I've just picked a parcel from the sorting office which has incurred import charges, does anyone know about these?
I've looked on the Gov site and don't quite understand why I've been charged.
The gift came from the USA, I paid $20 for it, I've been slapped with a £11.23 charge, £8 is from Post Office for 'handling' (it's a very small envelope so I'm not even sure if it's been opened), then I've had £3.23 VAT added from customs (or whoever they are called now).
If I've understood it correctly the gift limit is a measly £35, is that right?
I think I can appeal but how much would that cost? I feel ripped-off!
Makes me think... I buy loads of small items (coins + minerals) using eBay from Europe (Germany), IF things change in the future could I start incurring costs for collectables?
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I assume the .gov page you've looked at is this one:
www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty
As you say you paid for the item it's not going to be treated as a gift. That concession is intended for presents sent to you by friends/family abroad. IIRC a senders declaration is required in order to utilise it.
Your item seems to fall under second bullet 'all other goods worth more than £15'.
Grossing up the VAT (3.23/20*100) gives an assumed cost of the item as £16.15.
Convert $20 to £ uk.advfn.com/currency-converter/us-dollar-to-sterling.html gives £16.28 at current rates (which of course vary)
So, whether fair or not, it looks like the sums add up.
The PO or Courier acts as agent for HMRC and 'handling' charge is for doing paperwork etc.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 7 Jan 17 at 12:24
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"If things change in the future could I start incurring costs for collectables?"
You could indeed once we leave the EU if we do not have a reciprocal trade deal.
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OK thanks, so it looks like the sums add up but I've had loads of items sent to me from the US before (secondhand books) which have been valued at under $40 and they just came straight through with nothing to pay.
Is there a way of paying the taxes beforehand by the sender?? just wondered why this is the first time for such a low value item.. guess I've just been lucky? REally puts me off buying now from the US.
Strangely I've had low grade radioactive materials through the post without any issues (this happened to be a Russian meteorite).
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>>You could indeed once we leave the EU if we do not have a reciprocal trade deal.
Back to the good old days of one carton of fags and two bottles of wine when returning from the continent.
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>> OK thanks, so it looks like the sums add up but I've had loads of
>> items sent to me from the US before (secondhand books) which have been valued at
>> under $40 and they just came straight through with nothing to pay.
I suspect it's pretty hit/miss what gets caught; an awful lot slips through the net.
Got caught for VAT about twenty years ago importing a US spec scanner radio from a supplier in NYC. OTOH Kirkland Sleep Aid (a US Costco line), ordered from an EU site, may come from either US or EU source. No tax requested on ovvasions its come from US but takes a lot longer to arrive.
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>> You could indeed once we leave the EU if we do not have a reciprocal
>> trade deal.
Can be paperwork issues even in EEA/EFTA but outside EU.
Just packaged up for recycling couple of empty cartridges from Mrs B's laser printer. Brother's recycling centre is in Netherlands. The prepaid return label includes a customs declaration which is required if sending from Switzerland or Norway.
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Second hand (or new) books don't incur VAT... That's why you've not seen it before.
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Thanks, that's good to know. Just need to avoid the other two taxes..
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Postal charges - Bromptonaut
