Import duty.

mike gunnz

mike gunnz

mike gunnz

Soldato
Joined
12 Oct 2007
Posts
2,647
Bought a 20 year old IBM Model M keyboard from the US a couple of weeks ago and the tracking shows that it has just cleared customs so I should be receiving it very soon.

I'm wondering whether I will have to pay VAT on its arrival. The last time I bought some water cooling gear from the States I got properly stung for VAT by USPS who delivered it.

Is VAT payable on second hand items imported from outside the EU?
 
Think you can pay VAT on 2nd hand stuff depending on the value, somewhat depends what the sending put on the customs form.
 
If it's greater than £18 quid then you'll be paying VAT @ 20%. You may (depending upon what the part is classed as) get charged import duty as well. Pop onto the HMRC website and search for "common internet purchases". They produced a really good pdf listing a vast range of items and the tax payable on them.
 
Sorry to drift, but thought I'd share this... Just googled that keyboard to see what it was and this came up on the first image page:

2008_03_27%20typwriter%20keyboard.jpg


How cool is that!!
 
anuraj said:
Lol you were just talking about it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, didnt know it was out for delivery. The last email simply said 'cleared customs'. I'm typing on it now actually. Its amazing to think that its a 22 years old keyboard. It feels solid as a rock and is in absolutely mint condition and the key action is lush.

Its weird how we all get caught up in the 'upgrade' hype as OCUK peddle the next big must have component, but sometimes the original designs have never been improved upon.

Anyone interested in owning a piece of computing history could do a lot worse than pick up a Model M in my opinion.
 
King Damager said:
Does yours keep playing Android games on yours? Because that's what my gf does xD

But that looks amazing! How does it connect to the PC?

kd
Click to expand...

God knows, she just borrows them and after a while presumes they are hers. She took my Motorola a couple years ago and still has it somewhere. Now shes got her filthy mitts on my HTC Desire.

Its not the keyboard in that photo by the way. No idea why somebody posted that. Its a standard looking old skool IBM keyboard. Pretty drab to look at by all accounts, but its the switches that everybody raves about.
 
MuttsNutts said:
Looks well easy to clean:
Just dip it in a bucket of warm water dry it off and get the Brasso out....LOL
Click to expand...

Don't dunk it! I used to fix these about 20 years ago and they don't have a membrane but individual contacts with springs attached. To clean them you just pull off the top key cap.

Quality keyboard though just like the original Compaq deskpro one's.
 
simulatorman said:
Very but not very ergonomic.
Click to expand...

Beautiful design doesn't have to be functional :p

--------

I don't get why you've bought a 20 year old keyboard, unless it's one of the ones that been converted to have typewriter keys, I've used them on AS400's and they're nothing special :\
 
Sp00n said:
Beautiful design doesn't have to be functional :p

--------

I don't get why you've bought a 20 year old keyboard, unless it's one of the ones that been converted to have typewriter keys, I've used them on AS400's and they're nothing special :\
Click to expand...

Maybe you don't rate them but a lot of people think the IBM Model M is one of the best mechanical keyboards ever built. As I type a lot I might as well try and enjoy the experience. This keyboard is a way of doing that, and also, owning something that was made in 1989, but works as well, if not better than the vast majority of its contemporary equivalents is quite satisfying. For me it is anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom