Need a little help challenging Fedex on wrongly invoiced Import/VAT for Exempt Gold Coin

[KevjustKev]

Think that a bloke called James Richards is the top bloke at Fedex in the UK. Also think it costs £35 to serve court papers for small claims and name him. Of course being me, I well be wrong on both counts.

[Guybrush]

I will repost this here for you

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In cases like this.  I only send one email asking the customer services team to provide the postal address of their legal department.  and then email the ceo directly.

https://www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-9534

 

Fedex UK CEO is Mr Colin Groves, usually CEO's will not reply directly but they put their 2ic on it and a phone call from someone who can actually sort it usually follows.  Be respectful these are very busy people but I have never failed to get a satisfactory resolution when emailing the ceo of a company directly.

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[Abyss]

I have not been active for a while on the forum but I am still paying attention to the Gold price. I was thinking of buying gold from auragentum.de from Germany but instead it worked out almost the same price buying from Chards (1 oz bullion Gold coins). I took your advice and decided to buy only from UK dealers while Brexit / sharks still circling looking for prey. Sorry to hear the bad news BYB and I hope the issue gets resolved with a full refund of unnecessary charges and some compensation for the time and mental stress had to go through.

[GuriousCeorge]

Hi, 

Wanted to piggy-back off this topic as I'm in the same situation having fallen foul of Fedex's import charges.

I ordered gold off Perth Mint who sent the coin via Fedex, with them having raised a import charge despite my protestations that VAT should not be applied for investment Gold.

 

Having scoured the internet and seen OPs woes I decided to pay the fee and just try to claim back the charge from the gov website.

I am in the process of filling out the C285 form (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-apply-for-a-repayment-of-import-duty-and-vat-if-youve-overpaid-c285); but had a question on the "representative or declarant" section.  They ask for the representative's name, address which I can fill out a Fedex's offices, however they also ask for an EORI number and an MRN number.

For the EORI number I assume I should put Fedex's one here? (since I am a private individual), but I can't find what this could be.

On the MRN number, none of the documents shared to me by Fedex reference this - would this simply be my tracking number?

 

 

Appreciate any help from you folks here.  Thank you!

[BackyardBullion]

10 minutes ago, GuriousCeorge said:

Hi, 

Wanted to piggy-back off this topic as I'm in the same situation having fallen foul of Fedex's import charges.

I ordered gold off Perth Mint who sent the coin via Fedex, with them having raised a import charge despite my protestations that VAT should not be applied for investment Gold.

 

Having scoured the internet and seen OPs woes I decided to pay the fee and just try to claim back the charge from the gov website.

I am in the process of filling out the C285 form (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-apply-for-a-repayment-of-import-duty-and-vat-if-youve-overpaid-c285); but had a question on the "representative or declarant" section.  They ask for the representative's name, address which I can fill out a Fedex's offices, however they also ask for an EORI number and an MRN number.

For the EORI number I assume I should put Fedex's one here? (since I am a private individual), but I can't find what this could be.

On the MRN number, none of the documents shared to me by Fedex reference this - would this simply be my tracking number?

 

 

Appreciate any help from you folks here.  Thank you!

I found the EORI number on the Fedex customs invoice I got from them.

Now, if it is not too late and you have not paid FedEx yet I would recommend emailing their CEO 

• Email Frederick Smith (CEO) on  fwsmith@fedex.com

• Email William Martin (Managing Director Customer Experience) on  wgmartin@fedex.com

I did and they actually got back in touch within 2 hours and someone looked into all the situation that I was going through and helped to resolve it. 

Sadly I had already paid the VAT and had to make a claim with HMRC. 

[marston59]

On the HM Revenue & Customs form  for EORI number put (12) 111111111111, MRN number put (12) 111111111111, works every time for me.

Just received this latest refund.

We’ve approved your claim dated 19 August 2021.
This was for a refund or remission of Import Duties under Regulation 50 of the Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018.
Your repayment of £470.76 will be issued by the National Duty Repayment Centre shortly.
We do not refund fees that may have been added by an agent.
If you contact us, please quote our reference number and provide a daytime phone number.

ALL delivery company's are making on the fees.

[GuriousCeorge]

Great, thanks both for your responses.  I had already paid it as I didn't want them to start charging me for holding the package.

I'll get the form sent off and hope I get that refunded promptly; it is annoying since Perth Mint did use the correct tarriff code, but Fedex still slapped on that charge.

[Kookaburracollector]

I read this thread a few days ago, when I discovered that Heritage Auctions (USA) were shipping me a gold coin using FEDEX! 

And Hey Presto!…I received a notification of an import charge this morning.

It looks like they have not charged me VAT (got that bit right), but have charged me 5% import duty. The coin should have been exempt (5 Quetzales), as it is listed on the HMRC website as being exempt, and did not cost more than 180% above spot.

I have paid the bill, as I was actually relieved it was only 5%, and not the full 20% I was fearing. When the coin and packaging arrives, I will then have to go through the claims procedure at border force AGAIN 😠.

I was going to bid at auction on a few nice items (abroad)over the next month or so, but this is really putting me off.

Will update the thread if I get any useful information…wish me luck!

[BackyardBullion]

Update on my original claim.....

HMRC input my bank details wrong.....

How does this happen.....

Still no refund.....

At wits end.....

HMRC are investigating how this happened and will be paying me.....sometime.....this millennium.....

Honestly, you cannot make this up.

[matt1r]

It’s seems they’re just trying to be as awkward as possible. They’re quick to take your money aren’t they but funny how hard it is to get back isn’t it. It’s just more stress that you could do without.

