Customs Charges

[Nick Hackett]

Bought 3 lps from US,paid $40 plus $19 postage. Get slip through the door saying i have to pay £12.12 customs charges..end up paying more on fucking postage than the lps worth...

cheers for any help. nick

Edited February 28, 2009 by nick hackett

[Guest Roddy]

Bought 3 lps from US,paid $40 plus $19 postage. Get slip through the door saying i have to pay £12.12 customs charges..is this the fucking norm?

cheers for any help.

Sadly yes Nick,

You can call the number on the customs sticker but I have never had an answer. Apparantly its all down to what the seller puts on the lable on the package if it says used records or second hand they leave it alone.

Roddy

[Bully Boy]

Bought 3 lps from US,paid $40 plus $19 postage. Get slip through the door saying i have to pay £12.12 customs charges..is this the fucking norm?

cheers for any help.

Hiya Nick,

Hope you are well mate, it happens when the seller put the true value on the packaging. If he put three soul albums worth $2 then you would have nothing to pay. Becuase he put the true value, then you have to pay customs charges. I had to when I bought my Bobby Taylor album. Which is a fooker, cause you buy for what you think is a good price, then they slap that on it. But on the other side, if they were broken on receipt and it says the value is $2 on the packaging, then you are fucked to claim against the P.O..

SUCH IS LIFE MATE!

BEST

Bully

[Nick Hackett]

Cheers gents

He has put

3 used lp records value $40

[soulfulmick]

Nick

What happens, is all international parcels that come into the UK go to the one sorting office. All of the parcels with a declared amount above a certain value (don't know what this is but someone on here might do) are examined and the appropriate duty is added. All the others are subjected a random spot check and if in their opinion the declared value is correct then the appropriate tax is also added. If they believe the declared value is less than the actual value (in their opinion) you would pay the tax on their valuation.The biggest bugbear is that out of the £12 you paid something like £8 is for the privilege of actually paying them the tax. If parcel goes missing the insurance payout is based on the declared value.

Regards

Mick W

[Nick Hackett]

Thanks again for your help,sorry about the bad language..ive calmed down now.

As bully said..such is life.

[pikeys dog]

Just to lighten the thread, lets have a who's paid the most in import duty on a parcel from the U.S. contest.

I'll start the ball rolling with £95.00

[Rbman]

Dave Rimmer posted this up on SS last year....

Noticed there was a discussion going on about when import duty becomes payable. Well here's what HM Revenue & Customs site says

2. Postal Packages imported from countries outside the EU

top ^

2.1 Does the sender have to declare the goods?

Under international postal agreements the sender must complete a customs declaration (CN22 or CN23) which in most cases should be affixed to the package. The declaration includes a description of the goods, the value and whether they are gifts or commercial items. Any Post Office abroad should be able to give advice to the sender.

It is in your own interest to ensure, wherever possible, that the sender abroad makes a complete and accurate declaration. If no declaration is made, or the information is inaccurate, the package may be delayed while we make further enquiries, or in some cases the package and its contents may be seized.

top ^

2.2 Do I have to pay import duties and/or import VAT on goods sent to me?

Most goods arriving in the UK from outside the EU are liable to any or all of the following taxes:

• customs duty
  
• excise duty
  
• import VAT
  

and must be paid whether:

• you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift;
  
• the goods are new or used (including antiques)
  
• the goods are for your private use or for sale
  

top ^

2.3 Are import duties and import VAT always payable?

No. Customs duty is waived if the amount of duty is less than £7.

Import VAT is not payable on:

• commercial consignments eg goods purchased over the internet with an intrinsic value not exceeding £18, but this does not include alcohol, tobacco products, perfume or toilet waters
  
• gifts, excluding alcohol, tobacco, perfumes and toilet waters, with a value not exceeding £36 and which comply with the rules shown in paragraph 2.4.
  

