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

H.P.Bazxter

Samba_Pa_Ti wrote: »

sounds right, although the import duty rates will differ, the VAT should be the same for all items (unless im going nuts) i just had an item for around 300 quid from japan and like i said earlier it was around 60 quid, so the vat is definately over the top there.

exact breakdown from parcelfarce & ebay price for comparison :

---

ebay price : £196.66
postage (EMS) : £74

---

import duty : £8.37 (expected this to be higher)
VAT : £40.49
clearance fee : £13.50
Total : £62.36

whats most annoying is you expected import duty and seemed to get stung >:/

Now I see. Maybe I should challenge mine then? > import duty
Well, I think you were lucky there, VAT seems right on spot for you, and you got some discount on duty!
:cheesy:

emweaver

does anyone know what % import duty is ? i assume vat is 15% on the item price including the duty?

Premier_2

emweaver wrote: »

does anyone know what % import duty is ? i assume vat is 15% on the item price including the duty?

It varies depending on what the item actually is. Details available on the HMRC website.

VAT is charged on the total of item value plus postage cost plus import duty.

emweaver

does anyone know what UPS handling charge is as cant find it on their website?

emweaver

Premier wrote: »

It varies depending on what the item actually is. Details available on the HMRC website.

VAT is charged on the total of item value plus postage cost plus import duty.

Maybe I am being really dumb, but do you have a link as I cant find it?

custardy

emweaver wrote: »

does anyone know what UPS handling charge is as cant find it on their website?

http://www.ups.com/content/gb/en/shipping/cost/additional.html?srch_pos=7&srch_phr=Customs+Brokerage+Service+Fees

Duty and Tax Forwarding Charge 11.45

honeyD

UPS :mad:
We have had an issue with them since 06 and its still not solved!
My Husbands Mother sent him a package, his old hard drive as it had things he needed and she didnt know how to send it via the computer.
She used Staples to send it from USA and had trouble with the postage and insurance as the girl was telling her to put it at a value of $1000 so if it gets lost she gets more money, she didnt want to do this but the girl kept telling her to so in the end she did. She paid $115 to send it too!
Month later and we have UPS at the door and the package has a charge for £107.xx and we just didnt have that kind of money and didnt understand why it was so high so we turned it away. After this my Mother in law was contacted by UPS and given a load of cheek and she ended up telling them they were lucky she is too busy to sue lol. :rotfl:
The package kept being redelivered and we were told by UPS to just keep turning it away as they were getting it re-invoiced as the value was obviously wrong.
After two redeliveries and returns, a guy comes again and passes the package to my Dad and walked away... no signature.. nothing.
So since then we received a letter from UPS about the unpaid bill and then I called and they said they are speaking to their legal team and this was early 07 and we have heard nothing since. I sometimes wonder what is taking so long to sort out lol.

Premier_2

emweaver wrote: »

Maybe I am being really dumb, but do you have a link as I cant find it?

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000014&propertyType=document
(Section 3)

Are you looking for the full list of all the categories and codes?

It costs £255 (electronic/cd version) or £415 inc paper version

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_001196&propertyType=document

http://www.uk-customs-tariff.co.uk/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fDefault.aspx

Or you can view the categories and costs for free online on the buisness link website
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/tariff?r.s=b&r.lc=en

emweaver

Thanks have found a simpler link that states import duty is 3.5% on the price of the goods + postage, then VAT is on the price+postafe+duty. However, if the duty charge is less than £7 then the duty is waived

Premier_2

Yes, they will apply a flat rate of 3.5% if that is in your favour, but only to consignments less than £290

Where the value of gifts is below £290 per consignment a flat rate of duty of 3.5% will be applied, but only if it is to your advantage.
Note: Customs duty will be waived if the amount is less than £7.

from first link in previous post

Edit: although the 3.5% option only appears to apply to gifts

There are around 14,000 different classifications. The duty rate percentage for each may vary according to the country the goods come from. The average percentage is between 5 and 9 per cent, but it can be as low as 0 per cent or as high as 85 per cent.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/tax-and-duty.htm

Although the good news is it doesn't apply at all where the value of the consignment is less than £120

Customs duty is payable on imported goods with a value of €150 (£120), although payment is waived if the amount of duty is less than €10 (£7).

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageExcise_ShowContent&id=HMCE_PROD1_028719&propertyType=document