[blackadder]

9 minutes ago, BackyardBullion said:

HMRC input my bank details wrong.....

Sure they did lol   Most likely didn't even refund you just another excuse

[sovereignsteve]

22 minutes ago, matt1r said:

It’s seems they’re just trying to be as awkward as possible. They’re quick to take your money aren’t they but funny how hard it is to get back isn’t it. It’s just more stress that you could do without.

I've had to claim a refund a couple of times but only when the RM has been the UK agent and delivered the items. I found it an easy process, HMRC were very efficient and quick at processing the refund. I even got the RM charge back as well.

[Pete]

To those of you ( like myself ) have had to reclaim VAT on coins that should not have incurred VAT the Border Force has issued full refunds excluding any agent fees.
My fees were modest i.e. £8 with the Royal Mail but if Fedex and any other couriers are charging more I think you have a strong case to request a refund of charges.
FedEx as an example have made an incorrect declaration on importation and they charge a fee for use of their "customs / VAT deferment facility"
Surely if they have not bothered to read any customs declaration i.e. harmonised code and have incorrectly entered your goods on their computer system this is their error and why should you be charged for their incompetence. I know they will deal with millions of entries but an error is an error and in such cases should refund charges that should not have been applied.
In my cases I couldn't be bothered and just wrote off the fees but if they were larger and maybe happening regularly I would definitely be taking this to higher levels.
 

[AndrewSL76]

Just to say, that aside from the usual complaints processes, there are third lines of assurance that the Home Office apply - in this case, there is the Independent Chief Inspector for Borders and Immigration (ICIBI). I would suggest writing to him (incumbent is David Neal) explaining what the issues are/have been and what his inspection team could do in order to provide Border Force with guidance. They have inspected all sorts of Border policy over the years and this seems to me to be an important issue post Brexit that could at least be suggested as something for his team to look at. Just a thought.   

[Pete]

1 hour ago, AndrewSL76 said:

Just to say, that aside from the usual complaints processes, there are third lines of assurance that the Home Office apply - in this case, there is the Independent Chief Inspector for Borders and Immigration (ICIBI). I would suggest writing to him (incumbent is David Neal) explaining what the issues are/have been and what his inspection team could do in order to provide Border Force with guidance. They have inspected all sorts of Border policy over the years and this seems to me to be an important issue post Brexit that could at least be suggested as something for his team to look at. Just a thought.   

I don't believe this is a Border Force issue.
Any importer has to make a declaration and when you use a courier like Fedex they do this on your behalf i.e. clearing customs.
Border Force only ever inspect random shipments to ensure there isn't anything in the box that isn't declared and to catch smugglers etc.
When a courier company just makes bulk entries without checking specific details the default is full VAT and that probably applies to most shipments.
So if VAT is not applicable they know the end user can ask for a "re-entry" and the VAT invoice is recalculated.
Border Force are pretty good at refunding but they are not responsible for the couriers lazy attitude and the fact that they can just add charges for their errors is the issue.

[marston59]

My latest fees from FedEx was £21.00 they said it was a returns fee on my coins coming back from PCGS in France.

Again would not deliver my coins until I paid this fee.

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by marston59

[Kookaburracollector]

This update may not help @BackyardBullion unfortunately, but may be of use to those of you that import gold coins!

Apologies to FEDEX from me 😱…but not completely.

Having paid the customs duty to release my coin, I asked FEDEX to refund me the disbursement fee they had charged. To do this they asked for several pieces of information, none of which were in my possession…basically, they hadn’t sent me my recipient copy of the bill of lading. Having pushed this further, I have now received copies of everything to do with my transaction.

The paperwork appears to show that Heritage Auctions have put on a Tariff Code, although it sounds correct, was not the best one they could have used.

An hour later, and this is what I understand to be true:-

If we import a gold coin, it will be free from all duties if it is deemed to be ‘investment gold’ ..criteria below:- (excuse the copy and paste, I’m not writing it out again!)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/946674/UK_Gold_List_Table__002__1.pdf
 

In the above example, we should use the Harmonised Tariff code 7189 000000.  In this case, the coin should be free of import duty and VAT.
 

If the coin to be imported falls outside of the above criteria (maybe over the 180% of spot rule), then it may be considered to be an ‘item of numismatic interest’ under the commodity code of 9705 000090. In this case, it is still exempt from VAT, but will be liable to an import duty of 5%.

In my case, the coin I bought from Heritage did qualify as ‘investment gold’, but they provided the tariff details for ‘an item of numismatic interest’ in stead, which is understandable I guess!

Any questions about this ? Don’t ask me!…I’m done!😀

 

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by Kookaburracollector
It’s complex, and received corrective info

[Fivepoundfred]

I have just ordered a coin from the USA and i believe that unforunately it will be shipped with Fedex.

I managed to some degree infiltrate Fedex and get some info that hopefully will aid the shipping / import process, they can actually be very helpful when you get hold of the right person.

Anyway watch this space and if it works i will reveal, i am not getting too excited as there is still a chance the parcel will end up in Outer Mongolia and they try to charge me 500% tax / duty !

 

[BackyardBullion]

UPDATE!!!

Finally got my repayment from HMRC. Almost 3 months to the day since paying FedEx because of....reasons.

[sovereignsteve]

Just now, BackyardBullion said:

UPDATE!!!

Finally got my repayment from HMRC. Almost 3 months to the day since paying FedEx because of....reasons.

Everybody either working from home or just can't be arsed to do any work.