This is topic Dreaded VAT On US Imports in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.


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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 21, 2013, 06:18 AM:
 
Be aware that VAT is payable on US imports into the UK, not just on the purchase price but on the carriage as well.

I have just received a film from the US and the VAT was much more than I had anticipated. The VAT appeared to be on both the purchase price and the postage.

When I checked on a Customs & Excise Questions and Answers page I found the following:-

"In the case of goods posted outside the EU, the import VAT percentage rate is the amount shown on the Customs Declaration, which includes the price paid for the goods, the cost of transport, postage and packing"

What a good old con.

I was well aware that the film would attract VAT but as it was quite a reasonable Buy It Now price I was quite happy. The heavy 16mm film cost an arm and a leg for postage, but here again, I was prepared to accept it.

But I am not at all a happy collector at what I consider to be an unacceptable method that the Inland Revenue has employed.

UK members, you have been warned. [Mad]
 
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 21, 2013, 07:10 AM:
 
Another problem that can occur is when you get a refund after a while. If you're not lucky, the currency from the other country has raised and you get less than you should as the refund is made in the other currency.
 
Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on December 21, 2013, 11:58 AM:
 
I think the import duty and vat are only applicable to items over a certain value of goods ( which has to be declared on the package/parcel). I have purchased one or two items recently from the USA and have not been charged either import duty or vat. But the value was less that £10 and the weight was also not much so shipping was reasonably low.
 
Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 21, 2013, 01:35 PM:
 
UK Custom charges are applied to imports into the EU with a value over £15 for VAT,
 
Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on December 21, 2013, 04:28 PM:
 
Has this always been the case Maurice. I have had a few items from the US, bought on Ebay, and at that time the item could be valued at up to either £40 or £45 before you paid customs charges. I remember about 3 years ago I bought something that was valued at £38 and paid nothing on it.
 
Posted by Clyde Miles (Member # 4032) on December 21, 2013, 05:54 PM:
 
ok gentleman, i need to interject here. items at customs are pulled at random, i know this for having worked at royal mail for over twenty years. ive had maybe thirty features from the states and many, many shorts and paid customs on only five or six features over the last six years. its just bad luck if your print gets pulled.regards
 
Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 22, 2013, 05:56 AM:
 
The clerk at the local sorting office said that they see a lot more packages passing through for which VAT is being demanded. Perhaps the Inland Revenue is realising that they have been losing out. And of course the Post Office enjoy a handling fee of £8 for each item regardless of what the VAT payment is.
 
Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on December 22, 2013, 06:47 AM:
 
Looks like the usual ripoff UK!

How can they charge VAT on all the carriage costs, it should only be paid from the port of entry to home. Handling charge? Don't they handle parcels all the time.
 
Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on December 22, 2013, 08:43 AM:
 
I remember in the 80s the postman called and demanded £4.50 for a package from the US. The charge was for the customs opening and resealing the package. The documents stated what was inside, and X Ray would have shown what was inside. I was lucky that I just happened to have a £5 on me, which was quite a bit up that time. I was annoyed that I should have to pay that amount because someone's curiosity got the better of them. Incidentally, the package contained a 400ft super 8 film, and 3 cassette tapes, so they should have been able to identify them.
 
Posted by Zechariah Sporre (Member # 2358) on December 22, 2013, 01:05 PM:
 
So if I don't have to strong of conscious it would be a big favor for you European buyers if I under estimate the value of the films I ship you guys on the customs sheet...
 
Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on December 22, 2013, 01:12 PM:
 
Yes very helpful but also illegal sadly
 
Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on December 22, 2013, 01:36 PM:
 
quote:
Yes very helpful but also illegal sadly
Well...the value of a used print is debatable. However, the problem would be with insurance.
 
Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 22, 2013, 02:51 PM:
 
It's not a question of value as such, it's what was paid to the seller for the item and declared on the Customs form.

Way back in the sixties, long before VAT, I bought a 1200' 16mm TV Show from the US. When it arrived my local Post Office demanded £12 which was import duty at the rate 1d (one old penny) per foot of film.
 
Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on December 22, 2013, 02:55 PM:
 
quote:
It's not a question of value as such, it's what was paid to the seller for the item and declared on the Customs form.
Like I said....the value is debatable.
 
Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on December 23, 2013, 09:39 PM:
 
It applies universally that the custom will charge on three item C.I.F (cost, insurance and freight).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incoterms#CIF_.E2.80.93_Cost.2C_Insurance_and_Freight_.28named_port_of_destination.29

If the cost is marked down, but the insurance and freight (shipping) are high, the custom will still charge you.
 
Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on July 27, 2014, 05:44 PM:
 
Clyde, if that's the case, then I am one unlucky bar steward! See recent post of mine regarding my plea to oversee's sellers, particularly those from US!

Insured amounts and customs charges are just ridiculous and are making the hobby impossible to follow on a global scale.

Never again will I be bit by customs like I have this year!!

It hurts even more when you realize the duty has already been paid once from the initial purchase whilst leaving our shores. [Mad] [Mad]
 


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