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Topic: Customs Clearance Fee

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted October 06, 2018 04:50 AM

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I have been awaiting Customs clearance on a 16mm feature from the US.

Today, I received a payment request letter before my local Parcelforce depot will release the package for delivery. In addition to the VAT of 20% I was surprised that their fee for customs clearance has been increased to £11.25. Previously the fee was £8.00.

Checking their online site I see that the fee was increased on the 7 August 2017. The fee for high price goods of value in excess of £873 is now £25.00.

When the UK leave the EU next year Parcelforce will probably be rubbing their hands in glee.

--------------------
Maurice

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Mark Todd
Film God

Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003

posted October 06, 2018 05:25 AM

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They will be loving it, all of those extra fees etc.

We have tough times on the way.

Best Mark.

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted October 06, 2018 05:43 AM

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In the words of Captain America ' The price of freedom is high. It always has been, but it's a price I'm willing to pay'
I go along with that philosophy!

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted October 14, 2018 06:34 AM

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Well, I've now got the film but I just can't work out how I have been charged.

I received a letter requesting an import VAT charge of £21.81 plus the £11.25 handling fee.

When the parcel was delivered I see that the attached Customs declaration of the sender quoted the value of the film as US$100.00 and the postage as US$91.35.

As this was a private sender and not company/firm I believe that VAT is not charged on the postage, therefore if the US value is converted to UK pounds it should be around £76 and 20% VAT on that should be £15.20.

Has any member had to pay VAT on an import and has had the same trouble?

--------------------
Maurice

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David Fouracre
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 123
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Aug 2013

posted October 14, 2018 06:55 AM

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Having previously purchased from the USA, I was charged about £90 postage on a film cost of £99. I understand that VAT together with duty is charged on the WHOLE package, i.e. including postage.
As postage is considered a "service" it is subject to VAT.
It is very expensive to import from the USA, even using Ebay`s Global shipping service as this hides the hidden charges to paypal and ebay.

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted October 14, 2018 08:27 AM

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There was no duty paid, only the VAT. It's a pity that it is not explained how Parcelforce, working as Customs, reached the total demanded.

--------------------
Maurice

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Tom Photiou
Film God

Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003

posted October 14, 2018 10:16 AM

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I think theirs a lot of P*** taking going on within the postal services and what they charge. Funny how ebay can do it for a fraction of the cost through there global programme.

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David Fouracre
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 123
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Aug 2013

posted October 14, 2018 11:49 AM

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I have found that there is a charge made by parcel force, just for
"handling" the parcel through customs, even if there is no duty payable. The charges I have paid myself used to be about £8 for a purchase of similar value but may have risen recently.
I am sure the detail would be explained should you call parcelforce.

David

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted October 14, 2018 01:47 PM

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David
If you look above, I said that the Parcelforce handling fee which was £8.00 for many years is now £11.25.
I paid that as well.

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Maurice

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Robert Crewdson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1031
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2013

posted October 14, 2018 04:17 PM

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I don't know why some people have a problem with Ebay's Global Shipping Programme. The cost to me in postage for a 16mm feature has varied between £14 and £21, compared to the $80 (£61) it would cost by USPS. My last purchase a few weeks ago wasn't expensive, the feature was only £31, postage £21, and import charges £11, and Royal Mail never got a look in. Even a low priced film would have ended up costing me well over £100 outside of the GSP.

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted October 15, 2018 01:01 AM

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Robert
Yes good to know that the eBay global service offers a cheaper service to import, but it doesn't seem fair that there is one rule for eBay and another for individuals.

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Rob Koeling
Master Film Handler

Posts: 399
From: Brighton, UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 15, 2018 02:33 AM

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Terry,

quote:

'In the words of Captain America ' The price of freedom is high. It always has been, but it's a price I'm willing to pay'
I go along with that philosophy!

If (to quote Janis Joplin) 'freedom' is 'just another word for nothing left to loose', we are doing a great job here in the UK at the moment chasing this so-called freedom.

- Rob

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Kevin Clark
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 978
From: Bapchild, Kent, UK
Registered: May 2004

posted October 15, 2018 02:40 AM

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The Ebay system simply mirrors what any Worldwide seller can offer by paying the various Customs and duties charges upfront - this is viewed as an honest approach to personal importing by 'the authorities' hence the charges if pre paid are lower.

The retrospective charges applied by HM Customs via Parcelforce or whoever they use to clear and deliver the goods are higher and, I agree, a massive penalty in comparison to the value of the goods and postal services used. In their view you or the seller were trying to get away with not paying the due fees at all hence they use extortionate fees to encourage pre payment next time.

I stopped buying films from outside the UK ages ago as I don't want to contribute to HM Revenue income any more than I have to with the usual day to day taxes.

Kevin.

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Robert Crewdson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1031
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2013

posted October 15, 2018 03:20 AM

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Most of my films purchased in the last two years have been from the U.S, through the Global Shipping Programme; without that I wouldn't have been able to buy them. Not all sellers use that, I don't know why.

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted October 15, 2018 03:49 PM

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Robert
I signed up with the eBay global program initially when I sold a beautiful Pathe baby set in a purpose made wooden box to a buyer in France. I packed it well but the box was destroyed, although the contents mostly survived. That experience changed my opinion of the EGPS as you can imagine, but I recently gave them a second chance and it performed very well, so I am not convinced either way to date, although from a monetary perspective it is attractive.

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Robert Crewdson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1031
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2013

posted October 15, 2018 03:55 PM

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That's a shame Terry. I've sent items abroad using the GSP. I haven't had any problems myself. I just send it by Hermes to the Global Shipping Depot, then it's out of my hands. Do you know who was responsible for the damage?

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted October 16, 2018 01:41 AM

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Robert
Regrettably no. I didn't follow it up because the buyer was happy with the surviving content. The only item that was damaged was the resistance unit and luckily I had a spare, which I posted to them. They were more than happy and very grateful.
The problem with the GSP is that it involves multiple carriers, so impossible to know which was the offender.

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Robert Crewdson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1031
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2013

posted October 16, 2018 02:50 AM

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The last item I sent abroad was a Bolex H16 Reflex camera; I insured it for the maximum with Hermes, which was less than I was selling the camera for, then I got worried in case damage occurred. I couldn't prove where the damage occurred, and wondered if I would lose the camera and have to refund the buyer. Fortunately, the camera arrived in Australia OK. It was a worry. I would rather be a buyer than a seller on Ebay.

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