DHL Invoice and ControlAccount letter?

[Rako92]

Hi guys,

Just got a letter from a company called ControlAccount about an outstanding invoice for Import Duties and VAT to DHL UK.

I have always paid all the duty and VAT before receiving the parcel, I would not receive it otherwise. Also I check my account number, also given in the letter, and it says No outstanding invoices for this account.

I tried the DHL UK live chat, but the guy told me I need to call the Head office to check this, as they do not have access to details about my account. I do not want to contact ControlAccount, as the DHL site shows I have no outstanding debts and I am sure I never had.

Did anyone else had such an issue and should I do anything? When I log in the ControlAccount website, I can pay the sum directly using their reference code. The question is - when I have no outstanding invoices to DHL, why am I even allowed to pay for the same thing twice?

 

[bharris]

We had a similar event a few years ago. The DHL invoice was incorrect resulting a much higher charge than it should be. We just sent ControlAccount an email stating this and told them to get DHL to sort it out and then we will pay. They kept coming back making more and more menacing demands and we just resent the same email. Eventually it stopped and seemed to restart every year. Haven't heard anything for the last 3 years though. I think collection companies like ControlAccount work on a assumption that a certain percent of people pay up and do not bother in seriously chasing non payers.

 

[japancool]

Hi guys,

Just got a letter from a company called ControlAccount about an outstanding invoice for Import Duties and VAT to DHL UK.

I have always paid all the duty and VAT before receiving the parcel, I would not receive it otherwise. Also I check my account number, also given in the letter, and it says No outstanding invoices for this account.

I tried the DHL UK live chat, but the guy told me I need to call the Head office to check this, as they do not have access to details about my account. I do not want to contact ControlAccount, as the DHL site shows I have no outstanding debts and I am sure I never had.

Did anyone else had such an issue and should I do anything? When I log in the ControlAccount website, I can pay the sum directly using their reference code. The question is - when I have no outstanding invoices to DHL, why am I even allowed to pay for the same thing twice?

Presumably, ControlAccount will have settled your debt with DHL and are now pursuing you for it. DHL, in common with other courier companies, normally deliver the goods first and then bill in arrears. I have never had to pay VAT and duty in advance in order to receive my goods, so it's entirely possible that you've received a shipment but not realised that a post-import invoice needed to be paid.

Ask ControlAccount for the invoice number and/or date, and then query this invoice with DHL.

I had them chase me for an invoice that we did genuinely owe FedEx. The invoice was, like yours, not showing as overdue with FedEx, which confused me to start with since I knew it had not been paid.