I had some packets of tea imported from the States. According to HMRC regulations, tea is zero vatted in the UK. Imports of same for personal use should also be zero vatted. The import label was correctly filled out. The RM slapped me with 3.02 vat before they would deliver it. Plus the Royal Mail's eight pound handling fee. I paid the ransom to get my Christmas tea.
I subsequently challenged HRMC/Border Force and they agreed that the VAT was incorrectly assigned. They did not accept blame for the error, only that in light of the "additional information" I provided (which was quoting their regulations to them) they agree that an error was made. I was advised to contact Royal Mail for a refund of the fee if the RM was at fault, otherwise HMRC would send me the eight pounds I was out as a handling fee. As BF/HMRC did not expressly state they accepted blame, I contacted Royal Mail, who said on no condition would they refund the fee, that it was up to BF/HMRC to refund it, and that had been the policy since 2013.
Today I received a check from HMRC for 3.02. No handling fee included. So I'm writing the third letter to BF/HMRC asking for my eight pounds. (Which, by the time postage is added up will cause the entire enterprise of getting the refund to cost more than the original eight pounds - but this is on principle.)
There are things about the UK, systems-wise, that just make me want to pull my hair out.
