DHL-Quarantine Processing Fee-Purchase from AutoVaux

[HoldenAstra]

Hi guys,

What is this SHIT?

I purchased some parts(timing belt kit, water pump, drive belt, 2 air filters and 2 pollen filters) from AutoVaux last month or two.

I received all the parts last month. All good, no problem at all at that moment.

But today, the logistics department of my company called me, said they received a Tax Invoice from DHL, it's a Quarantine Processing Fee $47.30. (I used my company address to receive the parts, that why the tax invoice is to the company). I told them it has nothing to do with the company, it's just a personal on line shopping.

Now, I have the that invoice in hand and I called DHL. they said it's just random, sort of bad luck.

WTF? Just because of bad luck???Is it a fair go???

Did you guys received such invoice before for purchasing from AutoVaux?

& What's my option?

Thanks!

[adam_92]

exactly the same happened to me. i ordered and recieved my timing belt kit and water pump without a problem then around 6 weeks later i got a letter from dhl to say i owed $47.30 quarantine processing fee from autovaux... the letter went in the bin and iv never heard anything else and that was around 2 months ago that i recieved the letter... iv got the things that i ordered so im not bothered. its not as though they can take the timing belt kit and water pump back

[nigelh]

I started a thread on this a while ago. Ring DHL and demand to see the customs paperwork.

[poita]

never had anything like this with my autovaux stuff.

as nigel said ring DHL and demand the paperwork, and if not tell em to stick it

[sooty]

Yeah there's quite a bit on this

Request for DHL to send you the quarantine inspection number.
Everyone I know who has asked for this number (myself included) have found that DHL can no longer find their copy of the quarantine inspection number, and so they kindly offer to waive the fee.


AQIS Charge $90.00 per half hour, plus the AQIS Direction fee ) depends if Air, Sea or Post – and if under the threshold of AUD$1000 )
DHL have a permanent Quarantine Officer at their depots. This officer will determine inspection of packages based on paperwork, and what has been reported to customs.
YES – your parcels can be pulled up for " random " inspection, or if they are timber, plants, animal items etc...
DHL should possibly only be charging between $17.00 to $49.00 for a general inspection – anything other than that add $90.00 per half hour or part thereof ( and any treatment fees if it needs fumigated or destroyed )
DHL should have a record of the parcels that AQIS pull up – it is AQIS Legislation that docs be kept for a number of years.


DHL waived this today after a phone call, the lady at DHL couldnt explain why it was charged after she was ask for the quarantine inspection number that she subsequently could not find (surprise)
So if anyone pays it, your nuts!, its a joke and they just hope that people pay it without questioning it!.

[dutchy]

I never had that. Only had to pay some fee to customes when my order was over AU$ 1000
Sent the invoice back "return to sender, person unknown".... :lol:

[HoldenAstra]

Oh....Thanks guys!

It was strange to me because there was no "inspected by quarantine" yellow sticker/packing tape on my package. I doubt it was opened by quarantine.

And as i remember, if you received a package from Australian Post and the package has the "inspected by quarantine" yellow sticker/packing tape on it, Australian Post will not send you a tax invoice for this shit fee.

Just spoke to the logistics department, they received a lot of this invoices. As long as it's business related,the company just pays for it because no one questioned it.

So, I think this thing is just a revenue point for DHL. They opened you package and then asked you to pay for it. Bullshit......

What a JOKE!

[Shaun]

Hmm Quarantine could be to do with certain parts pose threats to Australian Agricultural Industries which could the parcel could become contanimated from. I know i would rather pay the $48 dollars then not receive the parcel at all.
You are using a freight agent with lots of running cost. When i purchased my Milltek Exhaust i had to pay duty on the item before the released the goods and it was close to about $400 aud on top of the $3500 i spend to get the exhaust + shipping.

[HoldenAstra]

It's a joke from DHL.

The parcel was well received around several weeks ago. If they did inspected my parcel, they would not release my parcel until I paid the Quarantine Processing Fee. They did not hold my parcel at all.--Strange

It's my parcel, why someone opened it and asked me to pay the cost of opening the parcel?--Why?

Why Australia Post does not send you invoice for Quarantine Fee, when you received oversea parcel inspected by quarantine?--Yes

The lady on the phone from DHL explained that it's random, it's government thing. Does it mean the government can randomly charge anyone for fees?--Oh dear!

It's all bullshit.

Unbelievable!!!

[Wraith]

Interesting...

I too purchased a timing kit/water pump etc. from Autovaux recently (last November) and had no such issues...

