Shipping items from Spain to UK after Brexit - need advice

Leo9090

Hi, 
I'm currently working remotely from Spain and my laptop broke. I need to send it back to the office in London and don't know how to send it the most affordable way. I understand now all items imported in UK have to pay 20% VAT + import fee, no matter if it's a personal or even broken item ? In my case it's a MacBook PRO and it would cost me more than £300 just in fees to send a broken item Feels unfair.
Does anyone know if there is a more practical way of doing it ? 

PS: sorry if I posted in the wrong thread; couldn't find one for my particular question.

davidmcn

I don't think this counts as being "imported" at all - not sure exactly how you complete that on a customs form though. Doesn't anybody at work know, as it sounds like it really ought to be their problem/cost?

MattMattMattUK

davidmcn said:

I don't think this counts as being "imported" at all - not sure exactly how you complete that on a customs form though. 

It is very hard to do at the moment. As a company I can ship an item temporally, for repair, pre-Brexit no problem, now it is an issue as in theory you have to register it in, pay the duties etc. then have them refunded when you export the item again. Edit to add: Also might be exasperated if the goods are UK goods and you have only taken them to Spain for temporary usage. 

davidmcn said:

Doesn't anybody at work know, as it sounds like it really ought to be their problem/cost?

It would only be their problem/cost if the person's place of employment is Spain, if their place of employment is in the UK and they have just headed out there then it is the employee's issue. I am also not 100% sure where they stand if their place of employment is the UK but they are working whilst in Spain, I have not delved deep enough into the employment section of the new arrangements to be sure on that one. 

Jenni_D

Did you buy the MacBook and the company gave you permission to use it for work purposes? Or did they supply it?

And as mentioned above, are you working from Spain with your employer's knowledge and permission? When did you go out to Spain?

Are there not any local Spanish repair facilities that could be used? (Perhaps with you expensing the repair cost).

Leo9090

The MacBook was supplied by a UK company with permission to work and use it in Spain.
My situation is a little atypical, because I quit the job while still in Spain and didn't get back to UK yet, so I have to pay for it's return, but my main question is more about whether everyone has to pay VAT and import fees for shipping (not selling) personal items from EU to UK, including broken ones like in my case ?

davidmcn

Leo9090 said:

my main question is more about whether everyone has to pay VAT and import fees for shipping (not selling) personal items from EU to UK, including broken ones like in my case ?

You're not importing it into the UK if you took it with you from the UK in the first place.

Jenni_D

davidmcn said:

Leo9090 said:

my main question is more about whether everyone has to pay VAT and import fees for shipping (not selling) personal items from EU to UK, including broken ones like in my case ?

You're not importing it into the UK if you took it with you from the UK in the first place.

That would be my thought too. The problem though may be in proving that you took it with you? (I think the root of the problem is that nobody really knows how to deal with Brexit - and I include the Government in this). 🙄

visidigi

Leo9090 said:

The MacBook was supplied by a UK company with permission to work and use it in Spain.
My situation is a little atypical, because I quit the job while still in Spain and didn't get back to UK yet, so I have to pay for it's return, but my main question is more about whether everyone has to pay VAT and import fees for shipping (not selling) personal items from EU to UK, including broken ones like in my case ?

This is NOT a personal item.

If it was broken and going back for repair you could do a controlled import for repair and return, but as its not being returned, and is actually a company asset,you will not be having back then you are basically shipping it for delivery.

The fact its broken doesn't change much but the replacement/resale value which will be somewhat lower. You will still need to correctly declare it on the invoice paperwork with a reasonable value for replacement.

You should let your (ex) employer know that they will be liable for duties and taxes upon delivery - they may change their mind as to if they want it back.

washingclip5

This is a business transaction. Send it DAP to London or have it FCA and your employer can arrange it. 

visidigi

washingclip5 said:

This is a business transaction. Send it DAP to London or have it FCA and your employer can arrange it. 

That won't help the issue of the taxes that will be owed,

MattMattMattUK

visidigi said:

You should let your (ex) employer know that they will be liable for duties and taxes upon delivery - they may change their mind as to if they want it back.

They may also it out that the ex-employee is likely liable for the costs, having taken the device out of the country and having a requirement to return the device and any other company property to the organisation upon ending their employment.