There are a number of other circumstances where relief from some or all customs charges may be available. If you think your goods may be eligible for a relief you should contact the National Advice Service for further information.

top ^

2.4 Gifts

Goods sent as a gift are not free of import duties and import VAT. However, customs duty will not be collected if the amount is less than £7, and import VAT is not chargeable if:

• the value of the gift does not exceed £36
  
• the customs declaration is completed correctly
  
• the gift has been sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in this country
  
• the gift is for the use of either yourself or your family
  
• there is no commercial or trade element and the gift has not been paid for either directly or indirectly
  
• the gift is of an occasional nature only eg for a birthday or anniversary.
  

Please note the purchase of goods from outside the EU to give as a gift to a relative or friend, whether or not addressed to that person, is treated as a 'commercial consignment' for which the import VAT relief threshold is £18 (paragraph 2.3 refers).

--------------------

Dave Rimmer

[Guest wigantojapan]

Dave Rimmer posted this up on SS last year....

Noticed there was a discussion going on about when import duty becomes payable. Well here's what HM Revenue & Customs site says

2. Postal Packages imported from countries outside the EU

top ^

2.1 Does the sender have to declare the goods?

Under international postal agreements the sender must complete a customs declaration (CN22 or CN23) which in most cases should be affixed to the package. The declaration includes a description of the goods, the value and whether they are gifts or commercial items. Any Post Office abroad should be able to give advice to the sender.

It is in your own interest to ensure, wherever possible, that the sender abroad makes a complete and accurate declaration. If no declaration is made, or the information is inaccurate, the package may be delayed while we make further enquiries, or in some cases the package and its contents may be seized.

top ^

2.2 Do I have to pay import duties and/or import VAT on goods sent to me?

Most goods arriving in the UK from outside the EU are liable to any or all of the following taxes:

• customs duty
  
• excise duty
  
• import VAT
  

and must be paid whether:

• you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift;
  
• the goods are new or used (including antiques)
  
• the goods are for your private use or for sale
  

top ^

2.3 Are import duties and import VAT always payable?

No. Customs duty is waived if the amount of duty is less than £7.

Import VAT is not payable on:

• commercial consignments eg goods purchased over the internet with an intrinsic value not exceeding £18, but this does not include alcohol, tobacco products, perfume or toilet waters
  
• gifts, excluding alcohol, tobacco, perfumes and toilet waters, with a value not exceeding £36 and which comply with the rules shown in paragraph 2.4.
  

There are a number of other circumstances where relief from some or all customs charges may be available. If you think your goods may be eligible for a relief you should contact the National Advice Service for further information.

top ^

2.4 Gifts

Goods sent as a gift are not free of import duties and import VAT. However, customs duty will not be collected if the amount is less than £7, and import VAT is not chargeable if:

• the value of the gift does not exceed £36
  
• the customs declaration is completed correctly
  
• the gift has been sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in this country
  
• the gift is for the use of either yourself or your family
  
• there is no commercial or trade element and the gift has not been paid for either directly or indirectly
  
• the gift is of an occasional nature only eg for a birthday or anniversary.
  

Please note the purchase of goods from outside the EU to give as a gift to a relative or friend, whether or not addressed to that person, is treated as a 'commercial consignment' for which the import VAT relief threshold is £18 (paragraph 2.3 refers).

--------------------

Dave Rimmer

how can they say the threshhold is 18 pounds when you are allowed to carry on through airports 172 pounds worth of personal goods

What bullshit and another way to rip people off in the uk

In japan i think the limit is 2000 pounds you are allowed for personal use.

shit i thought 172 was low but 18 smackers

another tax

ps the 172 is a guess as i cannae remember the exact amount,but its only over 100 a couple of bars off chocolate

Thieves

[Suzannek]

Just to lighten the thread, lets have a who's paid the most in import duty on a parcel from the U.S. contest.

I'll start the ball rolling with £95.00

£95 fookin hell Robbin barstewards!

Suz

x