I posted about shipping and importing and tax and duty - general info. But this is specific.
DON'T USE UPS!
I had assumed the UPS issue was some minor oversight or administrative error, maybe one they could fix, but no. I got this from the sender (a major PCB manufacturer in China).
It seems UPS need some per sender and per receiver paperwork (like any senders are going to do that?!), and sender doing extra paperwork and notification on every shipment (yeh, again, will any do that).
In contrast, both DHL and FedEx cope. FedEx are not without other issues. Indeed, no carriers are. But these days major international carriers (all except UPS), understand postponed VAT accounting for UK import. They just need the VAT and/or EORI from the shipper. Shippers know how to supply such already (EORI needed for EU I think). I even put VAT number in the actual address lines to be very clear.
But it seems UPS don't just do PVA as normal, they create an administrative nightmare.
Thankfully JLC have said they will add a remark on their checkout for anyone stupid enough to pick UPS for shipping to UK. This should stop anyone else mistakenly using UPS.
So four parcels return to sender, in China, at UPS's cost (LOL), to be resent via a sane courier.
Why?
Well principle for a start - I will not be blackmailed to pay an admin fee I never agreed to, for a service I never asked for, that was provided solely due to incompetence.
But also a simple practical aspect - the fees are demanded on the doorstep and the delivery driver looks ill equipment to provide a formal VAT receipt.
That means my time getting one, assuming it is possible. The web site says "government charges", not "VAT". The customer service email says "tax and duties", not VAT. Without a clear VAT receipt I cannot legitimately reclaim the VAT, and so I won't - we are very careful with VAT (and everything else). I may be wrong, a VAT receipt may be simple, but their attitude gives me no confidence at all.
So the very real risk I will not even be able to reclaim the VAT means this is not just their admin fees. Return to sender and then paying to send via DHL works out cheaper overall. Shame about the delay.
Yeah, I have had an absolute nightmare with UPS, they clear on their own duty deferment account and then will not reallocate it, and insist on payment of their fees (for a service I didn't want) on top of the VAT that I wanted to deal with via PVA before they will deliver. I avoid any business shipments using UPS, unless it's DDP.
ReplyDeleteFedex and DHL just deliver and then argue about their pointless fees later.
I believe that some VAT can be reclaimed without a VAT invoice. I think the HMRC guidance is something on the lines of "if it is obvious that VAT has been charged then it can be reclaimed without a VAT invoice from the supplier". Now, of course, HMRC "guidance" is not "law" despite what HMRC claim. Had that argument with them a few times.
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