Import Duty, Wrongly Charged VAT; How do you claim it back?

cyberbob

H.P.Bazxter wrote: »

The item has no commercial value, as it is more of a collectors item, which non-geek people unlike myself would not consider of any value. It cost 200 quid, certainly not worth over 30 quid, if any.

xx

It does have a comercial value you paid £200 for them!

NotQuiteNorbert

cyberbob wrote: »

It does have a comercial value you paid £200 for them!

Thank you thank you thank you! Have tried to word something like that four times in the last 5 minutes, and every time I started saying something I got worried and thought it sounded !!!!!y, so ended up leaving it.

Hintza

VAT Payable would be based either what he put on the customs label. What was that amount?

Or more correctly price paid + postage + import duty @15%

Sounds as if they have calculated incorrectly so write them a letter with all the details and you calculations they should send you a cheque.

Having said all that total charges will be in the region of +£65 and that is without adding the postage element (perhaps)

H.P.Bazxter

Hintza wrote: »

VAT Payable would be based either what he put on the customs label. What was that amount?

Or more correctly price paid + postage + import duty @15%

Sounds as if they have calculated incorrectly so write them a letter with all the details and you calculations they should send you a cheque.

Having said all that total charges will be in the region of +£65 and that is without adding the postage element (perhaps)

The amount was around 200 GBP, depends on what exchange rate HMR used. The value was stated in JPY.

I think your calculation is pretty much spot on.

Premier_2

H.P.Bazxter wrote: »

...The item has no commercial value, ...

I wouldn't try that yarn with HMRC. When I tried that when I tried to carry an item through the airport customs without the official paperwork they said well if its of no commercial value, you won't mind if we sieze it will you?

Fortunately I got it back as the item was large and they didn't want to dispose of it, but only because I told them to keep it first and walked off. If I hadn't agreed to them keeping it, I'm sure I wouldn't have got it back.

Unlike your item though, the item I had really was of no value to anyone else, and I certainly hadn't paid £200 for it.

Premier_2

H.P.Bazxter wrote: »

right, OK, I thought it might be. But why this much?

I wasn't going to lie to avoid duties and TAX, so will pay, if applicable, but not this much.

Did the sender attach a customs clearence form? Did they correctly specify the value for customs on it on it? Perhaps they, like you thought, put it at £0!
If they didn't correctly declare it, or even if they did and HMRC didn't agree with the value declared, HMRC have the right to apply duty at whatever they value the item at.

cyril82

Not sure what to make of this thread but at a guess i'd say there was something about the declaration from the supplier that customs didn't like and so they have "estimated" a value for you, typically when HMRC estimate anything it is always ridiculously high and almost never lower than what you should have paid, which would explain the unusual vat.

For the record when importing anything the commercial (therefore taxable) value is what you paid for the item not what a professional/market valuation would price it at, all that matters is what you paid and import duty and vat are payable on anything over £18.

If everything was declared normally and the duty is correct and the vat doesn't add up contact the customs department at the airport/port where your item entered the country, your invoice from parcelforce will tell you this as will the tracking details for your item, they will be able to explain the costs and advise you what to do if there genuinely has been a mistake on the calculation of the vat.

H.P.Bazxter

I have not seen the good yet, but was told by the sender the custom form was filled as follows;
Contents; DVD (No Commercial Value)
Number of goods; 1
Value; 30000(not sure if it says JPY or not, but is in JPY)

For this reason I do somewhat agree that VAT is applicable, only somewhat, so would pay if the amount is correct.

I didn't know HMR can guesstimate the value for you and tax it. Is that appeal-able? I can get the invoice of the purchase, would that be enough to challenge them?

I am expecting the delivery tomorrow, so the contact details should be there then.

custardy

H.P.Bazxter wrote: »

I have not seen the good yet, but was told by the sender the custom form was filled as follows;
Contents; DVD (No Commercial Value)
Number of goods; 1
Value; 30000(not sure if it says JPY or not, but is in JPY)

For this reason I do somewhat agree that VAT is applicable, only somewhat, so would pay if the amount is correct.

I didn't know HMR can guesstimate the value for you and tax it. Is that appeal-able? I can get the invoice of the purchase, would that be enough to challenge them?

I am expecting the delivery tomorrow, so the contact details should be there then.

they decide if they feel the declared value is incorrect
otherwise everyone would just put the value a £1

H.P.Bazxter

custardy wrote: »

they decide if they feel the declared value is incorrect
otherwise everyone would just put the value a £1

so invoice from the original purchase is no good for appeal?