Importing a bike from overseas.

What I'm hoping is that FedEx are unaware of this invoice and it's a scam by a third party. Any charges payable to FedEx should surely be payable by the sender and if any duty is payable, I'd have expected the bike to have either been held pending payment or to be charged at the door. Never bought from overseas before so it's all new to me.
 
Well,

VAT at 20% on £360 = £72
Customs Duty 2.5% on £360 = £9

FedEx = £136 - £81 = £55

I had a two month dispute with FedEx years ago. They cleared super fast and with high cost. I argued that I didn't even order a service from them, especially an expensive priority service, and moreover, who did because the exporter didn't order it either. I also wanted documented proof they did indeed pay VAT and Customs duty.

I refused to pay the invoice, but had the goods. Eventually I got two legal threats of outstanding payments and so had to pay. Needless to say, FedEx blacklisted for life.
 
What I'm hoping is that FedEx are unaware of this invoice and it's a scam by a third party. Any charges payable to FedEx should surely be payable by the sender and if any duty is payable, I'd have expected the bike to have either been held pending payment or to be charged at the door. Never bought from overseas before so it's all new to me.

See my above post. You could blank off your personal details and post a photo of the invoice. The invoice should have official header, footer and payment method. If payment is by bank transfer it's easy to check the account number on-line.

https://www.fedex.com/en-gb/billing.html
 
Sending a very small parcel to Spain, incurs a handling fee of €12<15 plus any tax applicable.
A 15kg box from Spain to me in the UK incurred a £40 tax bill despite the contents being bought by me in the UK. HMRC were not interested in seeing my UK reciepts either, it was pay up or lose the box.

Fedex can set their own handling fees for processing the import documents and they ain't cheap!
 
It doesn't sound too outlandish to me ... As has already been calculated, the 360 plus tax plus import leaves a 55 handling fee. If it's a bike, then it's a large box, handling fees might increase depending on size? I know not everyone did, but the UK as a whole voted for Brexit so it's what you've got, unfortunately. I refuse to post anything into or out of the UK anymore because of all the charges and hassle.
 
The calculation is like this

import duty is levied on total price, then VAT is charged on top.

Bike + Postage = £360
Import Duty* (14% for bikes) = £50.40
VAT on total = £82.08
Fedex handling fee (2.5 % min £12) - £12

so additional fees

£50.40 + £82.08 + £12 = £144

so you've come out slightly better than expected.


* this will depend on the tariff code used but 14% the fee for bikes where most of the value/components is of nonEU origin. I'm guessing that either the bianchi frame is built in taiwan or the seller hasn't used the right tariff code , which would reduce the import duty.

Either way its only going to make £30-40 difference to whats owed.
 
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Good post @slackboy - from the UK site I posted, it appears a mind field to find the tariff code and duty amount.

1668857439626.png
I understood the UK - EU agreement was Tariff free in both directions for goods with country of origin in the UK or EU.

Where did you get the 14% from? Surely a second hand Bianchi would pass of as EU made?
 
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