You know how couriers will try and charge an admin / disbursement fee on import duty, with no contract in place. They will repeatedly quote their contract terms on their web site even, in spite of explaining over and over again that we are not a party to that contract.
So it occurred to me, we just need contract terms on our web site. Almost any argument they make to validate their fee applies the other way. It's published terms. They acted (making delivery). The fees are not unreasonable, etc.
@revk@toot.me.uk hehehe excellent, I had thought to do the same. Not only is there no contract for any kind of further fee, I have already paid (usually) someone else to handle the delivery.
OK to simplify...
What legal basis is there for...
1. Courier, after delivery, where they paid duty/vat on an import, recovering from recipient.
2. Courier recovering any admin fee they decide on, from recipient.
3. Courier refusing delivery (with no consequences) for wanting duty/vat/admin fee from recipient before delivery.
These should not be complex questions - they should be legally resolved, and even have legislation (for Royal Mail, some of these do).
So why is this not simple?
@revk@toot.me.uk Do let me know if this works.
@revk@toot.me.uk When you order the item, doesn't it usually say something in the seller's terms about the customer being responsible for import duties and fees? So you're rather buying a pig in a poke.
@revk@toot.me.uk i think the short answer is it's a racket.
@edavies@functional.cafe so seller can sue me if I donβt pay. That will be fun.
What gets me is they donβt seem to state a legal basis for any of it even when challenged.
That suggests it is, in fact, a scam.
This is not new. They must know the legal basis if there is one.
FedEx once cited a law allowing Royal Mail to charge a fee. But FedEx is not Royal Mail. Why not quite the law allowing FedEx (or any courier) the right to charge a fee? Clearly because they have no such right.
@revk@toot.me.uk @edavies@functional.cafe presumably the seller could refuse a refund for the thing you bought if it is returned due to non-payment of the admin fee if the seller's T&Cs say you will pay any additional fees the courier imposes.
@edavies@functional.cafe so seller can sue me if I donβt pay. That will be fun.
What gets me is they donβt seem to state a legal basis for any of it even when challenged.
That suggests it is, in fact, a scam.
This is not new. They must know the legal basis if there is one.
FedEx once cited a law allowing Royal Mail to charge a fee. But FedEx is not Royal Mail. Why not quite the law allowing FedEx (or any courier) the right to charge a fee? Clearly because they have no such right.
@revk@toot.me.uk @edavies@functional.cafe presumably the seller could refuse a refund for the thing you bought if it is returned due to non-payment of the admin fee if the seller's T&Cs say you will pay any additional fees the courier imposes.
@revk@toot.me.uk @edavies@functional.cafe presumably the seller could refuse a refund for the thing you bought if it is returned due to non-payment of the admin fee if the seller's T&Cs say you will pay any additional fees the courier imposes.
@revk@toot.me.uk @edavies@functional.cafe presumably the seller could refuse a refund for the thing you bought if it is returned due to non-payment of the admin fee if the seller's T&Cs say you will pay any additional fees the courier imposes.
RevK :verified_r:
