Recieving Stuff From Japan

[Darren_S15]

I recently ordered some stuff from a well know site from Japan.

Using the tracking number they gave me I get information telling me the goods were posted on the 25th April and arrived in the UK on the 27th April.

They have gone past customs and are now in a state of Retention where they have been since the 30th April.

Can anyone tell me what this means and is this normal for things to take this long?

Thanks,

Darren

 

[Paul D]

Not 100% but maybe they're going to charge you import duty etc and you will get a letter and will have to pay that first. Thats only a maybe though because i've had letters before and after delivery.

 

[DeanS15]

i've been in this situation before where a part i ordered was stuck in a container in customs clearance, turned out the container storage fee had not been paid so customs would not release the shipment until then. dont mean to worry you but i never saw the part, and in the end i got a refund from the company after a lot of wrangling.....

 

[Darren_S15]

I might try and contact someone tomorrow and see if I can find out whats going on.

The status' I get are:

25/04 Posting/Collection
26/04 Dispatch from outward office of exchange
27/04 Arrival at inward office of exchange
27/04 Awaiting presentation to customs commissioner
29/04 Departure from inward office of exchange
30/04 Retention

 

[JEZ 8553]

Mate, i had to ring the shipping agency when my wheels were sent as customs seemed to be taking their time holding them at Heathrow. Once i paid the duty and handling fee they were sent the next day.

 

[Pazz]

Are you using Parcelforce to track the parcel??? If you are then it wil normally say "Left customs with charges" or words to that effect.

Sounds like you are using EMS track tho. Try entering the EMS JP number into here http://www.parcelforce.com/portal/pw/track?catId=7500082 and selecting the incoming international box. Parcelforce track usually gives more info. But I would of thought you would of recieved a letter from Parcelforce.

 

[Darren_S15]

Thanks HeL1x, I didn't think of doing that.

Its in the North Essex Depot - 'Awaiting payment of charges'

Its been like that since 30th April

Guess Ill give them a ring tomorrow and see how much it is

 

[Pazz]

Well from past experience it is not fun when you are waiting in the queue on the phone and then they slap you in the face with the £13.50 admin charge just for qoute "handling your money" which is on top of your already pricey import duty.

They should of sent you a letter asking for payment of the charges.

Good luck :thumbs:

 

[sushiming]

oh yeh 13.50 is standard oh and theres the vat and depending on what u've ordered its not gonna be cheap :nod:

 

[Nicely]

Parcelfarce are a complete bunch of cnuts when charges are to be paid. I think you'll find when you contact them that they'll tell you that you can't pay the charges without the reference number on the letter they sent you notifying you of the charges... They'll probably have to send you another letter so that you can do that, as the first one obviously got 'lost'

For future reference, the magic words on the declaration are 'warranty returned auto parts'.

 

[Darren_S15]

OMG.

Just rang Parcelforce up.

Aparently they sent me two letters, not had either of them.

Its due to be returned to the sender on Tuesday and I would have had no idea.

And to top it off Ive got to pay £54.30 for something that did not even cost £100 :furious:

I thought getting stuff from Japan was meant to be cheaper.

Am I likley to get this every time I get stuff from Japan or was I just unlucky?

 

[Nicely]

How does that work out? If it only cost £100, how have they got £40 duty and VAT?! I know its charged on the shipping too, but that's not right. If you've got the invoice, you should be able to dispute that.

 

[Pazz]

I will PM you a contact number which is a direct line to the Parcelforce section of HMRC customs. They give it on the bottom of the letter you were meant to of recieved.

EDIT: Just noticed it says this in the letter also...

"Parcels awaiting payment will be help at the above depot for 20 days. After this time, unpaid items will be returned to the sender."

 

[daniel83]

I hate Parcel Force. :furious::furious:
It´s been 2weeks since I orderd some taillights. And I havent got them yet.
I konw that I are living in Sweden. it dosent take that long.
For my Subaru I orderd a front lip from England. And It took 1week from that they sent it to that I recived it.

I just hate Parcel Force. :furious::furious:

 

[JEZ 8553]

WTF ???? My Trust exhaust sailed through and i didnt even get stung for VAT or handling charges and thats with Parcelforce.

As said mate, £54 is way too much :S

 

[Darren_S15]

Im going to ask for a breakdown of charges when I get there.

Thing is im not sure how much I should be paying.

Obviously I know what rate VAT is but I have no idea what import duty or stuff I have to pay?

Parcel Force are a real bunch of muppets.

After ringing them yesterday morning and the guy telling me I can go and collect it on Saturday morning I saw Pazz's post about the 20 day rule.

Well 20 days was up on Tuesday so I thought Id check the status of the parcel again.

It had only changed to 'Return to Sender'.

So back on the phone I went and got a woman this time who had no idea where it was and said it was probably on the lorry waiting to go back to the Hub.

Ill give her credit though as she tracked it down and got it off the lorry for me and rang me back to let me know it will be there on Saturday for me.

Lucky I rang back or it would have been half way back to Japan when I got there on Saturday

The thing that really pi55ed me off the most way blantly lying to me about sending me two letters when they have not

Rant over now.

I just hope it is there on Saturday or Im going to have to recreate a screne from Rambo when I start killing people.

 

[Pazz]

Did you pay the charge then?

I think I have spoken to the same woman and yes she was very helpful. Seemed to know what was going on and had the power to actually do something about (not just blame someone else).

 

[Darren_S15]

Im going to pick it up on Saturday so lets hope no one else has decided to send it back.

Im going to ask for a breakdown of the charges to see what they are trying to charge me.

Leys say the good cost £100, then the VAT is only anther £17.50, people tell me parcel force charge £13.50 for handeling the money.

Thats £131, so could the import duty really be as much as £23.30?

Im not sure as I have never gone through this before.

 

[Pazz]

They take the declared value on the front of the package then translate the currency (probably using some obsence rate which is totally unrealistic) then tax you Import Duty and VAT. Then parcelforce slap you in the face with the £13.50.

 

[JEZ 8553]

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channels...HMCE_CL_000014&propertyType=document#P44_3927