Parcel stuck at Heathrow Langley HWDC

[Jegor]

"You can bring some goods from abroad without having to pay UK tax or ‘duty’ (customs charges), as long as they’re for your own use."

What mine products are...

"You may have to pay VAT, Customs Duty or Excise Duty on goods sent from outside the European Union (EU) before you can collect them."

[Jegor]

VAT fees = if outside EU

[Snaggletooth]

You are correct that there are no taxes to pay when things arrive from other EU countries. But everything is still subject to customs checks as each country has it's own list of things that are allowed and not allowed, and there is some variation even within the EU nations: for instance, Germany ban the sending of lithium ion batteries (e.g. mobile phone batteries) in the mail, but most EU countries allow them (under strict conditions).

For the parcels with incomplete tracking, I would check discretely with the buyers first, and then make a claim to the Swedish postal service for each one. Be careful not to claim for loss for any which were delivered, but you may still get a refund on the postage for any that were delivered with incomplete tracking that you paid for. About 2 years ago, there was an issue with items posted at UK Post Offices not always showing up on the track & trace. Whilst that bug seems to have been fixed, you may have found another similar one. Making a complaint through the proper channels will help to get the problem sorted.

Incidentally, the equivalent Royal Mail service will only cover a mobile phone for 100 pounds sterling if sent in the opposite direction, so I would check that the service you are using does cover you for the value of the phone.

[electrician]

hi, I am a new member here.

I have read some posts about mails sent from other EU countries, ‘stuck at Heathrow’, or considered as ‘missing’. I don't think this is what happens in the very most of cases!

I've posted many ‘Registered’ items from Greece to the UK over the last two years and have some experience with this issue. Although these mails are handled as ‘Signed For’, sometimes RM deliver them without updating the status to DELIVERED on their website. This is not important when sending items to friends, but it can be a hassle when selling items on-line.

Last time this occurred was Mid April. I posted two Registered Airmail items to the UK, very similar in size and weight (big enough but less than 2kg)
Both left Greece and were scanned at Heathrow at the same time! Two days later, one parcel status changed to DELIVERED (signature also available)
I don't know anything about the other one.‘Please come back later. Information on your Royal Mail Signed For™ item is not yet available’, as usual on the tracking page.

The buyer claims that the item is not in his hands, and RM officially didn't help. They just referred me to the local PO customer service (international mail rules?)

I could only guess that some delivery offices don't bother to upload delivery info on the tracking system
Are all posties in the UK equipped with PDAs to obtain signatures, or paper cards are still used in some areas?
Could anyone please shed any light?

[Jegor]

hi, I am a new member here.

I have read some posts about mails sent from other EU countries, ‘stuck at Heathrow’, or considered as ‘missing’. I don't think this is what happens in the very most of cases!

I've posted many ‘Registered’ items from Greece to the UK over the last two years and have some experience with this issue. Although these mails are handled as ‘Signed For’, sometimes RM deliver them without updating the status to DELIVERED on their website. This is not important when sending items to friends, but it can be a hassle when selling items on-line.

Last time this occurred was Mid April. I posted two Registered Airmail items to the UK, very similar in size and weight (big enough but less than 2kg)
Both left Greece and were scanned at Heathrow at the same time! Two days later, one parcel status changed to DELIVERED (signature also available)
I don't know anything about the other one.‘Please come back later. Information on your Royal Mail Signed For™ item is not yet available’, as usual on the tracking page.

The buyer claims that the item is not in his hands, and RM officially didn't help. They just referred me to the local PO customer service (international mail rules?)

I could only guess that some delivery offices don't bother to upload delivery info on the tracking system
Are all posties in the UK equipped with PDAs to obtain signatures, or paper cards are still used in some areas?
Could anyone please shed any light?

I also think so, as I have 3 items that are "missing" and are worth more then £400, if it was missing the buyer would have contacted me.
And now I´m in a situation not knowing if a item was delivered or not, which sucks.

[Jegor]

Has anyone had there package update after several weeks? My item that is lost contains a cellphone and I have the IMEI, I can see that it hasent been activated.
Strange if someone at the postterminal would steal the package and not use it, the same if there reciever actually got it.

[SpacePhoenix]

Has anyone had there package update after several weeks? My item that is lost contains a cellphone and I have the IMEI, I can see that it hasent been activated.
Strange if someone at the postterminal would steal the package and not use it, the same if there reciever actually got it.

Was it going to or from the UK and what's the other country? Some countries don't allow any lithium ion batteries to go by air

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Has anyone had there package update after several weeks? My item that is lost contains a cellphone and I have the IMEI, I can see that it hasent been activated.
Strange if someone at the postterminal would steal the package and not use it, the same if there reciever actually got it.

Was it going to or from the UK and what's the other country? Some countries don't allow any lithium ion batteries to go by air

It was coming in - and if its RR582310464SE this is the first mention of it being a mobile phone, and as SpacePhoenix correctly states, there are very strict restrictions on mobile phones and batteries.

