Import Duty on Internet Orders

moomoocookie

not at all, like I said I am happy to pay the Vat, not the inflated charges that parcel force charge. the items I buy are gifts so it is not a lie

Bob63

I don't see why people object to admin fees on top of duty/VAT for imports. The courier/parcel companies incur costs for raising extra paperwork, collecting the duty from you and then passing that duty onto HMRC.

That aside, it pays to know your 10 digit commodity code. A couple of years back I ordered a customised ice hockey shirt for my then 14 year old daughter's birthday. It cost about £250 with shipping and I got slapped with a huge bill from Fedex. When I looked they had applied the incorrect commodity code as my daughter's shirt was in a youth size and therefore exempt from VAT (but still subject to around 6% duty). I rang them up, argued the case and shortly afterwards received the item with a zero bill from Fedx - so no duty and the admin charge - even though technically I was only entitled to zero VAT.

Mike

soolin

wombraider1 wrote: »

When ordering from the USA get the vender to mark the parcel as either REPLACEMENT PARTS UNDER WARRANTY or MARK THE VALUE OF GOODS UNDER $35 (or equivelent to just less than £18) if the

As has already been pointed it this is fraud and asking someone else to commit fraud on your behalf is even worse. I have major concerns abouts posts that suggest illegal actions to defraud a Government department, this site is about money saving, not breaking the law.

Soo

Rafter

Does anyone else feel that the admin charges are an illegal penalty charge and therefore should be refunded?

Surely the cost of administering and collecting the duty and VAT should be bourn by the inland revenue.

If not it should be reflected in the price charged by the courier company and included in the postage cost.

The situation where different couriers charge different amounts seems ridiculous and anti-competitive, since at the time of purchase you often don't know which courier will be used, and therefore which admin charge might be payable.

I think the office of fair trading should cap the admin fee at no more than £2.50 and anthing else has to be reflected in the postage charges made when the item is sent. I fail to see how opening a parcel to check contents and processing a payment can reasonably cost more than a couple of pounds. Any extra is therefore an illegal penalty under UK contract law potentially?

R

clarencemonkey

Hi
Am I right in thinking that if I purchase baby clothes from the States, I pay only import duty (about 6%) but not VAT?
C

sonicated

Altarf wrote: »

Never let the facts stand in the way of a story -

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070611/text/70611w0004.htm

Smoking was banned in all internal areas of The Palace of Westminster on 1st July, the same as everywhere else.

There is no law to stop people smoking in The Palace of Westminster - it is not covered by the law. They banned it, just like a landlord could ban people from his pub for doing something he didn't like.

:beer:

jpgburgess

R0CKY wrote: »

Customs Regualtions for internet shopping at http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageTravel_ShowContent&propertyType=document&resetCT=true&id=HMCE_CL_001454

They have a pdf file which even identifys which products pay which fees. Frustratinglt the pdf files shows that books pay no import duty, but it says VAT is due at either nil OR full 17.5% which is very confusing.

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_PROD_009989

As I understand from being a penny pincher at uni a book is zero rated for VAT. A book with a CD-Rom is counted as software and rated at 17.5%. Unfortunate if you study computing!

Babbler

I have just had an import VAT bill for a Toy i bought from the states. The value of the toy was $42 = approx 22 quid. The bill states VAT as £12.88 which seems excessive!?!

Im going to have to phone to find out why but where do I stand?

smala01

Babbler,

The postal companies charge a flat rate on top of the actual VAT amount for clearing customns on your behalf. I would guess that most of the charge is down to this fee.

Babbler

Unfortunately that is not the case as they have itemised the bill. They charged £6.80 for admin fee, and 12.88 came under the heading VAT...