Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 10:43 PM

Well, damned few other 'Catters live in Idaho, so I guessed that you'd probable guess straight off.

That pen might be easier to use than you think. I would have sent a Shoshone rose but you can only get them by inheritance or if you're a rich tourist. As for a pair of beaded gloves -- they used to cost as much as $1.50 per pair (brain-tanned elkhide, softer than butter, but I offered to buy my wife a pair recently and she was adverse to my spending better than $500.00 (USD, of course) for gloves she'd never wear.

Enjoy the stuff.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 12:17 AM

the roses are beautiful, & the gloves are fantastic, thanks for the link.

sandra

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: GUEST,Guest, an upset Santee
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 08:45 AM

I'm upset because having received a wonderful selection of goodies from Santa, and having been shocked at how much Santa had paid in shipping charges it appears that I am now being charged a reasonable whack of money because I received the gift! FedEx are asking me to pay, claiming this is import taxes based on the declared value of the goods and shipping.
I'm keeping this anonymous as I don't want my kind Santa to feel guilty or impelled to pay any more monies out on my account, but I thought you should all be aware that if you send stuff to the UK the cash value of what you send is now lower than before and unless you check what to write to describe the items your recipient may face the same trouble.
To give an idea, in this case the amount they want from me is 33% of the value of the goods.
I'm appalled.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 07:46 PM

is it legal for a private American company to ask you for money? Who are they paying the money to?

check with someone, maybe HM Customs?

sandra

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 11:23 AM

It does seem bizarre that gifts would be taxed. I'd be willing to bet that some underling has misunderstood the rules of engagement. Refute the charges and see what happens. (My advise only, not a legal recommendation!)

SRS

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: jacqui.c
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 01:44 PM

Guest - that sounds rather bogus to me. I quite often send stuff to the UK and have never had this problem. With the value of the gift sent by your Santa, which, I guess would be well under the limit, no excise duty should be added. I would check the Customs and Excise website to see if there is any info on the top value of packages coming into the UK before tax has to be paid.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: GUEST,Upset Santee
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 06:33 PM

I've now checked the HMRC website. These are the rules: when sending a gift from non EU countries to the UK, the value must be less than £36.00, based on rates on their website. That's now. Until the end of 2012 the limit was £40.00. If you declare a limit that's higher than that they can charge you duty - in this case, the value was a matter of pence more than that, so that's why they picked on this package. In addition, because this was sent express delivery, they added the cost of postage to the value being taxed.

Nice of them, huh? And then FedEx add their own charges.

I'm considering what to do. At the moment, writing to my MP comes high on the list, as it seems totally wrong that I can be asked to pay a significant sum for something when I have had no choice whatsoever in what it is or how it's been delivered. It also seems wrong that my generous Santa has already paid a huge sum to ship the package to me in the first place and yet this doesn't encompass any of the essential charges. The legal situation, however, is as I've described above.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 09:00 PM

adding the cost of postage, whatever next!!! definitely Rip-Off Enterprises.

it's a worry, if we send parcels up to the value of 20 pounds or dollars or whatever the local currency, then air mail it it could easily be over 40 pounds.

Maybe everyone needs to make a pressie rather than buy one so it has a nominal value.

good luck, get your MP onto it fast. Contact the media (Scrooge-like govt dept takes money from Santa)

sandra

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: artbrooks
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 09:00 AM

Another thought might be - did they notice that the sender's value was in $US? If, for example, the sender marked a value of $40, that's less than £25.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 11:09 AM

Good point, Art. Just the fact that it was a gift should exempt it from this kind of scrutiny.

SRS

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: GUEST,Upset Santee
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 03:37 PM

Sorry, I wasn't clear - in this case the value of the goods, converted from dollars to pounds, came to just over the 40 sterling. As I said, I had an extremely generous Santa. And then, because the package was sent express delivery, another rule kicked in which meant they could take into account the cost of shipping.
In any case, it's a major kick in the teeth for all sides, and I can't understand how the cost of express delivery (already incredibly expensive) wouldn't automatically include other charges if they know this is the regulation. Which of course they must do - unlike those of us who send very few international packages.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Joybell
Date: 15 Jan 13 - 03:40 PM

It's my birthday next week. Maybe my present will arrive for that.
Joy

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Joybell
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 03:41 PM

Still no present. Is anyone else still waiting?
Joy

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Jan 13 - 01:02 AM

love & hugs to you

sandra

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Joybell
Date: 22 Jan 13 - 05:24 PM

Awwww! That's the go. Thank you Sandra.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: My guru always said
Date: 24 Jan 13 - 03:56 AM

Hey Joy Dear, anything arrived yet?
When's your Birthday??

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: jacqui.c
Date: 24 Jan 13 - 08:05 AM

I just heard from Joybell's Santa - late on parade but a gift is on its way.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Joybell
Date: 24 Jan 13 - 06:52 PM

Hurray. Thank you jacqui and thank you Santa. Late is OK. I'll look forward to the arrival.
Thank you for the birthday wishes too, Hil.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 25 Jan 13 - 02:02 PM

I got two lovely cds in the mail which I think must be from my SS! Thank you so much!

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Joybell
Date: 29 Jan 13 - 06:04 PM

A wonderful present arrived yesterday. It had been all over New South Wales and had Christmas Island stamps on it too. Sandra has just been visiting friends around the state and one of the names on the parcel is a familiar one. Inside are lovely hand-made gifts (a la Sandra. :-) ) A chain of felt hearts with gold angels, a beautiful notebook fabric-covered, a spangled parrot, and a little owl, a callendar, a tea-towel covered in Sandra's trademark -- Teddy bears. The hand-writing on the card! I recognised that too. My friend Sandra thank you so very much. A very clever try at hiding. It did take me a while to work it all out.
Love and hugs, Joy

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 30 Jan 13 - 03:12 AM

moi?

I'm pleased you liked the goodies!

love & hugs to you & True-Love

sandra

ps. the notebook was made by a member of the Embroiders Guild

Subject: RE: Secret Santa - Santee teasers - 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 13 - 10:16 AM

Has everything arrived everywhere now?