FORUM

last week my daughter ordered a Tablet online from a company we have used before.
It arrived in record time, 3 days. It was being sent from outside the EU.
When UPS arrived at our door with it at 18.30 on tuesday he just asked for a signature on one of those handheld keypad machines.

Last night around the same time he returned, with a printed piece of paper , it was actually an email, from Duanes to UPS asking them to forward 37 euros for tax on electronic equipment, our name and address and order no was on this too. I was took back and simply told the man that my husband was not in (true) . He told me that I must phone the duanes at montpellier, pointing out their number on the paper.

When I returned in the house I got the documents out that had been in the see through envelope on the parcel, there is a 3 part docket on there, one should be for UPS one for the recipiant (us) and another for duanes.

If we had known we were to be charged a third again in taxe we would not have ordered it, It is not now a bargain.
can i reclaim this taxe after paying it?

As far as I know you are charged french TVA and import tax on all goods that originate from outside the EU. I have paid this before on stuff ordered from the US. It is not recoverable.

Agreed Mrs H. I've seen this before too. Some sites are clear about it but others aren't. Be wary buying items from outside the EU. Within the EU you are OK unless it's an excisable product like booze and fags.

Sounds like I may have to pay it too on the cheapo pop up £1.99 wash baskets which I inadvertently bought from China!!

If you can ask the sender to write 'present' plus their name as opposed to a firm name it might work!!

They usually don't bother to collect the taxes on anything worth less than 100 euro. It would be more trouble than it is worth. UPS etc., also make a charge for collecting the taxes for the Duanes so you get hit even harder.

Of course you mustn't ask the supplier to write a lower value on the invoice!

Russell.

I have looked through the sites about import tax, I found a figure of about 125.00euros .
Including postage and insurance it cost a lot less than 100.00euros.
I am going to be brave tomorrow and phone the number on the demand.