Help with a customs fee

Justin_

Hi! Its my first time posting so i hope ive done it in the right place.

One of my friends moved to america 2 years ago and had been sending over birthday presents, christmas presents etc every year. I was told before that if the present is marked under £34 then you dont pay customs so she always makes sure its under £30. She sent me a birthday present over for last month and i recieved a letter from parcel force saying i need to pay a import VAT. This has never happened before so i was wondering if we'd done something wrong or if it was a mistake on the customs persons behalf? Im just hoping this wont happen every time now. The parcel was declared as £30. Any help? Thanks.

theonlywayisup

Declaring a parcel for X value isn't the same as it being X value.

What was the value of the item?

Justin_

It was $39.99

Brynsam

Postage and any insurance costs are added to the value of the package - could that have taken it over the limit (which is now £39)?

If you still think the charge is wrong, you can submit a claim for repayment. See https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty (scroll down towards the bottom).

Justin_

Oh really, i didnt know the postage was added on or that it was £39 now! Maybe it changed since i last recieved someting? How annoying,Thanks anyway, thats probably it as postage is a fair ammount!

theonlywayisup

No it hasn't changed, it is purely that you have been lucky.

shaun_from_Africa

Brynsam wrote: »

Postage and any insurance costs are added to the value of the package - could that have taken it over the limit (which is now £39)?

The £15 limit for personal imports and the £39 for goods don't have postage and insurance taken into account provided that these limits are not exceeded.
It's only when the value is above those figures that postage and insurance are added.