Recover overpaid import duty —
and be confident you're fully compliant.

Almost all the overpayments we recover have nothing to do with errors on your side. Commodity codes are usually assigned by your freight forwarder or customs broker — often in bulk, under time pressure. A single misclassified code can quietly overcharge you on every shipment for years. The only way to know is to have your declarations reviewed.

HMRC allows overpaid customs duty to be reclaimed for up to three years from the date of overpayment. Where the duty or customs value was overstated, the import VAT calculated on it was overstated too — that excess may also be recoverable, though for VAT-registered businesses import VAT is usually recovered through the VAT return (via C79 or Postponed VAT Accounting) rather than a duty claim; we check which route applies. We review your full declaration history within that window. Because the window rolls forward every day, the longer you wait, the more of the earliest — and often largest — claims fall permanently out of reach.

The initial assessment takes about 90 seconds. Our free preliminary review of a sample declaration is usually turned around within a few working days. Once a full claim is submitted, HMRC repayment timescales typically range from 6 to 12 weeks, depending on the complexity of the claim and their current workload.

Nothing to start, and nothing unless we succeed. We work on a strict No Win, No Fee basis: our standard success fee is 25% of what we recover — or, for larger claims, a £1,000 upfront option with a reduced 20% fee. We're UAE-based, so no UK VAT is added to our fee — the reverse charge applies and UK businesses account for any VAT themselves. You only pay the success fee once HMRC has approved your claim and the money is in your account. If there's nothing to recover, you pay nothing at all.

A properly prepared, accurate claim is a routine request HMRC handle every day. The real risk is filing a refund claim that draws attention while a hidden underpayment sits in the same declarations — which is exactly why we check both sides before anything is submitted. We'd rather find an issue for you than have HMRC find it.

It's simply the other side of a refund: making sure any preferential or reduced duty rate you've claimed is properly supported by proof of origin. Where it isn't quite in order, it's worth putting right — calmly, and on your terms. Most firms only chase the refund and never look at this; we check both, so you come away with a complete, accurate picture and real peace of mind.

Then it's far better you know first. Where there's a genuine underpayment, an unprompted voluntary disclosure to HMRC typically reduces any penalty significantly compared with HMRC finding it themselves. We help you correct it the low-risk way — and it's often handled alongside a recovery on the same data.

To claim a preferential (often 0%) duty rate under a trade agreement, you generally need a statement on origin or a supplier's declaration showing the goods genuinely qualify. A 'made in' label alone isn't enough. If you don't hold that evidence, the preference isn't valid — and the duty is repayable. Part of our check is simply confirming where you stand.

Not necessarily. Brokers and freight forwarders are paid to move your goods quickly and clear them through customs — not to optimise your duty position. Classification errors are extremely common, and crucially, the legal liability for a declaration sits with you, the importer, not with them.

It depends on your import volumes, the duty rates on your goods, and how your declarations were handled. For similar businesses, indicative claims have ranged from a few thousand pounds upward — some much larger, some finding little to recover. Your assessment gives you an indicative range immediately, and our preliminary review sharpens that into a real number — before you commit to anything. It's an estimate, not a promise.

To start, nothing but a few answers about your import activity. For the review stage we'll ask for sample import declarations (such as your C88 entries and C79 VAT certificates) and commercial invoices. We guide you through exactly what's needed and where to find it.

We do the heavy lifting. We identify the overpayments, prepare the full claim pack, and document the technical justification. You submit the finished claim and stay in control throughout — with our support at every step if HMRC raise any questions.

Then you'll know — at no cost and with no obligation. We'd rather give you an honest answer than waste your time. But given how common overpayments are, it's well worth the 90 seconds to find out for certain rather than assume the worst.