Is it a more recent thing ?? ie. this random charge ?? I reckon it's crap too and they're just trying to milk more money from people...

[kabel]

If it is a random thing then surely that is the cost of running the Customs Department.
You do not get sent a bill for a random licence check from the Police Department !

[gman]

Post fact billing.. NEVER pay it!!! Let them chase you then question the hell out of it...

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[ChrisMaz]

Was charged this when I shipped over the snowflakes.

Luckily they dropped the wheels off at 8am. GST and Quarantine Invoices arrived at 2pm. Didn't pay them. Had 2 follow up calls regarding the "Quarantine" invoice. Told them I never received them. Never heard from them since.

[Shaun]

It's a joke from DHL.

The parcel was well received around several weeks ago. If they did inspected my parcel, they would not release my parcel until I paid the Quarantine Processing Fee. They did not hold my parcel at all.--Strange

It's my parcel, why someone opened it and asked me to pay the cost of opening the parcel?--Why?

Why Australia Post does not send you invoice for Quarantine Fee, when you received oversea parcel inspected by quarantine?--Yes

The lady on the phone from DHL explained that it's random, it's government thing. Does it mean the government can randomly charge anyone for fees?--Oh dear!

It's all bullshit.

Unbelievable!!!

Whos to say that the box and good werent treated as such with a solution or checked ? Quarantine agency based in the ports and airports of Australia is a Government agency . therefore they could be batch invoicing DHL for the services they preform after the fact and DHL could be passing the charges on by the AWB numbers that are being treated. If your so concerned with about paying the $47.30 then ring Quarantine and ask them why DHL would charge you and maybe they could shed some light on the matter.....
O

[stevedee3]

On average, AQIS inspects around 10 consignments in half an hour and charges the express carrier (DHL, TNT, Fed Ex, UPS) a $90 fee for the AQIS time. AQIS does not charge for the individual consignment.Source:
http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import/general-info/fees-charges/expresscourierfees

[Shaun]

Good find there Stevedee3. As it states they can charge you for the service. Pretty much the reason i thought it was charged...

[poita]

the thing is though, are the couriers just using that as an excuse to charge people?

hoping that no-one says anything and just pays it

if they have paperwork from quarantine saying that is was inspected then fair enough though

[nigelh]

As soon as I asked for a copy of the customs paperwork they waived the fee, Seems dodgy to me. If they could produce the paperwork I would be happy to pay.

[03srit]

When I ordered my turbo and everything dhl rang and asked for the fee which was 270+ and I asked if it comes with the paperwork and she said yeah it did so I paid over the phone and when I got the package, no paper works or nothing.. couldn't be fussed complaining though..

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[HoldenAstra]

the thing is though, are the couriers just using that as an excuse to charge people?

hoping that no-one says anything and just pays it

if they have paperwork from quarantine saying that is was inspected then fair enough though

+100

not everyone got charged, why?
why Australian Post does not charge such thing?
just too many questions you can ask...

[HoldenAstra]

When I ordered my turbo and everything dhl rang and asked for the fee which was 270+ and I asked if it comes with the paperwork and she said yeah it did so I paid over the phone and when I got the package, no paper works or nothing.. couldn't be fussed complaining though..


the value of goods was over $1000,right?

[03srit]

the value of goods was over $1000,right?

Yeah I didn't know about this 1000 limit so I tried to get as much as possible to save shipping.. wrong move.. yeah its weird that you got charged as yours wasn't over 1k

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[dug74]

I wouldn't pay it.

I have worked in export and used to deal with DHL and TNT.

Unless they can supply documentation for the charges then you won't have to pay.

Every case I have dealt with you usually pay the fee before goods are dispatched and it's usually for goods over the $1000 GST threshold.



Happy Motoring
duglet

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[Manaz]

As others have said, ask them to substantiate the charge - and then ask why you should pay it anyway given they've actually delivered the goods.

I wouldn't be paying it regardless.

For what it's worth, the fees on things over $1000 value is entirely separate - there's a processing fee that often gets charged that that point by the courier company, and it's always charged at the same time as they sting you for the customs duty plus GST - and they don't release the goods until it's paid.

[Barina@19]

We need a timing belt kit (Autoaux part no AS93185845) for our Barina SRi and I'm curious to know how much is postage from the UK (AutoVaux). They are asking £42.34 (approx $65) for the kit which is way way better than $258 from my local GM dealer.

[hazrd]

ask Autovaux and they will calculate it for you. shouldnt be much

[HoldenAstra]

The whole lot for me, 50GBP by DHL.