Shipping to UK, DHL VAT problem
#1
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 0
Shipping to UK, DHL VAT problem
Daughter shipped some personal belongings to UK instead of taking them with her on plane as it was a lot cheaper. She contracted with Ship2Anywhere and the suitcase was sent using DHL. She is in UK for a few months using it as a base to see Morocco(11 days) and a tour of Africa (55 days), before heading off to US to take up a job.
When the case was picked-up in Melbourne we were told to note the contents and values and not told to fill any UK Customs forms in.
Suitcase has arrived in Liverpool and DHL is telling us that we need to pay VAT, even though these are her personal belongings and >6 months old. DHL are telling us that they have paid the VAT and we need to claim it back, or they can do it for us for £30. They are referring to C3, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...isiting-the-ec. This form is not for temporary visitors, but section 4.2 refers to temporary importation and C21.
Am I right in thinking that they can complete C21, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ce-request-c21, on my daughter's behalf and make this go away? This is the form for temporary visitors.
When the case was picked-up in Melbourne we were told to note the contents and values and not told to fill any UK Customs forms in.
Suitcase has arrived in Liverpool and DHL is telling us that we need to pay VAT, even though these are her personal belongings and >6 months old. DHL are telling us that they have paid the VAT and we need to claim it back, or they can do it for us for £30. They are referring to C3, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...isiting-the-ec. This form is not for temporary visitors, but section 4.2 refers to temporary importation and C21.
Am I right in thinking that they can complete C21, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ce-request-c21, on my daughter's behalf and make this go away? This is the form for temporary visitors.
#2
Re: Shipping to UK, DHL VAT problem
Daughter shipped some personal belongings to UK instead of taking them with her on plane as it was a lot cheaper. She contracted with Ship2Anywhere and the suitcase was sent using DHL. She is in UK for a few months using it as a base to see Morocco(11 days) and a tour of Africa (55 days), before heading off to US to take up a job.
When the case was picked-up in Melbourne we were told to note the contents and values and not told to fill any UK Customs forms in.
Suitcase has arrived in Liverpool and DHL is telling us that we need to pay VAT, even though these are her personal belongings and >6 months old. DHL are telling us that they have paid the VAT and we need to claim it back, or they can do it for us for £30. They are referring to C3, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...isiting-the-ec. This form is not for temporary visitors, but section 4.2 refers to temporary importation and C21.
Am I right in thinking that they can complete C21, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ce-request-c21, on my daughter's behalf and make this go away? This is the form for temporary visitors.
When the case was picked-up in Melbourne we were told to note the contents and values and not told to fill any UK Customs forms in.
Suitcase has arrived in Liverpool and DHL is telling us that we need to pay VAT, even though these are her personal belongings and >6 months old. DHL are telling us that they have paid the VAT and we need to claim it back, or they can do it for us for £30. They are referring to C3, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...isiting-the-ec. This form is not for temporary visitors, but section 4.2 refers to temporary importation and C21.
Am I right in thinking that they can complete C21, https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ce-request-c21, on my daughter's behalf and make this go away? This is the form for temporary visitors.
If you do a search on here, you will find a number of threads on this somewhat low activity of DHL to extract more money out of punters. Have a look and see what others have done.
Have the goods been delivered, or are they witholding delivery until the VAT has been paid?
This happened to my now ex-GF - but the goods had been delivered, so she told them to take a leap - she had never asked them to pay the VAT on her behalf, and she had no contract with them.
Nothing was ever heard of again.
S
#3
Re: Shipping to UK, DHL VAT problem
If you do a search on here, you will find a number of threads on this somewhat low activity of DHL to extract more money out of punters. Have a look and see what others have done.
Have the goods been delivered, or are they witholding delivery until the VAT has been paid?
This happened to my now ex-GF - but the goods had been delivered, so she told them to take a leap - she had never asked them to pay the VAT on her behalf, and she had no contract with them.
Nothing was ever heard of again.
S
Have the goods been delivered, or are they witholding delivery until the VAT has been paid?
This happened to my now ex-GF - but the goods had been delivered, so she told them to take a leap - she had never asked them to pay the VAT on her behalf, and she had no contract with them.
Nothing was ever heard of again.
S
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 0
Re: Shipping to UK, DHL VAT problem
The suitcase has been delivered without paying VAT. It took phone calls and emails with DHL, Ship2Anywhere and Sutherlands (DHL's VAT collector). Shouldn't have been needed but right result in the end.
My advice for anybody shipping personal belongings is to make it clear on the contents itemisation page that they are your personal belongings, also note the contents are older than 6 months. Finally, complete UK customs C3 form and attach even if it isn't requested.
My advice for anybody shipping personal belongings is to make it clear on the contents itemisation page that they are your personal belongings, also note the contents are older than 6 months. Finally, complete UK customs C3 form and attach even if it isn't requested.
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2015
Location: Thailand
Posts: 5
Re: Shipping to UK, DHL VAT problem
I got stung by DHL in the past but it was DHL Thailand. Shipping some stuff via UPS today, hopefully they don't get up to anything like this.