To think I shoudn’t have paid a whopping I port city on item from Germany

[Easipeelerie]

DHL Express just charged me £63.80 import duty on an item sent from Germany. When I ordered the item, I saw no reference to import duty anywhere. I expect if I look harder, I’ll see it in the small print.
I rang DHL who said this is correct. Should I have paid and how do I avoid it in the future?

That should have said import duty.

You can't avoid it, this is a direct result of Brexit

www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

Welcome to Brexit.

Here is an article which explains it
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2021/jan/21/eu-website-purchases-the-import-charges-uk-customers-have-to-pay?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17204510077243&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2021%2Fjan%2F21%2Feu-website-purchases-the-import-charges-uk-customers-have-to-pay

Brexit.
You can't avoid it

it's Brexit, babe.

absolute pain in the arse but there we have it.

No, none of us should have to pay these charges and as for the businesses that struggle because of them. Good old Brexit.

What they all said.

You want to do something try lobbying the goverment to rejoin the eu although I highly doubt that's going to happen

As everyone has said, Brexit!

What they all said. I'm surprised it still has to be said. It sucks, but it is what it is.

Brexit. I think the only way round it is to never import anything.

When I ordered the item, I saw no reference to import duty anywhere.

Did you miss every time this was mentioned in the brexit debate?

What makes you think you shouldn't have paid it?

Isn't this what lots of people voted for in the referendum? I mean, it's shit but apparently it's worth it because we have taken back control. Or something.

Buy in the UK next time our businesses need your custom.

Because they've lost their EU market 😢

It is not sellers’ responsibility to inform you of import duties. Each country will have its own laws and customs threshold and it is your responsibility to check and to pay the relevant import taxes.
We no longer have free trade with EU so…

You pay VAT of 20% on the goods on import, and some goods attract duty too. Then you have to pay DHL for filling in the forms for you.

Seems cheap now doesn’t it?

You cannot avoid paying duty when you buy goods from the EU. As others have said: Brexit is to blame.

When buying goods from an EU country, I always check that either duty is included in the price (it should state this) or that I can afford to factor in the duty charges.

If you go back and read the shipping/duty info, you will probably find a bit about them not being liable for any charges incurred at your end.

It's quite clear on most items imported into the UK.

£135 is the magic number, any item imported that has a combined value of over £135 with shipping, shipping insurance and item value, will attract import tax and fees.

This is because the seller should collect tax on behalf of the UK government on all items bought under £135. All other items the tax is collected during shipping which is the value plus shipping costs.

Sometimes if you use a forward shipping company then only the Value of the item is taken into consideration if over £135.

My advice is if you want to avoid charges only import consignments t that are under £135.

The import duties or VAT in countries outside EU are not responsibility of the German seller.

To avoid it in the future ask for your share of the £350 million on the side of that bus because none of it seems to have gone on the NHS.

Direct your complaints to these two in the first instance.

You can't actively avoid it but it doesn't happen every time

As above, you can't avoid it.

It's nothing to do with DHL by the way. They're just the ones who have to collect the money.

You can only avoid it by buying from a UK business.

Sites don’t warn about customs duties as it varies by country and subject to change by politicians of those countries.