Claiming refund from UK Customs

samsyerman1

Its been a while since I posted on this forum but I have an issue with UK Customs and I thought this is the place to find help. My issue is that in February and early March of this year I was on holiday in Australia  for 5 weeks and then 3 days in Singapore.  I use e-cigs and did not want to have them confiscated in Singapore so I posted them back to myself from Australia at a cost of £15. So far so good. Yesterday I received a grey card from Royal Mail advising me that I would have to pay another £28.61 before my parcel was delivered to me. I have paid the fee which includes an £8 handling fee for the Royal Mail. I checked in the Complain and Reclaim section about the value of a gift sent from outside the UK and Martin has said it is up to £139 without charge. The value of my parcel was £100, and technically I was sending the parcel to myself so it was neither a gift or purchased in Australia. Any advice or information very welcome.

ballyblack

who put the value at £100...........uk customs must not have agreed this figure?

samsyerman1

Ballyblack, I put the value of it as 200 Aus Dollars or roughly speaking £100 when I posted it in Australia. Its written on the declaration

Hasbeen

Perhaps customs looked at declaration saying 100 thought it was pounds. 20% vat £20 plus £8 ish fee?

Is vat charged at customs?

ballyblack

Import Vat is part of customs clearance!