VAT on non-UK Purchases - Printable Version
+- SlotRacer Forum (https://slotracer.online/community)
+-- Forum: Off Topic (https://slotracer.online/community/forumdisplay.php?fid=23)
+--- Forum: What Grinds Your Gears (https://slotracer.online/community/forumdisplay.php?fid=30)
+--- Thread: VAT on non-UK Purchases (/showthread.php?tid=1946)
+- SlotRacer Forum (https://slotracer.online/community)
+-- Forum: Off Topic (https://slotracer.online/community/forumdisplay.php?fid=23)
+--- Forum: What Grinds Your Gears (https://slotracer.online/community/forumdisplay.php?fid=30)
+--- Thread: VAT on non-UK Purchases (/showthread.php?tid=1946)
VAT on non-UK Purchases - BAracer - 13th-Feb-21
Not sure if I missed this change, but I have just had to pay VAT on some stuff I bought online from the USA.
What a great little country we have become.
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - Mazda - 13th-Feb-21
I bet that you will still pay import duty on them when they arrive
.
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - Savage GT - 13th-Feb-21
(13th-Feb-21, 09:35 AM)BourneAgainRacer Wrote: Not sure if I missed this change, but I have just had to pay VAT on some stuff I bought online from the USA.
What a great little country we have become.
I think we always have paid vat from non EU countries.
Sometimes it slips through and you get away with it, but as everything coming in is now watched more closely, its less likely.
We now have to pay vat on EU purchases, Ebay are automatically doing it so it doesn't get caught in the red tape.
I recently ordered stuff from China and Portugal on ebay.
The prices include it in the listing for buy it now, but when you use make an offer (and presumably also bid items) you may need to take that into account.
At least if you pay vat at point of purchase you won't have the post office extra rip off customs charge
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - woodcote - 13th-Feb-21
Yep - 20% VAT on anything valued on the customs form over £15 for purchases and £36 for gifts (calculated from the official HMRC monthly exchange rate here) - plus an £8 handling fee (£13.50 for express services).
That's been true for packages from all non-EU countries for a long time and now applies to the EU, now the UK has left. In order to streamline things - and avoid lengthy hold-ups in UK customs - the VAT is now sometimes paid at source.
While stuff from some (mostly Commonwealth) countries gets through customs without charges, I have never received a parcel from the USA with a value of more than £15 on the customs label that hasn't been stopped, processed and charged. That can add 2-4 weeks to the delivery time.
For people shipping to and from proxy races overseas, you absolutely must be savvy with the customs form - otherwise you (and the host) will end up paying large amounts of money in addition to postage. HMRC will treat any package as containing commercial goods. So, if the sender indicates the contents are worth £300, you will be charged £68 (plus the postage) to receive the car back into the UK. One option is to ask the sender to value the contents at less than £15 (although that may invalidate any insurance).
The official advice from the HMRC given to Alan (pondiless) was...
Quote:On the return shipment to the UK you the sender should attach a form CN22 or CN23 and Write "Returned Goods" clearly on it.
That also seems to work sending parcels to the US, although their customs service seem less hot on small parcels from the UK.
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - KensRedZed - 13th-Feb-21
Thanks for the heads up. I would not be pleased to pay taxes just to get MY own stuff back. This will require further investigation.
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - BAracer - 14th-Feb-21
Oh well...you live and learn, even at my age.
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - Top Down - 14th-Feb-21
Another thing to look out for is double vat. I was after a USED tyre truer from a German hobby shop but they wanted to add 20% on top of their already EU rated VAT price. What they should have done, I think, is reduce the selling price by their VAT, THEN add our 20% VAT to that.
Bear in mind that the postage is ALSO subject to VAT when it hits these shores, further bumping up Duty and handling charges.
At least for the time being it's really killed off personal imports - and why are some Stateside sellers adding 20% VAT? Probably obvious but .....
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - ScorpiusWireless - 14th-Feb-21
(13th-Feb-21, 10:09 AM)woodcote Wrote: Yep - 20% VAT on anything valued on the customs form over £15 for purchases and £36 for gifts (calculated from the official HMRC monthly exchange rate here) - plus an £8 handling fee (£13.50 for express services).
That's been true for packages from all non-EU countries for a long time and now applies to the EU, now the UK has left. In order to streamline things - and avoid lengthy hold-ups in UK customs - the VAT is now sometimes paid at source.
While stuff from some (mostly Commonwealth) countries gets through customs without charges, I have never received a parcel from the USA with a value of more than £15 on the customs label that hasn't been stopped, processed and charged. That can add 2-4 weeks to the delivery time.
For people shipping to and from proxy races overseas, you absolutely must be savvy with the customs form - otherwise you (and the host) will end up paying large amounts of money in addition to postage. HMRC will treat any package as containing commercial goods. So, if the sender indicates the contents are worth £300, you will be charged £68 (plus the postage) to receive the car back into the UK. One option is to ask the sender to value the contents at less than £15 (although that may invalidate any insurance).
The official advice from the HMRC given to Alan (pondiless) was...
Quote:On the return shipment to the UK you the sender should attach a form CN22 or CN23 and Write "Returned Goods" clearly on it.
That also seems to work sending parcels to the US, although their customs service seem less hot on small parcels from the UK.
I know from shipping stuff in and out of Europe incl UK you actually can get get a refund onVAT if it leaves the country within 12 months. You need to keep your paperwork then fill out a form.
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - Anthony B - 14th-Feb-21
To me the WORST are the charges the PO levies for all this - here in Belgium they charge 22 euros, on top of the VAT and duties, which can double the cost of the imports. This alone stops me buying in UK at the moment - will wait and see how it goes as things calm down.
RE: VAT on non-UK Purchases - Savage GT - 27th-Feb-21
Hmmm ... well I think I have found a sensible way around this postage malarkey .... or not, I will know within a couple of weeks !
I have just ordered a Scalextric car from Amazon USA.
Allegedly it will be with me in 2 weeks and Amazon have paid the VAT as far as I can make out.
I am either going to be stung, or be a happy bunny