[Arm-netbook] Crooks at parcel force

[Alejandro Mery]

On 18/02/10 13:28, Alain Williams wrote:
> I have just received a letter from them saying that VAT is payable on the laptop.
> OK, that doesn't worry me: 8 quid.
> But they also want ''parcelforce clearance fee'' of #13.50

Here in Spain it just passed, free of any extra fee or tax and not 
even opened for review :-) I buy stuff from .cn and .hk at least 
once per month and I have never been bothered by the custom. But 
this is the first time I buy something that a normal customs officer 
would consider a computer :-)


> I suppose that they know that they have me over a barrel and so feel that
> they can charge what they want - I am not in a position to complain.
>
> The stupid thing is that I will just claim the VAT straight back, so this is
> just an elaborate way for me giving parcel force a gift of #13.50.
>
> I know little about these things, is there a way of pre-paying the VAT so that
> next time we don't end up being fleeced ?

Nope, as this is 100% based on the whim of the officer that happened 
to be there when your parcel arrived. Big couriers pre-charge you an 
estimated fee. If the estimation is short they pay it and then 
invoice you the difference, an extra for this special service and 
the taxes corresponding to it. If the estimation is large, profit 
for the courier.

Alejandro

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: smime.p7s
Type: application/pkcs7-signature
Size: 5215 bytes
Desc: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature
Url : http://lists.phcomp.co.uk/pipermail/arm-netbook/attachments/20100218/6566dc63/attachment.bin