UK customs duty on homemade gifts

Beenie

I have been sent a homemade quilt by an American friend. It has no commercial value as it's made from scraps of left-over material. The value is sentimental only, as it has items embroidered on it that are are personal to me.

UK Customs want £47 in duty before Parcelforce will deliver to me. This was in a letter I received this morning. This seems wrong for a homemade item. Anybody have any advice to offer?

LilElvis

Beenie wrote: »

I have been sent a homemade quilt by an American friend. It has no commercial value as it's made from scraps of left-over material. The value is sentimental only, as it has items embroidered on it that are are personal to me.

UK Customs want £47 in duty before Parcelforce will deliver to me. This was in a letter I received this morning. This seems wrong for a homemade item. Anybody have any advice to offer?

What value did the sender place on it? Duty is also payable on the postage costs, which may be quite high for such a bulky item. The £47 will also include Parcelforce's handling fee.

davidmcn

Do you know what your friend declared its value as?

Inner_Zone

Recently covered here, gifts are chargeable:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5976720/wrongly-charged-customs

Beenie

Sorry, I don't know what value she placed on the package.

The charge is broken down like this:

customs £3.83
excise £0.00
import VAT £31.38
clearance fee £12.00
total £47.21

Aylesbury_Duck

You have two choices. Accept the package and pay the charge, or reject it whereupon it will be returned to the sender and you won't have to pay the charge.

Mojisola

Beenie wrote: »

I have been sent a homemade quilt by an American friend. It has no commercial value

It's value to you may be sentimental but a homemade quilt is also worth a lot of money!

Has its commercial value has been assessed and the tax charged on that value?

LilElvis

Mojisola wrote: »

It's value to you may be sentimental but a homemade quilt is also worth a lot of money!

Has its commercial value has been assessed and the tax charged on that value?

True! Look at the cost of Amish quilts

https://www.amishcountrylanes.com/Pages/InStock1List.shtml

Beenie

I know all about Amish quilts, and their huge expense. Very high-end items.

The quilt my friend has made is lightweight and more like a large cot quilt for a baby.

Anyway, I shall be asking her later (they're not out of bed yet due to time difference).

KatrinaWaves

With a charge of £31 it’s likely she declared the quilt as being around £150,about $200? Maybe she insured it for that.

AylesburyDuck

If the item is sentimental then just pay the fee and move on.
Their really is only two choices, pay,or send it back.
Yes its an absolute injustice, yes it feels like a hostage situation.........but in all reality all you can do is bend over and take it up the tailpipe! sadly.:(