[Jegor]

Doesent make any sense that it would arrive in UK and then get on hold due to a battery that its in a cellphone. I would understand if it was a car battery and nothing else.

[electrician]

I also think so, as I have 3 items that are "missing" and are worth more then £400, if it was missing the buyer would have contacted me.
And now I´m in a situation not knowing if a item was delivered or not, which sucks.

The worst thing that can happen is have to deal with a potentially dishonest buyer. This is what I worry about!

Has anyone had there package update after several weeks? My item that is lost contains a cellphone and I have the IMEI, I can see that it hasent been activated.
Strange if someone at the postterminal would steal the package and not use it, the same if there receiver actually got it.

If the tracking page doesn't show a parcel as delivered or attempted to deliver within 2 days after being scanned at Heathrow, it never does. This is my experience.

this is the first mention of it being a mobile phone, and as SpacePhoenix correctly states, there are very strict restrictions on mobile phones and batteries.

Lithium ion and similar batteries are allowed when sent with or contained in/connected to an electronic device.
Country of destination may have only restrictions for importing some goods. I don't think that cellphones are restricted goods by UK customs!

[SpacePhoenix]

Doesent make any sense that it would arrive in UK and then get on hold due to a battery that its in a cellphone. I would understand if it was a car battery and nothing else.

Some mail travels by air within the UK. How was the battery packed within the package?

[Jegor]

If the tracking page doesn't show a parcel as delivered or attempted to deliver within 2 days after being scanned at Heathrow, it never does. This is my experience.

I have 2 or 3 other packages that just shows arrived at heatrow and nothing else, for over 2 months. But for this package i´m writting about the buyer contacted me
and said she never got the item and open eBay/Paypal case and I was forced to refund here. After seeing the other packages that hasent been updated since heatrow and the buyers hasent contacted me, I dont know if the package that I had to refund actually was delivered or not.

How is your experience if it hasent updated since Heatrow, was it simply delived in the mailbox and did somone have to sign for it?

The worst thing that can happen is have to deal with a potentially dishonest buyer. This is what I worry about!

Yes and making the claims takes forever.

Doesent make any sense that it would arrive in UK and then get on hold due to a battery that its in a cellphone. I would understand if it was a car battery and nothing else.

Some mail travels by air within the UK. How was the battery packed within the package?

The package that is lost contained a cellphone, iPhone to be exact and the package was a regular "jiffy bag"

[Snaggletooth]

The package that is lost contained a cellphone, iPhone to be exact and the package was a regular "jiffy bag"

Not sure if this relates to the tracking problem, but it's certainly an issue if you sent an mobile phone & lithium battery in a jiffy bag but with no box.

[electrician]

I have 2 or 3 other packages that just shows arrived at heatrow and nothing else, for over 2 months. But for this package i´m writting about the buyer contacted me
and said she never got the item and open eBay/Paypal case and I was forced to refund here. After seeing the other packages that hasent been updated since heatrow and the buyers hasent contacted me, I dont know if the package that I had to refund actually was delivered or not.

I'm in the same situation as you. Missing item have been sold on ebay.

How is your experience if it hasent updated since Heatrow, was it simply delived in the mailbox and did somone have to sign for it?

I had parcels delivered even without a scan event in the UK. These (Registered) parcels do require a signature on delivery, but not necessarily from the recipient whose name is on the box. Anyone who lives with him/her is able to sign for them. There's also the 'Delivery to Neighbour' scheme in the UK that makes things more complex. However, RM is responsible to get a signature in any form (electronic or paper) when they deliver the item.

Yes and making the claims takes forever.

Reply to my claim is expected by mid of June...

The package that is lost contained a cellphone, iPhone to be exact and the package was a regular "jiffy bag"

Has the envelope an 'items description/value' label attached? Is that label required by Posten for shipments within EU?

[Jegor]

Not sure if this relates to the tracking problem, but it's certainly an issue if you sent an mobile phone & lithium battery in a jiffy bag but with no box.

The phone was in its original box. Ive shipped over 50 knows, I doubht that the small battery is any problem. I also talked to a friend who ships replacement batterys to UK, containing the battery and nothing else and havent had any problems. Also, did you read this? "Lithium ion and similar batteries are allowed when sent with or contained in/connected to an electronic device"

Has the envelope an 'items description/value' label attached? Is that label required by Posten for shipments within EU?

Its not a requirment. Some times I need to just put a signature agreeing there is nothing illegal.

I had parcels delivered even without a scan event in the UK. These (Registered) parcels do require a signature on delivery, but not necessarily from the recipient whose name is on the box. Anyone who lives with him/her is able to sign for them. There's also the 'Delivery to Neighbour' scheme in the UK that makes things more complex. However, RM is responsible to get a signature in any form (electronic or paper) when they deliver the item.

I checked my last 50 shipments and there are some that never went through heatrow, which is strange. I hope there is a signature, or they find the package.