Forum

DHL Customs Charges?
 

So how do you explain this...
I dont think DHL work out there customs accurately,

I received one of my Parcels in April.
Weight: 29Kg
Size: 36 x 17 x 17inch
Postage: $284.16
Insurance: $380.00
Customs Charge: £62.00

This week i receive a parcel
Weight: 26Kg
Size: 36 x 17 x 17inch
Postage: $256.37
Insurance: $312.00
Customs Charge: £84.00

How can the customs, be MORE for a cheaper and smaller parcel??
Are they sucking these values out of there thumb?? :rant:
The items in both boxes are the exact same items, just different quantity.:noidea::help:

I know its only £20.00 but still, it just annoys me a little.

If I were you I would be glad to receive the package.

I'd speak to DHL directly about this issue to see what they'd have to say about this.

Its not DHL who decides about VAT charges but customs ,DHL only delivers.

you should talk to UK border agency/customs if you want to complain,But I'll tell you its pointless.

as gamefreek said just be happy you received your package.

Lol True
It will probably cost me more than the £20 to get an answer from customs :bounce:

The reason I mentioned DHL is they are usually very knowledgeable on this subject - I know this from first hand discussions with previous couriers on international shipping charges etc etc.

It is no harm in asking - I mean it is only an email or phone call away to cross check this route.

@SUVE

You are 100% right, its very good idea to call and get more info

I am happy to have clarified this point.

This stuff is their bread & butter so to speak - they do this 24 7, so you can imagine they will know a thing or two about the subject, a bit like us lot on here about EB/PP. :p

:peace:

Thanks for Clearfing this important subject ;)

i received my DHL package on friday,and the guy charged me at my door,i asked him if its going to be like this from now on and he said it depend to your luck sometimes they charge sometimes they dont.

The delivery drivers & couriers are just that - they won't really know the ins/outs of this import charges to any depth (they are not supposed to know beyond delivering the item to A-B & collecting any pre calculated costs anyhow; it is not part of their job description). I've worked within one of Yodel's regional delivery depots & so I have first hand insight of how their multi million pound delivery operations are run from behind the scenes 24 7.

I'd actually speak to the folks in the local delivery back office (their offices are connected to their internal regional & international delivery hubs)...who have to respond to customer facing queries via email & phone such as yours. These guys are the ones you want to reach & speak to.

from experience , if your parcel weight is less than 6kg ( or 25-30 units ) they wont charge but anything over 7kg is usually about £10 charge. As long as i get my items dont mind paying the charge ...

Weight has nothing to do with it. The charges are based on declared value. This applies unless the sender massively under-declares the value, in which case customs will make their own judgement call on the value (and therefore the customs duty and VAT to be charged).

i agree with ebayorbust. The custom counting the import taxes ,according to the declared value on the bill ,not is according the size and weight.

Sometimes the custom will estimate the value if the bill is not clear or they think it is not fair .

Do not write over 40 pounds on the bill,this is always a good tips.

So declare it below the tax-free and duty-free threshold for "gift" in other words. This works better with unbranded/generic stuff for which they would find it harder to ascertain the value. For example, I was able to get away with the supplier marking it down to 1/15 of what I actually paid (as the specifics of the item were not stated on the packaging like it would be with most branded products, so we were able to masquerade it as a far less valuable item).

By the way, the weight is in fact taken into account when they charge you, but only indirectly... since you obviously pay more for shipping a heavier box; the customs fees are based on the total, meaning the delcared value + amount paid for shipping.

The tax free amount is £40 so how can i justify that size and weight of a box for £40? I will definitely be flagged for inspection.
Not worth the effort of needing to send in invoices etc... Id rather pay the £80 lol

That is why I said that it "works better with unbranded/generic stuff for which they would find it harder to ascertain the value"; stuff with more ambiguous/unspecific packaging. If it is immediately obvious that it is what it is just by looking at it, then you don't stand much of a chance. In my case the packaging had none of the "important" specifications on it so we were able to pass it off as something worth far, far less.

You would definitely want to avoid doing this with replica stuff, as it will just draw their attention to it and make them inspect it...

First 2 times I received my shipment via DHL the driver asked for the charges I owed 3rd time he just delivered it , then I got a bill a month later , included in this bill was an admin charge from DHL which was slightly confusing but this could be why your charges are different , I just paid and thanked the lord above it had arrived :amen:

lucky you, i have had about 10 parcels so far from DHL and have to pay charges for every one of them before they deliver them. Would make it alot easier if they just delivered and then sent an invoice like you said. Fedex does this and i prefer it.

But obviously there must be a lot of non payers out there, so DHL do it this way to make sure they get the cash.

DHL will hold the parcel for 24 hours at the local delivery facility to give them time to collect the charges before delivery. If you don't pay them online, usually a rep (that speaks badly broken English) will call later in the afternoon and ask you to make payment over the phone.

If you don't pay over the phone or miss this call, they will still deliver the next day and the driver will request the charges on delivery.

I had rep calling me once (a lady with VERY bad English) so i thought she's trying to scam me and get my card details,so i told her to F*** off :)

LOL did they still deliver your parcel and then you pay for it at your door?

I definitely must try this out... although now i pay it online (when dhl's payment gateway works) :rolleyes: