. This was about consistent overcharging of customs fees, usually 50% higher and often nearly twice the rate. I won't get into the details here, but I pulled them up on one parcel and disputed the cost. I sent them proof of actual value and the zero value invoice I got from Amazon (item for review which does not belong to me). No word for weeks until I email them again complaining about delay. Then an email a couple of days later to say that revenue had exempted the item and it would be delivered to me. Then another email a couple weeks later from the same person to say revenue had decided the original value would not change and I needed to pay the fees. There was no reference to the previous email. I asked about the previous email, but no word back. I rang a couple weeks later and dealt with an incompetent, rude liar in customer services. I said I would be complaining about the poor service and after asking about the parcel in question, was finally told it was returned to sender. More lies it would seem. It arrived in my postbox on Friday, the day after they received my letter of complaint. No customs had to be paid. Shower of W@****S!

JVince

Assuming they use normal international standards -

The weight within Ireland is actual weight.

The weight between UK and Ireland is volumetric weight.

Reason is that they send everything by air.

But you can't slander an entire company just because there was one issue with one package.

Customs fees will be based on entire landed cost, so a £50 item may be assessed at £70 as it includes all addresspal fees.

Why anyone would use addresspal is beyond me unless it's something very specific that can on be got in the UK (or USA) and additional costs is not a factor

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122236869#Comment_122236869

Assuming they use normal international standards -

The weight within Ireland is actual weight.

The weight between UK and Ireland is volumetric weight.

I'm telling you what happened 2/3 years ago and they told me how the process worked from accepting a delivery to delivery at my door. I asked them about this because I didn't want to provide them with the weight differences before I knew their process, because they could then make excuses and explain their way out of it. You can choose to believe that, or not.

But you can't slander an entire company just because there was one issue with one package.

Defamation applies within Irish law, not slander. In any case, slander is making a false statement. I have done no such thing. I have made true and accurate statements.

Customs fees will be based on entire landed cost, so a £50 item may be assessed at £70 as it includes all addresspal fees.

I am well aware of the addresspal fees and customs charges and how they are calculated. AP charge €6.50 to forward most parcels from the UK. They then charge an additional €3.50 for customs processing, so €10 off the bat for anything coming from the UK.

They than assign a value to the item and from there, the customs charges are applied to the item, plus the AP fees. The problem is they almost always over value the item. So, a £50 item gets valued at £70 and THEN the customs feew are calculated on the £70 + the AP fees. So, in that case, the customer is paying additional customs fees on the extra £20 over valuation. It all adds up.

Why anyone would use addresspal is beyond me unless it's something very specific that can on be got in the UK (or USA) and additional costs is not a factor

I use AP for a very specific reason. I'm sure others have their reasons. It's irrelevant to the point, which is their awful service and customer care, as well as the frequent over-valuing of items. I assure you I have received many, many items via addresspal and not a single one has been undervalued. They probably get a kick-back from the values.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122237040#Comment_122237040

It's 3 YEARS ago and you still harp on about it?

SERIOUSLY?????

Calahonda52

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122237070#Comment_122237070

Try walk in his shoes for a mile or so, and then beef up on the legals, in any event he was using it as an example to show continuous incompetence.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122237070#Comment_122237070

Do you work for AddressPal, or AnPost? You seem to have some sort of hard-on for protecting them.

Note in my post that I mention they still regularly fcuk up and overvalue items. As regularly as EVRY SINGLE TIME.

And note I have had to send a complaint as recently as this week to them. An item they told me was returned to sender magically appears in my post box a month after they supposedly sent it back and a day after they got my complaint! So the issue 3 years ago is as relevant today as it was then, because they are still lying, incompetent, thieving morons.

Also take note:

It's 15 years since Defamation replaced Slander and Libel on the statute books and you still call it slander?

SERIOUSLY??????

Cabaal

oh here we go, because somebody doesn't agree with you you are now suggesting they work for An Post. What a joke. 😂🙄

I've never had an issue with AddressPal, can't fault them at all. They do exactly what it says on the tin and I expect to pay custom charges.

