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Why was I charged extra postage when the parcel arrived here ?

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:12am
16 replies611 views7 members subscribed
Lesley14

Posts: 25

1 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 6 Mar 2021

I received a parcel from U.K. worth £10, the postage cost £4.90. It was not posted to me I had to pick it up from Guardamar where they charged me €10. 40. Unfortunately I didn’t understand why I had to pay this extra money. Can anyone tell me why ????  I heard that this is now  normal due to Brexit ?

Pix Elated

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:29am

Pix Elated

Super helpful member

Posts: 1221

1067 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 13 Apr 2018

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:29am

Lesley14 wrote on Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:12am:

I received a parcel from U.K. worth £10, the postage cost £4.90. It was not posted to me I had to pick it up from Guardamar where they charged me €10. 40. Unfortunately I didn’t understand why I had to pay this extra money. Can anyone tell me why ????  I heard that this is now  no...

...rmal due to Brexit ?

I wish I had a definitive answer for you, there does not seem to be any consistency in what duty is being charged and on what. My own recent experience is a classic example I ordered 2 pairs of Jeans from M & S they were €26 each, DHL requested €26.01 in duty, my husband ordered a pair of trousers from Cotton Traders value £35 when SEUR delivered there was no duty charged.

I have heard examples of where cards with a postage of £1.20 have incurred duty in excess of €7 

From what I was told by Martin in the Post shop at Villamartin the duty DHL & UPS charge start at €18 Correos €5. I presume the extra is dependent on the value of the package, though that is just a personal thought. Fortunately I was able to get the €26.01 refunded.

It will be interesting to hear others experience of receiving parcels from other 3rd countries & what duty they are being charged.

KarlAmanda

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:05am

Posts: 80

48 helpful points

Location: Los Dolses

Joined: 12 Feb 2018

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:05am

This is indeed one of the ‘benefits’ of Brexit. Things that weren’t happening or being applied before now are. I suspect your charges were duty and custom charges that didn’t and doesnt exist for eu countries. As we now have 3rd country status these charges now apply. I was recently charged 8.40 for a 15 pound (value) book from the UK. I have now asked friends to not send gifts, and I don’t buy anything from UK sites unless they specifically state ‘no further charges’. It’s sad but I guess we have to get used to being in this situation, although some of us will keep fuming about it for a long time to come.. (if you buy from Amazon it’s worth mentioning that the es and de sites don’t charge extra)

Karl

Annier999

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:36am

Annier999

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Posts: 254

237 helpful points

Location: La Mata

Joined: 28 Jul 2015

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:36am

KarlAmanda wrote on Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:05am:

This is indeed one of the ‘benefits’ of Brexit. Things that weren’t happening or being applied before now are. I suspect your charges were duty and custom charges that didn’t and doesnt exist for eu countries. As we now have 3rd country status these charges now apply. I was recently charg...

...ed 8.40 for a 15 pound (value) book from the UK. I have now asked friends to not send gifts, and I don’t buy anything from UK sites unless they specifically state ‘no further charges’. It’s sad but I guess we have to get used to being in this situation, although some of us will keep fuming about it for a long time to come.. (if you buy from Amazon it’s worth mentioning that the es and de sites don’t charge extra)

Karl

They do if the item originates in UK. Check the location of the seller before you commit. 

GrahamLynn

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 10:35am

GrahamLynn

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Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 10:35am

Consequence of both Brexit and changes made to import tax in Spain.

Even purchases made on eBay by sellers in China are liable to import duty, so it’s not just anything coming from the uk

I agree it seems to be pot luck whether or not you get charged 

Lynn

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Lesley14

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:28am

Lesley14

Original Poster

Posts: 25

1 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 6 Mar 2021

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:28am

Pix Elated wrote on Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:29am:

I wish I had a definitive answer for you, there does not seem to be any consistency in what duty is being charged and on what. My own recent experience is a classic example I ordered 2 pairs of Jeans from M & S they were €26 each, DHL requested €26.01 in duty, my husband ordered a pair of...

... trousers from Cotton Traders value £35 when SEUR delivered there was no duty charged.

I have heard examples of where cards with a postage of £1.20 have incurred duty in excess of €7 

From what I was told by Martin in the Post shop at Villamartin the duty DHL & UPS charge start at €18 Correos €5. I presume the extra is dependent on the value of the package, though that is just a personal thought. Fortunately I was able to get the €26.01 refunded.

It will be interesting to hear others experience of receiving parcels from other 3rd countries & what duty they are being charged.

Thank you for replying, it’s all crazy is it !

Lesley14

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:32am

Lesley14

Original Poster

Posts: 25

1 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 6 Mar 2021

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:32am

KarlAmanda wrote on Thu Nov 11, 2021 9:05am:

This is indeed one of the ‘benefits’ of Brexit. Things that weren’t happening or being applied before now are. I suspect your charges were duty and custom charges that didn’t and doesnt exist for eu countries. As we now have 3rd country status these charges now apply. I was recently charg...

...ed 8.40 for a 15 pound (value) book from the UK. I have now asked friends to not send gifts, and I don’t buy anything from UK sites unless they specifically state ‘no further charges’. It’s sad but I guess we have to get used to being in this situation, although some of us will keep fuming about it for a long time to come.. (if you buy from Amazon it’s worth mentioning that the es and de sites don’t charge extra)

Karl

Thank you , very interesting, it doesn’t make sense !!!!!!  Especially when the postage costs more than the item inside. I will certainly take your advice.

Lesley14

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:34am

Lesley14

Original Poster

Posts: 25

1 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 6 Mar 2021

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:34am

GrahamLynn wrote on Thu Nov 11, 2021 10:35am:

Consequence of both Brexit and changes made to import tax in Spain.

Even purchases made on eBay by sellers in China are liable to import duty, so it’s not just anything coming from the uk

I agree it seems to be pot luck whether or not you get charged 

Lynn

Thank you for replying.

GordonH605

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:28pm

GordonH605

Helpful member

Posts: 327

341 helpful points

Location: Finestrat

Joined: 1 Jan 2021

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:28pm

Would it not be a lot easier just to buy clothes or whatever in a shop in Spain?

GrahamLynn

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 5:14pm

GrahamLynn

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Posts: 2500

2357 helpful points

Location: El Raso

Joined: 9 Jul 2017

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 5:14pm

GordonH605 wrote on Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:28pm:

Would it not be a lot easier just to buy clothes or whatever in a shop in Spain?

If only it was that easy 

British bedding is a different size to European beds, so if you brought your British bed over with you when you moved, Spanish bedding doesn’t fit. Spain and the U.K. have different sized pillows., as well as different bed lengths. 

Clothing can be a nightmare to find the right size, if it has got the British equivalent on the label you don’t know if the garment is sized in French, Spanish or European sizes as they’re all different. Even buying a bra Spanish and European sizes are approximately 25cm different. So a bra in one range would be a 75, the range next to it you’ll need a size 100. Putting EU or ES next to the size is far too simple! 

I personally have to purchase most of my craft items outside of Spain as I’m in able even to find what I need from a local craft shop or a Spanish based internet site.

The problem stems from not knowing if you are going to be charged import tax.if the site told you import taxes of whatever amount is payable then you make the decision there and then to buy or not. If you buy from eBay U.K.they tell you how much the import tax is going to be, before you complete checkout. I think that’s why there are very few British retailers willing to post to the U.K. now. 

People have been charged for receiving a thicker than normal birthday card and one poster stated he had to pay to receive a replacement credit card. 

As I mentioned earlier it’s a tax lottery.

Lynn

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