Anyone got a parcel stuck at a border recently?

Soldato
Joined
27 Feb 2015
Posts
12,617

Is it really tariff free?

The page mentions customs duties, and also what about items above £135 value?

Consignments valued at more than £135
Normal VAT and customs rules will apply on importation of the goods into Great Britain from outside the UK or into Northern Ireland from outside the UK and EU.

Read VAT Notice 702 to find out more about how imported goods are treated for VAT purposes.

What is the "Normal VAT and customs rules" and the VAT notice 702 link shows a page which says its out of date. If we tariff free why is there even border checks in place now?
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Jan 2016
Posts
8,766
Location
Oldham
I ordered an extra dect phone via Amazon on the 27th. I found out via an email its coming from a German company and they dispatched it on the 28th.

According to Amazon its supposed to arrive between the 5th and 8th of January.

I'll update this post if it arrives on time, or doesn't.

Ok, my order arrived this morning.
 
Caporegime
Joined
21 Jun 2006
Posts
38,372
Another high value item and again no issues. This time UPS. Taking all the bank holidays into account and new year and the fact it should arrive tomorrow at the doorstep. I don't think there are any issues if your receiving parcels from decent courier services.

I'm still awaiting an AliExpress order that arrived in the UK on the 23/12. That's also normal though for them.

4 JAN
00:16
Arrived at Facility Castle donington
4 JAN
00:05
Departed from Facility Koeln
2 JAN
04:00
Departed from Facility Koeln
1 JAN
15:14
Arrived at Facility Koeln
31 DEC
19:57
Departed from Facility Eindhoven
31 DEC
16:40
Origin Scan Eindhoven
31 DEC
12:00
 
Associate
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
514
I've had a parcel from the Netherlands that usually takes a coupe of days to deliver not update since 29th December. This is with DPD, I can't see any updates on their website to say they are experiencing delays.
I assumed the parcel was lost and the company have now agreed a refund, maybe it will turn up at some point!
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
10 May 2004
Posts
12,827
Location
Sunny Stafford
It arrived today thanks goodness!

The tracking went as follows:

15 Dec - shipment posted by sender at the packstation ('packstation' is like our Amazon lockers over here)
16 Dec - shipment taken from the packstation
17 Dec - international shipment processed in the export parcel centre
06 Jan - shipment arrived in destination country
07 Jan - shipment loaded onto delivery vehicle
07 Jan - shipment successfully delivered

The thing looks pretty solid and heavy and there is no indication that customs have opened it. Address label is intact etc.

Hope everyone else here get their parcels ok as there are a fair few of us in here (Germany and other countries it seems!)
 
Associate
Joined
14 Aug 2006
Posts
1,965
Location
Land of Dragons
Still waiting on this one that was ordered on the 17 November from CH. The one from Germany arrived after it was held in storage for 5 days.

  • 07 Jan 202106:03

    Linehaul ArrivalLiege, Belgium

    CAINIAO
  • 23 Dec 202014:26

    Sender preparing item. The item has been accepted and it's on its way. More information will be available as it travels through the network

    ROYAL MAIL
  • 23 Dec 202014:26

    Sender preparing item

    ROYAL MAIL
  • 23 Dec 202004:10

    The item is ready for shipment

    POSTNL - NETHERLANDS POST
  • 23 Dec 202003:10

    The item is pre-advised to PostNL

    POSTNL - NETHERLANDS POST
  • 23 Dec 202002:10

    Item received atAMSTERDAM E INTERNATIONAL MAIL

    ROYAL MAIL
  • 04 Dec 202008:00

    Hand over to airlineZhengzhou

    CAINIAO
  • 01 Dec 202006:24

    Received by line-haul

    CAINIAO
  • 30 Nov 202017:57

    Outbound in sorting center

    CAINIAO
  • 30 Nov 202017:36

    Inbound in sorting center

    CAINIAO
  • 30 Nov 202017:06

    Accepted by carrier
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Oct 2002
Posts
11,281
Location
Derby
Another high value item and again no issues. This time UPS. Taking all the bank holidays into account and new year and the fact it should arrive tomorrow at the doorstep. I don't think there are any issues if your receiving parcels from decent courier services.

I'm still awaiting an AliExpress order that arrived in the UK on the 23/12. That's also normal though for them.

4 JAN
00:16
Arrived at Facility Castle donington
4 JAN
00:05
Departed from Facility Koeln
2 JAN
04:00
Departed from Facility Koeln
1 JAN
15:14
Arrived at Facility Koeln
31 DEC
19:57
Departed from Facility Eindhoven
31 DEC
16:40
Origin Scan Eindhoven
31 DEC
12:00

Thats just down the road from me, want me to nip and pick it up for you? :D

In all seriousness things seem to be ok now, we sent a GPU from Derby to Nice in France and it took less than 24 hours.
 
Soldato
Joined
12 Feb 2009
Posts
4,325
What is the "Normal VAT and customs rules" and the VAT notice 702 link shows a page which says its out of date. If we tariff free why is there even border checks in place now?

Tariff at an additional charge for certain items if there isn't a tariff free agreement. VAT is still applicable to any goods that get VAT charged.
 
Caporegime
Joined
13 Jan 2010
Posts
32,551
Location
Llaneirwg
Waiting 3 to 4x as long as I did back in the good old days of the EU.

Thinking about cancelling an order as no idea about the customs on it

I order as much from the EU as I do from the UK.
If you include beyond the UK.. I place more international orders than UK.
 
Associate
Joined
7 Nov 2012
Posts
1,611
Location
UK
I've ordered several items of clothing from a French brand - Asphalte. Winter 2020 and I received jumpers and shoes without delay and without any extra costs, e.g. VAT, duty. However, a T-shirt order that should have arrived a week or so before Christmas was over 2 weeks late. Fortunately, there were no extra charges added by the time it was delivered a week or so ago (under £135). However, I've got some jeans, a jacket and another pair of shoes on pre-order and those orders are over £135 and will more than likely bit hit with extra fees.

I'm reading several reports about UK customers being stung with £100s in fees for items coming from the EU and this has got me re-considering my orders. I've tried to work out, at least get a broad idea, of what the charges may be on various types of clothing, but I have been unable to. But going by media reports it'll run into the £100s, so I decided to contact Ashpalte and cancel my orders.

They've said they're happy to cancel them, but they have also asked if I can wait for a week or so whilst they obtain more information on the issue, I suppose in the hope they can give me some reassuring news (no charges) and I'll keep my order.

If the media headlines are anywhere near the truth I won't be ordering anything from outside the UK any more. But that doesn't mean I'll be ordering the same/similar stuff from the UK though.
 
Commissario
Joined
16 Oct 2002
Posts
2,779
Location
In the radio shack
The recent media articles about people having to pay VAT, import duty and handling fees are absolutely ridiculous. It was blatantly obvious that once we were no longer part of the EU that this would happen and anyone who didn't realise it must have had their head in the sand.

I used to buy a fair few amateur radio accessories from a supplier in Germany because it was cheaper than the UK. I won't be doing that any more.
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Mar 2003
Posts
14,214
There shouldn’t be any ‘extra fees’ though. When you bought stuff from Europe previously you should have been paying VAT on it anyway. Good coming from outside Europe would have been subject to import VAT and potentially import duty depending on what it is and where from.

The issue is almost certainly the retailers not getting it right.

From what I understand:
Goods under £135, retailer charges U.K. VAT and pays HMRC directly.

Goods over £135, retailer doesn’t charge VAT and the importer pays import VAT at the border.

There shouldn’t be any import duty (tariff) due on goods from the EU.

It sounds like people are being charged VAT twice which shouldn’t be happening.

We’re not the only country to be doing this now and the EU will be shortly as well.
 
Caporegime
Joined
13 Jan 2010
Posts
32,551
Location
Llaneirwg
There shouldn’t be any ‘extra fees’ though. When you bought stuff from Europe previously you should have been paying VAT on it anyway. Good coming from outside Europe would have been subject to import VAT and potentially import duty depending on what it is and where from.

The issue is almost certainly the retailers not getting it right.

From what I understand:
Goods under £135, retailer charges U.K. VAT and pays HMRC directly.

Goods over £135, retailer doesn’t charge VAT and the importer pays import VAT at the border.

There shouldn’t be any import duty (tariff) due on goods from the EU.

It sounds like people are being charged VAT twice which shouldn’t be happening.

We’re not the only country to be doing this now and the EU will be shortly as well.


The bit in bold. Are you sure? I read customs is in place for value over 135?
 
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