Quick question...

I shipped my Dell laptop to the states to be repaired under my warranty. My dad is mailing it back to me tomorrow. I told him to write "used personal laptop being returned from repair" or "used personal laptop already belonging to addressee" on the customs form. Will that work? I want to make sure I don't get hit with a bill but I'm not positive about the wording.

Thanks.

I put 'previously owned personal items' on my customs forms and nothing was opened. 

why did you have to ship it yourself to your dad for repairs if it was under warranty?  We had a problem with our Dell that was under warranty once we arrived here and called their service center.  They sent a courier with a shipping box to our door to pick it up - postage free and then sent it back a week later repaired.  All free - part of the warranty.  You might want to look into that in the future or ask for a postage refund now...

Dell wouldn't do it. They first put in a request for Dell UK to take a look at it as that would be the easiest route but Dell UK refused because I didn't have an international warranty. So then Dell told me that I would have to get the laptop to the US myself. They told me to find a friend or family member to ship it to and that once it was there to give them a call and they'd send a box out. It cost me about £80 total in shipping.

Well, ParcelForce just tried to deliver my laptop but they wanted £120 off me that I don't have. I thought I wasn't supposed to get charged VAT for this. I'm so frustrated.

Can they charge you VAT on something that you already owned/used??

Turns out they can if I can't prove to them it was repaired under a warranty. Apparently, when you send a computer for repair they'll charge you VAT for the replacement parts, or something like that. How they determine how much to charge without knowing what's been replaced is beyond me, unless they just charge the same VAT as for a new laptop. Mine came to £100.66. Now I have to provide them with proof that I had a warranty and all I have is emails from Dell that mention it. Hopefully that will work. Pain in the....

Other thing was the guy who delivered it told me there was an additional £20 charge from ParcelForce. But tonight when I went to pay it at the office (father-in-law loaned us the money to go get it) they didn't know what I was talking about. All I had to pay was the customs VAT. Odd. I'd think the driver was trying to pocket some money for himself only that would only work if I paid in cash. Weird though.

what was the form exactly that you used for customs? what did your detailed packing list look like? they want a detailed packing list from me, but a stupid friend of mine waited months to send the three remaining bags and all i coul say really are assorted clothes - trousers, jumpers, blouses, sweaters, jackets, shoes - all used. how specific would i have to be?

Turns out they can if I can't prove to them it was repaired under a warranty. Apparently, when you send a computer for repair they'll charge you VAT for the replacement parts, or something like that. How they determine how much to charge without knowing what's been replaced is beyond me, unless they just charge the same VAT as for a new laptop. Mine came to £100.66. Now I have to provide them with proof that I had a warranty and all I have is emails from Dell that mention it. Hopefully that will work. Pain in the....

Other thing was the guy who delivered it told me there was an additional £20 charge from ParcelForce. But tonight when I went to pay it at the office (father-in-law loaned us the money to go get it) they didn't know what I was talking about. All I had to pay was the customs VAT. Odd. I'd think the driver was trying to pocket some money for himself only that would only work if I paid in cash. Weird though.

That's crap ..did you should follow it up if the driver was extorting money. I'm confused are you paying VAT or customs Tax??

what was the form exactly that you used for customs? what did your detailed packing list look like? they want a detailed packing list from me, but a stupid friend of mine waited months to send the three remaining bags and all i coul say really are assorted clothes - trousers, jumpers, blouses, sweaters, jackets, shoes - all used. how specific would i have to be?

I think what you did was fine. Don't worry.

thanks very much

i haven't filled out the form yet, because i don't even know WHEN alan shipped it. I am waiting for him to wake up and give me the answer to the questions on the form: ship's name or aircraft flight number, bill of lading or airway bill number, place of loading abroad, container numbers, place of import, date of import, place for examination. I can't even fully answer these. it was shipped by UPS. What are the answers to those questions when it's shipped by UPS? I got a call from UPS yesterday asking for my email address so i could fill out this form. and they didnt tell me anythijng about the form. i was on a busy street with jackhammers all around, trying to drop off a job application.

also i cant remember if it was 2 or 3 bags. i think it was 3.. need him to confirm that, too.

I feel like waking him up, really. he's not much of a friend. said he'd take care of this after work yesterday and now my entire morning's plans are f--d because i am sitting here waiting for him to have the WISH OR DESIRE to go over to his computer and CHOOSE to answer my urgent question.

Hopefully some of it is in the information that's released when you have the tracking number.

That's crap ..did you should follow it up if the driver was extorting money. I'm confused are you paying VAT or customs Tax??

It says "customs VAT" and £8 for "clearance fee." I've paid it (FIL loaned us the money...he's so nice) and will try to get reimbursed now. I didn't want to have to worry about my laptop sitting at the ParcelForce warehouse.

I really don't know what the deal was with the £20 ParcelForce charge the driver mentioned but I know I didn't hear him wrong. At first I jumped to the conclusion that he was trying to get £20 off me to put in his pocket but after I thought about it, that only would have worked if I had paid him cash and even if I'd had the money at the time, I wouldn't have paid in cash so I don't know what the deal was.

I don't think they are allowed to take cheques and they don't have the a method of accepting cards so it would have been cash on hand. At least that's how it was before don't remember if it's changed...I sell costumes which I buy from the US so I had to pay for customs charges in cash.

I don't think they are allowed to take cheques and they don't have the a method of accepting cards so it would have been cash on hand. At least that's how it was before don't remember if it's changed...I sell costumes which I buy from the US so I had to pay for customs charges in cash.

I didn't know that. I paid with a check but I went into the office to do it.

Well, I'll remember this if I ever have anything delivered by ParcelForce again. I'll be sure to check the charges before I pay and if I'm asked to pay any ParcelForce charges I'll be sure to call about it.

In the office you can pay via cheque , card and cash . You can even pay for charges via phone so the delivery driver just drops the thing or if you need someone else to pick up the item for you at the depot. If you need to pay on delivery a charge it itemizes the charges on a sticker that they stick on the parcel..at least that's how it was before. I've given up on them. I booked a delivery online last week to pick up a parcel for friday ..so far they haven't done so..I paid for postage on Feb 1 ..it's now 11th and they haven't picked it up. I switched to UPS..I was laughing at the slap fine they received recently...GOOD!!