Disputing a debt with Fedex / Control Account

[almight]

Hi everyone!

Context:
* Some items were shipped from a store in EU to my place in the UK. I had a deal directly with the store, who provided a quote, that I accepted, and everything went fine: I received the good (was just dropped at my door)
* Until I receive an invoice from Fedex for an amount £100, which is higher than the transportation cost!
* I contested the invoice with Fedex, who went to a debt collector Control Account. They are sending one letter every other week with £20 additional every time (just back from a trip and got 3 of these).

Questions:

1. Is it correct that the UK resident to whom someone sends a parcel has to pay the carrier for import costs no matter what? I have no contract with Fedex of any way. The store in EU does.
It's like anyone can ship packets from EU to you with a declared value above threshold and you the recipient just must pickup the cost, even if you never asked for them.

2. Is there anything that allows Control Account to add £20 every other week? That sounds like extorsion.

3. Do I have any recourse? I can't go to the small claim tribunal as I am not owed money.

Thanks!

Al

[ostell]

Yes, you are liable for import costs from HMRC.

Search on the internet would have told you so.

[almight]

Do you have a link or something? I’m searching but all I can find is that duties/VAT may be payable, by whom it depends on the incoterms

[ostell]

Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad: Tax and duty - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

[EnglandPi]

As ostell has stated you have to pay the import duty on anything you have imported.

Is there anything that allows Control Account to add £20 every other week?

This is the first time I've heard of this but having researched it, the answer is NO there is nothing that allows them to charge £20 a letter and there is nothing to stop them charging it either.

Do I have any recourse?

You can pay the import tax, send the goods back, pay the full amount or come to a payment plan.

[almight]

Thank you EnglandPi and ostell for your answers.

The issue clearly comes from a misunderstanding between the EU store and myself - and I should have checked first and not believed the EU store. I agree and I should pay the amount as it is due for a service I'm satisfied with.

This being said, if the process explained the link shared by ostell https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty had been followed, it would be different story: Fedex contacting me before the delivery for payment, me having the choice between accepting or refusing (the goods being sent back), and reaching out to the EU store for clarifications. It is not what happened. The goods were delivered (without being accepted by me - just dropped at my doorstep in my absence) and, ONLY LATER, I got the bill.

I believe this raises 2 issues:

1. There is no contract (in the widest meaning of the term) between Fedex and myself. At no point in time, did I agree to a quote from Fedex, or clicked on a Fedex website or paid Fedex, or accepted a package, or anything. My sole contract was with the EU store, which I paid directly and they arranged everything. Fedex contract is with the EU store (directly or indirectly). Therefore, on which basis is Fedex asking me to pay them? Fedex is a private entity like myself, therefore if no contract no obligation. Am I getting something wrong?

2. If it worked the way Fedex claims it does, then I could send from EU many empty packages to my nemesis, each package with a declared value of GBP 200+ - then my nemesis would receive a GBP 100+ invoice for each package that would have to be paid, with no recourse! It sounds silly.

What do you think?

A