Import VAT, Customs Charges etc.

chrisg

I am currently looking at purchasing a pack of whistles from the USA for about $30 excluding postage. How much am I likely to be charged for Import VAT, Customs charges, Royal mail holding fees etc?

Thanks

chrisg

$22 inc. postage it is, sorry

pennylane99

as its under £18 worth....you shouldnt have any duty, vat to pay....

chrisg

i would say its value was more though, although i am getting it cheap. But i assume, that with the proof of me paying under £18 they can't charge me?

pennylane99

if the value amount the seller/sender puts on the customs slip is under £18 you should be ok...

ormus

ive bought lots of items from the usa/ebay.
not once have i been asked to pay out for customs duties/vat etc...
think my dearest buy was a 100 quid camera.

mah_jong

ormus wrote:

ive bought lots of items form the usa/ebay.
not once have i been asked to pay out for customs duties/vat etc...
think my dearest buy was a 100 quid camera.

and I had to pay 25 for something I bought for 35 ! This was down from the original demand for nearly a hundred quid!

ormus

just unlucky mate.
thousands/millions of items arrive every day from the usa, and the customs have very few staff to deal with it all.
so priorities mean, intelligence led investigations, into the more serious stuff.
all the rest, ie you and me, joe public, small value items more than likely go straight through. probably around 98/99% are cleared with out any check/s.

chrisg

looks like i should be ok, but out of interest, the seller stated to me (i did not ask him to do it) that he marks it as a gift, i know this is illegal, but can anything done against me for this?

chrisg

anybody???

pennylane99

if the amount you paid for it is under the £18 allowance it shouldnt matter anyway...

I have had small items sent to me from US nearly every week for over a year now with no problems...most times the seller doesnt even put a customs slip on the packet.