|
General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
|
Thread Tools |
26th May 2020, 11:27 pm | #21 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,572
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
These are just my musings:
I received two boards today shipped from China, came in with with no extra charges and supposed free delivery cost to me was £19.98, but a light weight box and a declaration that said it was a component at a value of $1.99. So I took that as a win, several times now I have needed to pay the VAT and Royal mail charge, win some, lose some. Payed for some good's supposedly shipped from the UK, (UK vat and reg number) not arrived, so sounds like a China shipping company with a UK registered office, will get my money back eventually. I believe the big problem to us all will be when the United Nations stop subsidizing the China Postal service. Not sure if this is still true, or what trump is trying/has stopped between China and the US but, the Chinese were being charged from $1 per kg for bulk post from China to USA. See http://www.vatfraud.org/blog/stop-su...terminal-dues/ Now at present there seems to be a lot of flack going towards China for recent developments and if it changes or tariffs are brought in to balance the playing field then it could be that many costs will rise soon. I have also seen on several forums, such as AMSAT.de about fake electronic components, YouTube about fake power transistors etc, the old adage if it looks to good to be true! If I can then I will stick with the likes of CPC, Farnell or RS, if I have to buy the cheaper stuff it's Amazon before Ebay. Adrian |
27th May 2020, 12:48 am | #22 | |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Tintinara, South Australia, Australia
Posts: 2,339
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
Quote:
A lot of that stuff is the same sellers as on the other auction sites. |
|
27th May 2020, 8:53 am | #23 | |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,572
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
Quote:
Ebay I use for second hand gear, old valves, bits to break down for parts etc. Adrian |
|
27th May 2020, 9:31 am | #24 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
Posts: 21,288
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
Back on topic please. This thread is about VAT & Customs Duty, not the merits of various suppliers and the outlets they sell through.
__________________
Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |
27th May 2020, 9:52 am | #25 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Spalding, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 2,858
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
Graham, post crossed while writing, I do hope this one is ok.
To quote "I received two boards today shipped from China, came in with with no extra charges and supposed free delivery cost to me was £19.98, but a light weight box and a declaration that said it was a component at a value of $1.99. So I took that as a win, several times now I have needed to pay the VAT and Royal mail charge, win some, lose some." Firstly, nothing personal intended whatsoever as we all like a bargain. I have two observations. That label would indicate the item value was less than £2.00 with shipping of £18.00 according to the value you indicated. I doubt that item value is true as none of us would pay £18.00 for a lightweight parcel. If you had to return it at your own cost you would need to declare the value of contents for customs and that would dictate the compensation (plus actual postage cost paid) that Royal Mail might award if a claim was made for loss. Royal Mail compensation for item cannot exceed the stated customs value. It is recorded on your proof of postage receipt that is needed to make any claim. Secondly. By deliberately under declaring any item's customs value so that vat and duty where applicable to be levied, is wrong. It is avoiding our own government income revenue and will no doubt be clamped down on in the hard economic times to come. They will no doubt see all the fake Chinese and other businesses that are trading within UK falsely as "London" or whatever and avoiding paying their proper taxes and take fitting action, hopefully. It is after all giving them an unfair trading advantage over our own businesses already struggling. Have I bought "post free" or 99p items including post from China in the past. Yes! Do I falsify customs CN22 documents when exporting anything. No! Despite often being asked to. IF I was buying anything imported and expected there to be a customs, vat, postal collection fee, then so be it, it would all have to be paid. Rob
__________________
Apprehension creeping like a tube train up your spine - Cymbaline. Film More soundtrack - Pink Floyd |
29th Jun 2020, 10:38 pm | #26 | ||
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,733
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
Quote:
Once paid & delivered it was obvious it was the "ebay send" item which had vanished from the ebay tracking about ten days before (ebay send tracking starts with ESU). David |
||
29th Jun 2020, 11:23 pm | #27 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,270
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
the VAT/duty is rarely a great deal more than the VAT you'd pay on goods from a uk retailer, but it's the admin charge that the courier levies in order to administer the tax on your behalf that can be the killer. Here's the dot-gov page on the matter.
https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty
__________________
Kevin |
30th Jun 2020, 8:02 am | #28 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Bognor Regis, West Sussex, UK.
Posts: 2,296
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
One "Gotcha" to be carefull of is receiving gifts from abroad, my son's fiance sent him a small gift of a poster from California but instead of buying it and shipping herself (personal gift, no duty up to £135, No VAT up to £39) she ordered it and got it shipped direct from the seller. Cost my son £15 in duty, VAT and charges, as Kevin says, its the charges that's the killer.
Peter |
30th Jun 2020, 9:38 am | #29 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,127
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
I've not been in a position to put it to the test myself, but a discussion in Telephone Heritage Group implies that eBay have started adding the appropriate tax at source. I assume others may follow if they haven't already.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) |
30th Jun 2020, 10:49 am | #30 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
Posts: 21,288
|
Re: VAT & Customs Duty on imported items
Advocating breaking the law in these forums is not acceptable.
One post deleted. Thread closed.
__________________
Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron. |