Unexpected customs charge on item sent back home while on holiday

GroovyVicks

My partner and i I have just returned from an amazing holiday in Orlando of which the highlight was definitely Star Wars Galaxy's Edge! While there, we purchased a custom lightsaber but at the end of the holiday, we found that even broken down it was too big to fit in a case. The DIsney Resort helped us sort out shipping so we could send it home.

It has been delivered today and we are charged £67 customs, cash on delivery! Having ordered items from the States before online, I am used to having to pay customs but was surprised in this instance as we had already paid the local Florida sales tax.

Does it sound right that we should have to pay customs when shipping in stuff we already own? Thanks!

Westin

It would be duty that you have been charged for although some amount within the £67 will be a handling charge (normally shown on a sticker added by HMRC/Post Office and attached to the package). US Sales Tax does not come into this.

Did you declare the correct value of the item on the shipping documents? Not sure how much you paid for the light sabre but if duty has been calculated at £67 HMRC Customs must think it was fairly expensive.

pogofish

You should have marked the parcel in a way that allowed you to do your own import paperwork - thus limiting any charge to duty actually payable. Chapter and verse on how to do it has been posted in an appropriate forum here long since.

CardinalWolsey

By shipping the item you are not able to take advantage of your duty free allowance on landing back in the UK (https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu) and as such would be liable for duty and import VAT (plus handling). If you had brought the light sabre back on the plane, assuming it (and other items you bought) totalled less than £630 no duty or import VAT would have been due.

malkie76

pogofish wrote: »

You should have marked the parcel in a way that allowed you to do your own import paperwork - thus limiting any charge to duty actually payable. Chapter and verse on how to do it has been posted in an appropriate forum here long since.

Sounds a lot like fraud which is frowned upon on these forum.

Voyager2002

malkie76 wrote: »

Sounds a lot like fraud which is frowned upon on these forum.

No, not at all. It simply means that you pay what is due, rather than the Post Office making the payment for you and then adding on a 12 pound service charge for doing so.

Doshwaster

pogofish wrote: »

You should have marked the parcel in a way that allowed you to do your own import paperwork - thus limiting any charge to duty actually payable. Chapter and verse on how to do it has been posted in an appropriate forum here long since.

Or maybe the OP should have "used the Force"

mgdavid

malkie76 wrote: »

Sounds a lot like fraud which is frowned upon on these forum.

No, you are completely misunderstanding the importation of goods processes. It can be compared with doing your own conveyancing on a house sale / purchase; not difficult but a little time-consuming.

Nile

GroovyVicks wrote: »

My partner and i I have just returned from an amazing holiday in Orlando of which the highlight was definitely Star Wars Galaxy's Edge! While there, we purchased a custom lightsaber but at the end of the holiday, we found that even broken down it was too big to fit in a case. The DIsney Resort helped us sort out shipping so we could send it home.

It has been delivered today and we are charged £67 customs, cash on delivery! Having ordered items from the States before online, I am used to having to pay customs but was surprised in this instance as we had already paid the local Florida sales tax.

Does it sound right that we should have to pay customs when shipping in stuff we already own? Thanks!

Hi GroovyVicks

If you believe that the Customs Duty or import VAT was wrongly calculated on the item you imported by post using Royal Mail or Parcelforce, you can appeal the Customs Duty and Import VAT charges. You will need to complete form BOR286 and include/send ALL the documentation in the envelope. I hope you haven't thrown out the packaging and labelling yet.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-customs-dutyimport-vat-relating-to-imports-by-post-bor286

The BOR286 from has a small window for an explanation. I have been through this process recently and I submitted a supporting letter to give a more detailed explanation.

My appeal was successful and I received a refund of the Customs Duty / import VAT by cheque. I had to pay the £12 Parcelforce fee though.

Good luck.

Nile

System

I wouldn't hold your breath.

20 or so years ago, an American friend of mine made a large quilt which she designed based on the pattern of our local Cathedral floor, having visited a couple of years previously.

She sent me a photo which I showed to a member of the Cathedral staff and they thought it would be lovely to exhibit the actual quilt in the Cathedral for a while. My friend packed up the quilt and completed mountains of paperwork to enable the quilt to be shipped to me. I had a bill of £474 from the US Customs.

It was explained to them by both my friend (at her end) and me (at this end) that it was a loan and not an import, and that it would be going back to the USA after six weeks. I got UK Customs involved as well as I had originally thought it was them who had charged the fee. It was not, and they told me that when the quilt went back the US Customs bill should be waived. Two years and a lot of correspondence later, I gave up and convinced myself that the £474 was a "gift" from me to the Cathedral.

Do your best, but having been charged for something that wasn't imported from the US, and was returned to the US (with the correct paperwork) I fear you may be fighting a losing battle.

I shall be following this thread with interest.

NoodleDoodleMan

I am used to having to pay customs but was surprised in this instance as we had already paid the local Florida sales tax.

How is local state tax relevant in this scenario ?