Hi, Anybody here in the know and able to explain this to me?? I had a rod arrived in the UK last friday, last tracked at the International Hub at 8.58 on 3/9/10 'awaiting customs charges'. As of 5 minutes ago the tracking is still stuck on that information. I have contacted customs( a few times) and they claim the parcel was dealt with on Monday 6/9/10 and passed back to Parcelforce. I have e-mailed and called Parcelforce many, many times in the last 2 days and they say there is nothing they can do as they claim they have not had it back from Customs.
Where has my rod been for the last 5 days, and where the hell is it now?
No-one at Customs or Parcelforce can tell me, or even be bothered to try to find out. Both just say the other has it.
Any sensible advice will be gratefully received.
By the way it is a Guideline 13ft7in #9/10 , and the way things are going I might be looking for another one if this one remains in the twilight zone.
Cheers
Idbflytye

Can the suppliers help ? They are responsible for ensuring that the goods reach you, they should have more sway with the carriers.

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[I]"The fish and I were both stunned and disbelieving to find ourselves connected by a line." William Humphrey in "The Armchair Angler"[/I]

Hi, Thanks, that will have to be the final resort if the rod stays lost. Not too sure how long you have to wait before initiation of a complaint. Still hopeful that it will turn up. I won't be very happy paying their handling charge, mind you.
Cheers
Idbflytye

The item would have went to Customs at Parcelforce's International Hub when it arrived in the country. Customs will then make the necessary charges and stick a customs charge label on it. As soon as it is released it will have a normal Parcelforce label attached to it and that is when the item is tracked from customs. As soon as it is released it is despatched to the depot that is delivering it. You will receive a letter advising you of the charges, you can either pay online and have the item delivered or you can go to the depot, pay and collect the item yourself. The one thing I can assure you of is parcelforce do not hold on to the items. On the other hand customs are notoriously bad for it. The last thing I bought from the USA was in customs for a week.

How do I know all this? I operate Parcelforce's International Acceptance Gateway so you could say I'm a bit of an expert.

If you rod does not clear customs soon let me know and I will see if I can get someone to chase it up.

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A Bad Days Fishing Is Better Than A Good Day At Work

This is not unusual Idbflyte. I see this constantly on goods I import. The online tracking gets stuck on one scenario. There is not a lot you can do but be patient. Your package will eventually pass through the system and you will receive an invoice from Parcelforce telling you what you owe them for clearence, duty and vat. It will give you the option of paying and sheduling a delivery, or you can go to the depot at Bankhead, pay the bill and take it home. The last option is recommended as there can be further delays if you pay and then ask for delivery.


David.

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I had a rod delivered from the US, a while ago. Tracking showed it stuck in New York or somewhere "over there". Opened my door, one morning and it was sitting in the Porch!!

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Roy

Maybe they are on holiday or also striking I have a package sitting in the London customs office for over 2 weeks now... Not sure if I will go through this again.

Wow! all those phone calls and e-mails to parcelforce for a big fat 0. And one evening on the forum and I have some useful info. Many Thanks to all of you for the advice. At least I know it is not just me, somehow that helps. I might just take Macmagoo up on that offer if there is no action soon. I even checked in my porch, but it wasnt there.
Thanks again
Idbflytye

The last thing I ordered from the States, a reel, took about 2 weeks from being sent to when it got to Parcelforce when they issued me with the bill. I guess Customs must have had some issue with the item, I suppose the declared value or something before releasing it. The retailer I used has a habit of declaring the value for all items the same, to help out on the duty front. Probably illegal, but they said that they had never been pulled up on it, though could put the true value if requested next time round!

I guess all those proudly declaring how they had evaded paying vat/duty will be a little more guarded from now on?

Hi, I don't think the value should be an issue. I am assuming the seller put the value as what I paid for it, and I certainly did'nt ask for anything different. It is now 3 weeks since the seller posted the rod. And I am still no where near getting a bill from anyone. Somehow it took more than a week from leaving USA to arrive in the UK?? God knows where it was as it certainly shouldnt take a week to fly to the uk from anywhere. Beginning to wonder if everybody and their dog are having a shot to see if they like it.
The issue here is that Customs have dealt with the rod last Monday and still today parcelforce say that customs still have it.
Stands to reason one of them is wrong, or the rod is actually lost, I am assuming the former, but how do you find out which, when both claim the other has it.
Cheers
Idbflytye