My responses in
ALL CAPS .....apologies (rushing through many things right now)
Because sending shipments marked as gifts is a trick that's overdone. Authorities don't believe in it anymore. Sending it marked as "for personal consumption and not for commercial use" is a genuine and a more honest and believable way - especially if its consigned to a house address.
VERY TRUE & PRACTICAL ADVICE
Octroi is around 5-5.5%. Not sure.
At Rs 337, I suspect the shipper showed ~Rs. 6000 as the microscope value. Did he include an invoice?
NO INVOICE OR BILL WAS INCLUDED ..... [Will follow up on this tomorrow]
Next time, if there's a high value shipment coming into town, and if its a personal item, ask the seller to book it for "godown delivery". All transporters/cargo companies have warehouses outside of municipal limits, where octroi is not applicable. If it is worth your while, drive up to the warehouse and personally collect the item from there. If and only if its a personal item, should you be carrying it in your vehicle and you don't need to pay octroi on it.
YES, THE SHIPMENT WAS OVER 18K..... THE GODOWN TRICK IS REALLY DICEY AS MOST SHIPMENTS TO MUMBAI ARE OFFLOADED AT BHIWANDI OR VASAI ... THATS A REAL HEADACHE.
Terry you will have to pay the octroi. That is confirmed.
...............
In all just pay as per the BMC % and save ur self a headache. for the extra charges charged by Bluedart nothing much can be done.
In my case the merchant paid me that Rs112/- after I threatened him to discontinue trade with him.[DOUBLEPOST=1371467649][/DOUBLEPOST]
Octroi is applicable even if the item is for individual's personal/own/self/home/non-commercial use.
This really gets so bloody confusing. When I spoke to BlueDart customer care (& about Octroi, when prompted ......see above) they said I would have to pay Rs 337/- which is a low price or rate for the real value of the item.
I think the delivery guy goofed up. [I could be wrong here too]
I have with me just 2 delivery receipts (if we can call it that)
1. BlueDart Delivery Challan ...... which mentions
Freight Rs 100
Fuel Surcharge Rs 50
AWB Fee Rs 50
FOW Charge /Owners Risk Rs 100
TOTAL = Rs 300
(add) Service Tax + Cess = Rs 37
GRAND TOTAL = Rs 337/-
AND
2] Sellers Note
TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN
The following Item/quantity is being sent back to
(my name & residence address)
Sr No. 1
Descp: RXL-4B w 25 prep slides
Qty : 01
Purpose : Gift
The above despatch does not involve any commercial transaction
sd
The Seller
So @
biozen did the above ploy work ?
I do not know if the BlueDart delivery guy may show up tomorrow again to claim the Rs 337/-
Now will the seller give me an actual Bill/Invoice for the Item which I paid 18k ?
My dealings with the seller was very cordial - I spoke (emails actually) to him about this microscope was a gift to my daughter who is in the 7th grade (a Fact). He further even included 25 prepared slides + a box of over 50 blank slides and cover-slips as a true Gift to my daughter & for which he has charged me nothing.
I had to pay 2.5k octroi when I got my LED delivered through Bluedart. Though it was mentioned in the deal, I never thought there would be any octroi. You will definitely have to pay it, without which, they won't release the product.
AS CONFUSED AS EVER ..... I did not pay anything. Delivery guy never asked
Octroi is applicable even if the item is for individual's personal/own/self/home/non-commercial use.
Really dunno what is the truth with the confounded BMC.
Common sense tells me that the above is "bullshit" ..... when we already pay so many other taxes and charges & what not ..... why should there be
another category of loot especially when the said product is purely for "educational purposes" and has no commercial bearing. Here a microscope & elsewhere @
RajeshJ - a telescope !!
Octroi is payable for you @ 5.5% + bluedart's agent handling charges @ RS 200-300 IIRC
You cannot argue for personal items, as that rule is for used goods for personal use, like when you are travelling or transferring to Mumbai. New item you cannot skip octroi once it has been held up for a octroi demand.
Now people will claim that they bought xyz worth pqr and never paid octroi, well, if it gets stopped and checked, no option left. if it got skipped and passed through, good.
I got the nightmares when I started calculating Octroi @5.5% + other charges two days back [the actual value of the microscope was over 18k]...........
So we have shitty rules with "loopholes" and if and when it works - then as you say, it's to our advantage. Or else "Pay-Up".
So moral of the story (experience) - There is No certainty of these "charges" being applied "always" ..... If you are lucky & the seller has packaged the shipment smartly then it's Yippee or else Doom.
Is there some relief or clarity on these things in future ????
)
at the same time.
