Lenz Decoders

If anybody is looking for Lenz decoders, tonystrains.com in the States has stocks of all types.

I use the Lenz Silver L10331 which I normally purchase from Hattons. As you may all know, they cannot be found in the U.K.

Tonys Trains has the complete range, albiet under different numbers.

If you purchase four of the L10331, you get an £8 discount.

I ordered four on the 11th. They are listed as SILVER-MP. The cost was $111.20. including postage. The charge to my Mastercard was £56.69.

They arrived to-day, and I have tested all four, and they are exactly the same decoders as purchased in the U.K., even the same version number
The customs charge was VAT at £4.05, but there was also a charge of £8 from the post office for (Handling)

The total cost of the decoders was £69.09. Divide by four = £17.27. Cost from Hattons would have been £18. (if they had stock)

What is annoying is the time the Post Office takes to process packages from the States. The invoice took three days, the package took 18. They were posted together

Last year, before the Post Office was granted permission to take a handling charge, a large percentage of parcels would get through without customs charge, and therefore the ones I received took just 5 days. This is the first one I have had since charging began.

My parcel left the States on the 11th. The customs charge label stuck on the box by Mount Pleasant Post Office had the date of the 20th. This does not necessarily mean that was when it arrived at Mount Pleasant. This would have been when it was picked up for charging.
It then took 9 days to travel to my post office 80 miles away, where it was again date stamped the 29th, the day I received the card to say it was awaiting pick-up.
They obviously now have a great incentive with this £8 charge to stop every single parcel no matter how long it will take them to deliver.

It is a very annoying that I have to pay the Post Office £8 so that they can collect £4 for customs. If customs so badly want our money, they should pay the Post Office themselves. It is just more 'backdoor' taxation.
If you have a package/parcel from abroad that does not incur custom charges, you will still have to pay the £8 handling charge.

I shall be writing to Royal Mail International to ask what their justification is for this charge. After all, If I send a package in the U.K. 'Signed For' it only cost me 70p extra.
It is still 'handled'.

Alanb

Sorry about the rant, but it is another case of 'rip off Britain'.