Feckin Brexit and customs holding items for (surely illegal) ransom

Seve OB · 02-07-2024 12:44pm #1

Long story short

Faulty product replaced under warranty

Originally purchased in Ireland

Replacement coming from UK

Customs are now holding it for Ransom

Why would I have to pay customs charges on a replacement item? I don't think I should.

Phoned An Post to query and they advised to send them an email which I have done and am not receiving any response a few days later

Anyone done this and how long or easy is it to get resolved

Miaireland · 02-07-2024 12:56pm

Surely, this is a matter for the company who you ordered the initial faulty item to follow up rather than you.

Seve OB · 02-07-2024 1:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330299#Comment_122330299

it's taken 4 weeks to get this far. it takes them about 5 days to answer each email… even when i respond within seconds

i'm sure they don't care about Irish customs, they have sent me the replacement

dubrov · 02-07-2024 1:02pm

Your problem is with the company you ordered from, not An Post.

They need to sort this out.

Atlantic Dawn · 02-07-2024 1:24pm

Get sender to properly fill in the customs declaration and resend it.

elperello · 02-07-2024 1:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330329#Comment_122330329

As you purchased the item in Ireland you are covered by Irish consumer law.

Escalate your complaint with the retailer and insist on a like for like replacement without any further payment.

Seve OB · 02-07-2024 1:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330607#Comment_122330607

they have sent me a replacement

customs are holding it … well maybe an post under instruction from customs

i have mailed both an post customs section (with supporting documentation) and the retailer

elperello · 02-07-2024 1:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330644#Comment_122330644

As I said the retailer is obliged to supply the replacement without further cost to you.

An Post and Revenue are just bit players here.

It's up to the retailer to sort it out.

banie01 · 02-07-2024 1:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330515#Comment_122330515

This 💯

The volume of UK based sellers, even up to large retailers who struggle with completing export paperwork properly is staggering. Correct use of outward processing, of CPC & Taric codes and correct declaration both outbound and in, are infuriating, time consuming and require labour that most UK sellers/retailers can't afford unless selling into the EU at a large scalle

I've gotten to the point that apart from Amazon, I don't buy via UK anymore unless I can't avoid it, and if I can't avoid it? I get it delivered to family in N.I and pick it up when I'm up that way.

02-07-2024 1:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330644#Comment_122330644

They haven't supplied you with a replacement. If it had instead gotten lost in the post, do you think the retailer would be entitled to shrug their shoulders and just say "well, we sent it"?

Your contract is with the retailer. They are who you have to chase

Seve OB · 02-07-2024 2:00pm

this is a major multinational company so i guess they should have the process in place.

they were a pain though as even their "irish site" linked back to uk warranty process which comes to an abrupt halt when you have to enter a valid UK postcode!

then it was next to impossible to figure out how to do an irish return with absolutely no information to be found about the process online. their phone wouldn't allow me to ring them from a mobile, but i eventually got through with them and got replacement

i'm mailed them again explaining they have filled in customs forms wrong and need to resubmit them. would this mean they have to wait for customs to send it back to them and then they resend the item

Jim2007 · 02-07-2024 2:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330644#Comment_122330644

The point being made was that under consumer law you should have been dealing with the local Irish merchant who sold yo the product. It should be up to them to deal with customs etc… not you.

As for the rest, the UK is a third country and third countries always have low priority in the EU on top of which customs regularly deals with millions of items and don't have staff sitting around waiting to respond to your emails. It can take days weeks or months for items to be cleared from third countries - that is how it is whether it is Irish customs or those in other member states. That is not going to change because it is an EU wide process, so to avoid it only order items from EU businesses or third country businesses with a shipping point within the EU.

Seve OB · 02-07-2024 2:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330726#Comment_122330726

i have gone to the manufacturer not the retailer

the replacement is under warranty from them. original worked for almost 2 years

02-07-2024 2:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330748#Comment_122330748

That's an entirely different scenario. Standard consumer law has little to no bearing here. Where you purchased it is largely irrelevant. Your only entitlements are exactly what is in the warranty terms as set by the manufacturer. Unless those terms explicitly say they will cover all shipping costs, they don't have to.

There's a good chance you'd be better off cancelling the entire process with the manufacturer, going back to the retailer, and starting from scratch using your protections from Irish consumer law

Seve OB · 02-07-2024 2:15pm

customs charge is not a lot and i will pay it if i have to, we are talking less than €20. i've raised query on principle

couldn't be arsed with doing the whole process again through retailer

Kimbot · 02-07-2024 2:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330807#Comment_122330807

To be honest if its less than 20 I would just pay and let it be then, just next time if it occurs get the retailer to put it in writing how the expect to handle customs charges on items they are returning to you before sending anything back.

Seve OB · 02-07-2024 2:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330832#Comment_122330832

i'll wait and see if i get response and will pay it in a few days if i get no satisfaction.

elperello · 02-07-2024 2:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330869#Comment_122330869

Perhaps the easiest solution is to pay it and pursue the retailer for reimbursement.

02-07-2024 2:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330832#Comment_122330832

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330873#Comment_122330873

Retailer won't do anything, OP is claiming on a manufacturer's warranty, all terms are between OP and manufacturer, retailer has no position in this at all.

Seve OB · 04-07-2024 1:24pm

got replies from an post

basically told me they won't even apply to customs to waive the charge. I just paid it.

Unfortunately, we cannot apply for the charges to be waived off on replacement items but we can apply for a refund on the original item that you have sent back to the retailer/ company. The charges will need to be paid for in order to receive the replacement item.

Feckin Brexit and customs holding items for (surely illegal) ransom

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