Postal Charges (International)

[GriffMJ]

Hi All

Just had a nasty experience with postal charges buying badges.

Its common practice that small items from the USA or Canada are marked "gift" and sent via hand written address on the parcel with a small custom form. We (in the UK) dont pay VAT on "gift" until the value exceeds £40.

I purchased two badges "for a good price" that have incurred a cost into the UK of more or less what I paid for them in the first place because they were sent "officially".

The consequence of this means that I have had to pay VAT.......PLUS! A Royal Mail International handling charge for the "privilage" of receiving it!

I have paid nearly same value again for the badges....I.E. 80% of the initial value in charges!!!!

Not a happy bunny at the moment!

[Mike]

They started cracking down on incoming packages about a year ago. This is a direct result of the financial crisis and the desperation to raise tax revenue in my opinion. 'Gift' wouldn't have helped anyway as it's still liable for vat plus the royal mail 'rip off' charge.

The final one they got me for was £256 last year. They will never, ever, get me again as I wont buy from overseas.

[Mike]

But of course the government needs the money, to pay for things like this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...on-payout.html


being called “lipstick” and “whoopsy” = £600k .. nice


(I'm bitter and twisted and want my £256 back )


think I'm turning into Victor Meldrew

[Peter Brydon]

There are probably more members here who would qualify to be on the " Grumpy Old Men" programme on T.V. than you might at first think.

P.B.

Mike, you can always challenge what the Customs & Excise are charging you because the guy who is doing the pricing does not work to the set rules. If you were charge £200 + the item you received must be worth over £3000. The Customs are only allowed to charge you VAT at 17.1/2% & on the price that is put on the back of the Customs slip; or, if there is a bill inside, they will charge you on that.
My tip if you buy from the US or Canada, ask them never put a bill inside - get them to email it to you &, on the Customs slip never put more than $50 US or Canadian dollars. As for the 'gift', this is like a red-rag to a bull; the customs love to see the word gift on the back & are more likely to check the package.

and yes the royal mail is a 'rip off' charge.


Peter

[wardog]

About 5 years ago a similar thing happened to me, and then I think if an item had a declared value of over £18 it was subject to Tax. Anyone know the 'safe' value in pounds now? Regards, Paul.

[2747andy]

Originally Posted by peter616

Mike, you can always challenge what the Customs & Excise are charging you because the guy who is doing the pricing does not work to the set rules. If you were charge £200 + the item you received must be worth over £3000. The Customs are only allowed to charge you VAT at 17.1/2% & on the price that is put on the back of the Customs slip; or, if there is a bill inside, they will charge you on that.
My tip if you buy from the US or Canada, ask them never put a bill inside - get them to email it to you &, on the Customs slip never put more than $50 US or Canadian dollars. As for the 'gift', this is like a red-rag to a bull; the customs love to see the word gift on the back & are more likely to check the package.

and yes the royal mail is a 'rip off' charge.


Peter

Asking the sender to put an incorrect value on the customs form is Fraud and I would be very careful of using that method. As mentioned by Jibba Jabba, collectables are charged at a different rate. On each occasion that I have been "Stung" by buying from overseas, I have claimed back some of the charges (60-80%)... It takes forever as they are very slow at making a response, but a cheque does turn up in the end! If buying from overseas ask the sender to tick the "Other" box and mark the description as "Collectable items"... you may be tempting a would be theif, but it won't be the Robbers from the Royal Mail...

Andy