You harping on about something that took place 3 years ago is amusing as hell, you clearly hate them but very clearly you continue to use them by your own admission. Nobody is forcing you to use addresspal.
You are like one of those people that spend years bitching and moaning about Eir but you remain a customer.

You've made some baseless claims, specifically that they've lied and they are theives.
Lying would suggest intent, you have no proof of that. Calling them theives is also a big claim, if you believe they are perhaps you should report the matter to the Gardai.
You've also suggests they get kick-backs, again totally baseless to make this claim.

If you write nonsense like this in your complaints to them I'm sure they've had a good laugh at you and they've likely had some painful eyes after all the eye rolling.

I guess the above means I work for them as well 🤣

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122242808#Comment_122242808

Here we go. Another cheer leader who can't keep up with a thread. Great that youfe never had a problem wih them. Obviously others have had problems with them. Try reading again before trying to twist what I said. [Slow Clap]

beachhead

Ghost provided one example,that's all.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243856#Comment_122243856

I think Cabaal was having trouble following the thread with all the eye rolling he was doing 🤣

Missed the part where my complaint was upheld by an advocate and AnPost had to pay up.

Also missed the part where I was recently told by AP that they returned item to sender, but it showed up in my mail a day after they received my complaint. I had been told it was exempt from customs, then it wasn't, then they sent it back to sender and then it was delivered to me. Calling them incompetent liars is being kind.

Theft within AP is not uncommon. Stuff gets stolen by staff often enough. Here's one from last year. 115 items robbed by one postal worker. So, fair to call them thieves, considering its well known and I personally lost hundreds of euro in stock thanks to AP.

https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/courts/postal-worker-charged-with-115-counts-of-stealing-phones-and-vouchers-from-mail/a467515749.html

Cabaal

Thanks for confirming you have zero evidence of theft in relation to your issue.

amandstu

I got my issue with An Post sorted out.

They answered my email (took about 3 days) where I explained that I had missed the deadline and that their wording was unclear and they gave me a 24 hr window to pay the customs charge.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243918#Comment_122243918

you had one issue. It got found in your favour. That's not that same as saying it was found it went missing with anpost, just that anpost could not show otherwise.

They deliver 360,000,000 letters and parcels a year. They have 10,000 employees.

Like any large organisation, a few rogue employees get through the vetting system. Even the gardai have their share of rogue staff.

Yet you harp on and on and on and on and on about one incident you had.

WOW!

Hope no member of your family ever disapoints you.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122245152#Comment_122245152

The advocate seemed to think otherwise. Maybe you're right. Maybe Picard beamed the contents of the items entrusted to AP out of the box before they delivered less than half of what they received. The stuff just selectively vanished into thin air while in their warehouse. It couldn't possibly be that AP staff stole anything. That never happens. 😏

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122246122#Comment_122246122

I have mentioned two in this thread. Did you miss that? It was mentioned in my first post. AP couldn't show in their favour because they took possession of box containing several items, most of which selectively disappeared under their care. Had the items fallen out of the box, they would have easily been found, as they could only have gone missing while in the warehouse and this is according to their own account, not mine. They contended that the items were never in the box, but the weigh in system caught them by the b0llix there.

I couldn't care how many things they deliver annually. They frequently mess up with mail being delivered to me, both AnPost and AddressPal. So, a lot more than one incident. I only mention 2 here, because they are the only ones I have complained about. I expect organisations to make mistakes. That is not really the issue. The issue is when they don't fix the mistake and try to cover it up. You might be happy to get shafted by AP and not do anything about it, but I draw the line when they have the cheek to wipe their hands of it and have a "fcuk you" type attitude about it.

A quick look through only the first couple of pages here shows i'm definitely not the only one having issues with them. If you think their treatment listed above is acceptable, then you're the disappointment in your family, because that's what I call a door mat man.

I'll put the harp away and enjoy the item AP claimed they had returned to sender when I spoke to them last week 😎

As you're in the business (according to another thread here on page 1), I understand why you have taken such offense, so I'll leave it there.

slave1

Anyone having customs delay with Amz packages, all my orders going back two weeks stuck in Customs and they're just ordinary biylts and pieces. I also have an An Post parcel I sentvlast week that's disappeared