Confused about import duty...

PermaBanned · 4 Mar 2011 at 17:41

So say i bought an item on ebay from the US, to the tune of $79.99 plus $34.54 shipping - what am i liable to pay on top of this for tax, import duty, handling etc.? Googling didn't prove to be too helpful, i found conflicting information regarding the value of goods that need anything else payed on them, from £17 to over £300. So... thanks?

Rotty · 4 Mar 2011 at 17:50

they make it up as they go along but look at between £20 and £30 and you wont be far wrong

mbmbmb · 4 Mar 2011 at 17:51

VAT thats it, but they estimate on the value a bit
You might get lucky and not pay it, depending on packaging etc and the courier they use, but, they charged me on the last 3 items ive had over the last year.

adding to this anyone got any suggestion on this scenario.

I recieved an item last week which i paid £30 VAT on, but the shipper has sent me the wrong item, they have told me to give the one i have to charity and they will send me out a new item. Any ideas how i avoid paying the vat again, because surely I shouldnt have to?

Montala · 4 Mar 2011 at 17:51

On the other hand, if it from a private seller, you may not get charged anything at all... as Rotty implies, it is all a bit of pot luck really.

memyselfandi · 4 Mar 2011 at 17:51

Did you search on the forum here as this gets asked on here quite a lot? (*)

- If the item + shipping fees is over £18 then you may be liable to pay
- If the item is marked as a gift then this rises to £36

Depending on the item you may be liable to duty and VAT as well as a handling charge from the shipping company (for them providing the service of clearing the item through customs and paying duty and VAT for you in advance).

The admin charge can be up to ~£8 and depends on the company being used. Duty and VAT will depend on the type of item being imported and rates can be found online.

(*) edit: in fact doing a search on "import duty" (without the quotes) returns many, many threads probably all telling the same things ...

Loosecannon · 4 Mar 2011 at 18:02

memyselfandi said:
Did you search on the forum here as this gets asked on here quite a lot.

- If the item + shipping fees is over £18 then you may be liable to pay
- If the item is marked as a gift then this rises to £36

Depending on the item you may be liable to duty and VAT as well as a handling charge from the shipping company (for them providing the service of clearing the item through customs and paying duty and VAT for you in advance).

The admin charge can be up to ~£8 and depends on the company being used. Duty and VAT will depend on the type of item being imported and rates can be found online.

Also remember that if you are charged VAT because you have gone over the £18 /£38, you are charged VAT on the price of the item plus the shipping cost! Then add the £8 admin charge on.

iamdjdz · 4 Mar 2011 at 18:05

It depends because the shipper has to actively select whether the delivery duty is unpaid and thus you get charged, if it's left to a default setting with most couriers the duty is marked as paid and customs etc don't often bother checking. Nothing really you can do, it's often as said before, the luck of the draw.

Lopéz · 4 Mar 2011 at 18:52

iamdjdz said:
It depends because the shipper has to actively select whether the delivery duty is unpaid and thus you get charged, if it's left to a default setting with most couriers the duty is marked as paid and customs etc don't often bother checking. Nothing really you can do, it's often as said before, the luck of the draw.

DDP is certainly not the default INCOterm!

Jambo · 4 Mar 2011 at 19:05

MatthewNCB said:
VAT thats it, but they estimate on the value a bit
You might get lucky and not pay it, depending on packaging etc and the courier they use, but, they charged me on the last 3 items ive had over the last year.

adding to this anyone got any suggestion on this scenario.

I recieved an item last week which i paid £30 VAT on, but the shipper has sent me the wrong item, they have told me to give the one i have to charity and they will send me out a new item. Any ideas how i avoid paying the vat again, because surely I shouldnt have to?

Phone HMRC and ask but I have a feeling you or someone needs to pay it again because two items have been imported in to the UK regardless of where they ended up.

Lopéz · 4 Mar 2011 at 19:07

Jambo said:
Phone HMRC and ask but I have a feeling you or someone needs to pay it again because two items have been imported in to the UK regardless of where they ended up.

He could angle for it to be sent under an IPR I suppose but it's up to the shipper to arrange at the end of the day.

PermaBanned · 4 Mar 2011 at 19:34

Lopéz said:
DDP is certainly not the default INCOterm!

It's USPS if that makes any difference, thanks for the help everyone

Jambo · 4 Mar 2011 at 19:45

Superewza said:
It's USPS if that makes any difference, thanks for the help everyone

Not in terms of duty and VAT but it does mean it will likely get cleared by Parcelforce and will cost £8.00 + VAT on the item.

Energize · 4 Mar 2011 at 20:17

VAT + Customs duty the rate of which are dependent on the type of item you ordered. Also possibly a rape fee from the courier.