[Arm-netbook] Crooks at parcel force

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 12:35 PM, Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton
<luke.leighton at googlemail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 12:28 PM, Alain Williams <addw at phcomp.co.uk> 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
>
>  hmmm... then why did adam's client in devon receive his machne some
> time approximately 5 days ago??


http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-consumer-issues/94811-parcelforce-fees-collecting-vat.html

apparently it's because they were "held up in customs".  parcelforce
perform the customs checking on behalf of HMRC (so that HMRC don't
have to be burdened by it).  they charge a flat-rate £13.50 for this
service.

 adam's client in devon didn't get charged VAT or the parcelforce
£13.50 handling fee because his item didn't go via customs: it was
pure luck that it went straight by and out the parcelforce barn door.

 towards the end of the thread above we see that someone successfully
argued against paying the demanded fees.

 l.