Urgent -uk custom charges 2.5% on loose diamond by mistake !!!

[GemmaEdet]

Hi All,

I need help again !.
I ordered a loose diamond from JA last Thursday. It arrived at Stansted, and because the pacel is marked jewellery on the box, custom charges us extra 2.5% for custom duty. We explained that it''s not jewellery, it''s loose stone, which is exempt from 2.5% custom duty. Today, they open the box, and insisted it''s a ring because of the stupid metal holder.

I am fainting now. now, we either resend it back to JA, or we have to pay close to £100 extra charge.
What shall we do ?

Any advice ?

Thanks

 

[GemmaEdet]

bump bump -

waiting on line..

 

[Lorelei]

Can you call the customs office Gemma and explain? If you don't get anywhere then maybe JA could call and explain that it is a diamond holder and that the diamond is not set.

 

[GemmaEdet]

It would be great if they can help out. It''s just so much trouble dealing with custom.
Who''s Gemma, how could i get hold of her ?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/19/2009 8:28:20 AM
Author: GemmaEdet
It would be great if they can help out. It''s just so much trouble dealing with custom.
Who''s Gemma, how could i get hold of her ?

I was referring to you Gemma? Call the main customs office and explain what is happening, they might be able to help. If you don''t get any luck call James Allen and see what they can do, if the vendor gets involved this might help.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 5/19/2009 8:31:10 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 5/19/2009 8:28:20 AM
Author: GemmaEdet
It would be great if they can help out. It''s just so much trouble dealing with custom.
Who''s Gemma, how could i get hold of her ?

I was referring to you Gemma? Call the main customs office and explain what is happening, they might be able to help. If you don''t get any luck call James Allen and see what they can do, if the vendor gets involved this might help.

sorry.. misread

We did, they insisted that was the case because they opened it.. .. sighh..

 

[stone-cold11]

How about asking them to pop out the stone from the stone holder? Since when can a setting pop out a stone that easily?

 

[Ice Scream]

I would definately have JA call the customs agency. They should be able to settle this rather easily if the UK customs agency is anything like the US. We actually just had something sent to my company form the UK that US customs would not send through. All it took was one phone call from the sender in the UK to take care of it and send the package on its merry way.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/19/2009 9:06:30 AM
Author: Ice Scream
I would definately have JA call the customs agency. They should be able to settle this rather easily if the UK customs agency is anything like the US. We actually just had something sent to my company form the UK that US customs would not send through. All it took was one phone call from the sender in the UK to take care of it and send the package on its merry way.

I think this is the best way to proceed, thanks for your input ice! Gemma JA should be open soon, give them a call and see what they can do, I know they will do what they can to help with this situation.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 5/19/2009 9:09:00 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 5/19/2009 9:06:30 AM

Author: Ice Scream

I would definately have JA call the customs agency. They should be able to settle this rather easily if the UK customs agency is anything like the US. We actually just had something sent to my company form the UK that US customs would not send through. All it took was one phone call from the sender in the UK to take care of it and send the package on its merry way.

I think this is the best way to proceed, thanks for your input ice! Gemma JA should be open soon, give them a call and see what they can do, I know they will do what they can to help with this situation.

Hi guys. thanks all to your reply. Still in the middle of sorting all this mess out.
Can''t believe custom can be so dump ! to take that metal thingy as the ring''.

.. calling JA now, and hope to get hold of a contact number. Will keep you guys updated.

 

[Steel]

Sometimes it is better to pay whatever charges they imagine up so that your goods arrive safely. Once in your hot little hands you can view the goods and if you plan to keep the stone you can call customs to dispute the charge. I did this and got a refund cheque about 3 weeks later. It is the same procedure if you return an item to a vendor. You have to claim the customs & vat paid back from customs once you have proof of the return by the exit documentation and refund.

It is not the end of the world but it is a pain in the A$$.

I hope Customs pull up their socks or JA can help out.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 5/19/2009 6:44:39 PM
Author: Steel
Sometimes it is better to pay whatever charges they imagine up so that your goods arrive safely. Once in your hot little hands you can view the goods and if you plan to keep the stone you can call customs to dispute the charge. I did this and got a refund cheque about 3 weeks later. It is the same procedure if you return an item to a vendor. You have to claim the customs & vat paid back from customs once you have proof of the return by the exit documentation and refund.


It is not the end of the world but it is a pain in the A$$.


I hope Customs pull up their socks or JA can help out.

Thanks.. how does this claim back works ?
It''s really pain the a$$.. .. can''t believe these people can be so stupid.
I am just really fed of buying diamond thingy.... too much hassle.
I told my hubby. .. whatever, this will be last one. if it doesn''t work out ( touch wood ). .. i willl just leave it.
It''s taken me far too much time.

 

[Rhea]

Linky to HM Customs and Revune

Link to the main part of the page re: importing

 

[Rhea]

Date: 5/19/2009 6:57:32 PM
Author: GemmaEdet

Date: 5/19/2009 6:44:39 PM

Author: Steel

Sometimes it is better to pay whatever charges they imagine up so that your goods arrive safely. Once in your hot little hands you can view the goods and if you plan to keep the stone you can call customs to dispute the charge. I did this and got a refund cheque about 3 weeks later. It is the same procedure if you return an item to a vendor. You have to claim the customs & vat paid back from customs once you have proof of the return by the exit documentation and refund.



It is not the end of the world but it is a pain in the A$$.



I hope Customs pull up their socks or JA can help out.

Thanks.. how does this claim back works ?

