Importing from the US - just over limit...

Babbler

Hello,

I want to buy something from the US and it is £18.70. I know the limit is £18 but woudl the extra 70p really cause me to be charged £15 in fees/tax/etc?

Thanks.

deanos

Yes if it is stopped you will be charged , vat, import tax/PO handling fee.

However it probably wont be stopped

martindow

If they declare it correctly you will be charged VAT on the total of the item value and postage cost. Things do slip through with no charges sometimes but you need to be prepared for the worst.

alanclose

Send them an e-mail, explain the situation and ask them to mark the value at £18

Jon_C

You mean, email them and ask them to break the law. That's what we're talking about here so we might as well say it.

If you're buying from a retailer like Amazon, where the price is fixed, they won't mark it down anyway.

If you can't buy it anywhere else for £18 or less I'd just place the order there, paying the extra few pence and hope that it doesn't get spotted.

If it does and Customs want their slice (not to forget that Royal Mail will levy their extortionate 'handling charge'), you'll just have to obey the law and pay up.

Inactive

alanclose wrote: »

Send them an e-mail, explain the situation and ask them to mark the value at £18

A sure fire way to get C&E interested..they aint stupid. :rolleyes:

alanclose

Jon_C wrote: »

You mean, email them and ask them to break the law. That's what we're talking about here so we might as well say it.

Depending on the type of retailer , yes. A large company like amazon won't but I am sure many smaller retailers will take 70p of the declared value to ensure a sale and to help a customer.

smevs

I thought this limit had just been / is soon to be (delete as appropriate) raised to 100 odd quid ?!?!? Anybody got any better information ???

chartreuse_2

smevs wrote: »

I thought this limit had just been / is soon to be (delete as appropriate) raised to 100 odd quid ?!?!? Anybody got any better information ???

I suspect that you're thinking of the limit for goods when you travel outside the EU, which is now £145. Beware, bring back £146 worth and you're liable for duty on the whole amount, not just the extra quid.

Chocmonster7

Reminds me of a time I flew back from America in the early 90's. Just about everyone on that holiday flight was wearing a nice new pair of trainers so they didn't have them counted as part of their import allowance.

Amys

They have to mark the vlaue in dollars. If it is stiopped C&E will use that months rate to caicalte if it is over the £18 limit. They set the rate monthly, so it is not on the 'current' rate.

If you have the choiuce between a cou8rier, such as DHL, of ordinmaty post, choose the ordinary post, couriers will almost always charge the duty, plus thier own fee of for collecting it.