Buying in UK from Australia - Ripped off by customs!!!

[stollydriver]

Stolly,
What was the value of the parts imported?

It was a headlight grill that I paid £120.00 for.

 

[Grumpy Ole Codger]

It was a headlight grill that I paid £120.00 for.

Thank you ! Right, that gives an approximate loss or addition of 25% of the value of item imported. Just gives a rough guide.

 

[barbagris]

If it's anything like here. Anything outside the EU over a certain amount is subject to Customs and excise.
Currently this is 22Euros. But ime - as long as it's under 40-50 or so they tend to let it slide.

In the past I had stuff in the 1000's escape retention. But now - forget it, everything is checked.
BREXIT will affect EU shipping - it already has. There are some BIG Chinese bonded warehouses in Portsmouth (for example) - goods from them are treated as non-EU as very often they transit ship. It's a loophole and it is employed.

Vat at 21% plus DUTY on goods depending on country of origin. I have seen between 1.5% and 10% quoted. This PURE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE. It often depends on trade tariffs imposed on outgoing goods to the same country. It also varies with the type of goods. Some goods in certain countries are Tax exempted - and sometimes things can fall into this category if the sender is maybe a little loose in their use of English.

The Post can be exempted IF it is billed separately and this should be advantaged if you can.
Local Post charges a small amount for the paperwork. That's fair in my book.

Be really careful with couriers. Most will use a shipping/customs agent to do the clearance for them - and this costs - usually quite an amount.

I used to buy stuff in the US - unpack it - send it as used (no retail value) and send the packaging in a box apart.

The whole "gift" think was killed off by the Chinese who were shipping pretty much everything as a gift. I just get them to declare a value of about USD25. Unless it's summat big, whence I have them declare something not obviously low.
.
But here you will have to go and pay the duty before they release. I always drive to the bonded area in Madrid and do it directly.

Ah the joys of civilisation - And they wonder why piracy thrives. Ha!.

 

[ChrisACT]

Death and taxes. Get used to it.

What with everyone buying so much online these days to get the best deal, the governments are all moving in for their cut. Australia now charges us GST (10%) on anything we buy overseas with a value of more than $1,000. I mean, really. What did our government do to help create or manage the item bought overseas? Nothing. But they still put their hand out for a cut.

And they calculate that based on the exchange rate when they receive it, not when we paid for it. So if we buy something for $999 AUD and the exchange rate changes before it arrives in Australia, we can still get caught out. Then there are processing fees they add to it all as well.

 

[joesoap]

My wife has been hit for import duty before today on her own personal possessions from the States and she,s an American national Worse than hunting hounds them customs officials

 

[Paul Bryant]

Tax is a fine that you pay for being good.
A fine is a Tax you pay for being bad.

 

[RocketmanBristol]

Tax is a fine that you pay for being good.
A fine is a Tax you pay for being bad.

I once sent an Indian PP100 oil pump to Florida for some upgrades and the F**kers still got me for duties on the way back into the U.K............now that’s just plain greedy!

 

[Grumpy Ole Codger]

If it's anything like here. Anything outside the EU over a certain amount is subject to Customs and excise.
Currently this is 22Euros. But ime - as long as it's under 40-50 or so they tend to let it slide.

In the past I had stuff in the 1000's escape retention. But now - forget it, everything is checked.
BREXIT will affect EU shipping - it already has. There are some BIG Chinese bonded warehouses in Portsmouth (for example) - goods from them are treated as non-EU as very often they transit ship. It's a loophole and it is employed.

Vat at 21% plus DUTY on goods depending on country of origin. I have seen between 1.5% and 10% quoted. This PURE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE. It often depends on trade tariffs imposed on outgoing goods to the same country. It also varies with the type of goods. Some goods in certain countries are Tax exempted - and sometimes things can fall into this category if the sender is maybe a little loose in their use of English.

The Post can be exempted IF it is billed separately and this should be advantaged if you can.
Local Post charges a small amount for the paperwork. That's fair in my book.

Be really careful with couriers. Most will use a shipping/customs agent to do the clearance for them - and this costs - usually quite an amount.

I used to buy stuff in the US - unpack it - send it as used (no retail value) and send the packaging in a box apart.

The whole "gift" think was killed off by the Chinese who were shipping pretty much everything as a gift. I just get them to declare a value of about USD25. Unless it's summat big, whence I have them declare something not obviously low.
.
But here you will have to go and pay the duty before they release. I always drive to the bonded area in Madrid and do it directly.

Ah the joys of civilisation - And they wonder why piracy thrives. Ha!.

Thanks for the valuable information Chris - every little helps

 

[Paul Bryant]

I had a Guy in the USA send me a megaphone to duplicate, this is not unusual.
Customs wanted great lumps of cash from me even tho' I explained the situation.
In my first response to them I sent them all the correspondence showing that this was being sent to me, an Exhaust System Manufacturer, to duplicate.
I hammered them all the way to the top, calling them out on their stupidity, (not calling the individuals stupid) they couldn't denie it or cause me any further grief as I just kept going above their heads until I got some one who could see common sense (Yes I know that doesn't exist these days)

I WON !!!

 

[Grumpy Ole Codger]

I had a Guy in the USA send me a megaphone to duplicate, this is not unusual.
Customs wanted great lumps of cash from me even tho' I explained the situation.
In my first response to them I sent them all the correspondence showing that this was being sent to me, an Exhaust System Manufacturer, to duplicate.
I hammered them all the way to the top, calling them out on their stupidity, (not calling the individuals stupid) they couldn't denie it or cause me any further grief as I just kept going above their heads until I got some one who could see common sense (Yes I know that doesn't exist these days)

I WON !!!

Hi Paul,

I have just become an Exhaust System manufacturer too. Can you send me one of your systems to copy please?