It's really pain the a$$.. .. can't believe these people can be so stupid.

I am just really fed of buying diamond thingy.... too much hassle.

I told my hubby. .. whatever, this will be last one. if it doesn't work out ( touch wood ). .. i willl just leave it.

It's taken me far too much time.

You aren't the first to have to deal with this. Hopefully the links above will be helpful. Also, if you do a search for all of Maisie's post she details in one of threads how to claim back and who to contact. Maisie is away from the boards right now with an ill son so she probably won't answer this thread.

The customs people aren't exactly stupid, just not experts in all the weird things that might come through. I'd never seen a metal stone holder until about a year ago so I love my jewellery related stuff! Customs is used to people trying to get away without paying for anything they can so they're careful, but not horrible people to deal with.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 5/19/2009 7:11:19 PM
Author: Addy

You aren''t the first to have to deal with this. Hopefully the links above will be helpful. Also, if you do a search for all of Maisie''s post she details in one of threads how to claim back and who to contact. Maisie is away from the boards right now with an ill son so she probably won''t answer this thread.

The customs people aren''t exactly stupid, just not experts in all the weird things that might come through. I''d never seen a metal stone holder until about a year ago so I love my jewellery related stuff! Customs is used to people trying to get away without paying for anything they can so they''re careful, but not horrible people to deal with.

Thanks Addy, We''ll wait and see what Custom says today. They are going to take a 2nd look. Now I am worried what if they damanage, or lose it.... Hopefull it can be resolved. otherwise, we''ll just pay, and claim it back later. .. no other ways really.

Suppose i have been spending too much time lately dealing with stuffs like this...

Hope Maisie''s son gets better !!

Thanks you alll ! you are the nicest people i have met on the forum, and this is the best forum I''ve come across for a long time !

 

[dinamit]

Hi Gemma,

Best of luck and keep us posted. I have to say that this served as a real warning for me; I''m about to buy a diamond and will now ask the seller to specify that it''s a stone only on the customs declaration...in hope that I will have better luck.

I hope claiming back will go smoothly, should you have to do that, although I don''t see how you''ll be able to proove the diamond came in holder and not a setting once it''s out of the customs hands, but then I''m not too experienced in this.

All the best.

 

[GemmaEdet]

Date: 5/20/2009 4:58:27 AM
Author: dinamit
Hi Gemma,

Best of luck and keep us posted. I have to say that this served as a real warning for me; I''m about to buy a diamond and will now ask the seller to specify that it''s a stone only on the customs declaration...in hope that I will have better luck.

I hope claiming back will go smoothly, should you have to do that, although I don''t see how you''ll be able to proove the diamond came in holder and not a setting once it''s out of the customs hands, but then I''m not too experienced in this.

All the best.

Thanks !.. and glad I could be of help here !
Do tell them to write the right thing on the package, and also the receipt/invoice.
JA has writtten ''personal ornament'' or sth like that hints it''s jewellery.
It''s just misleading !

 

[Lord Summerisle]

As far as i know - and i havent checked all the Taric codes for importing duties. Taric codes for EU importing

but the 2.5% import duty is only applied to precious metals Gold, silver, plat. etc.
if the temporatry mounting is a base metal - thats is or isnt plated with a precious metal should only be taxed at 2% (rather than 2.5%)
there is a proviso on code: 7104 Synthetic or reconstructed precious or semi-precious stones, whether or not worked or graded but not strung, mounted or set; ungraded synthetic or reconstructed precious or semi-precious stones, temporarily strung for convenience of transport
that i wonder if it can be argued by JA more forcefully that the item the diamond was shipped in was for ease of transport, rather than the diamond being set.

If this is a problem for customs, that UK customers will incur import duty on unset diamonds being shipped this way, maybe JA should change the way they ship - by just sending the diamond in the little packet, with a set of tweezers or something. this is how i recieved my diamond from Whiteflash when i bought my diamond several years ago.

 

[Lord Summerisle]

Date: 5/20/2009 5:10:43 AM
Author: GemmaEdet

Date: 5/20/2009 4:58:27 AM
JA has writtten ''personal ornament'' or sth like that hints it''s jewellery.

It''s just misleading !

that may be more for security during transportation... ''personal ornament'' rather more inocuous than ''diamond''

 

[GemmaEdet]

Still waiting for Custom''s update.

Wondering when it can be resolved.
It''s really frustrating.. and painful dealing with them...

 

[Lord Summerisle]

Date: 5/20/2009 9:34:43 AM
Author: GemmaEdet
It''s really frustrating.. and painful dealing with them...

Beurocracy can be a pain.

hopefully it will get sorted.

 

[denverappraiser]

The receipt from JA, which was included in the package as part of the shipping manifest, should clearly state what you bought and what was shipped. I agree with the above that the customs agent is probably just unfamiliar with the sorts of packaging used for loose diamonds and needed to make a fast decision. Talk to the supervisor at customs and ask them for the form you need to fill out to correct an error. Sometimes this sort of thing takes longer to sort out than it seems like is necessary but I would fully expect them to be reasonable about it.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[GemmaEdet]

Hi All..


Still not resolved. Custom seems to lose patience, and insisted that it''s payable. We''ve just paid, and will receive on Tuesday - as it''s bank holiday monday in UK.. and fingers cross !! everythiing''s gonna be allright..

sighhh.. what a struggle !! really..

and then will be weeks'' battle to claim my 90 pounds back.

I hope they haven''t lost/ damange my stone. what chances are there ?. If that indeed case, would they be respoinsible ?