Import tax and Vat

Ningaloo

Hello. Help needed with tax bill for imported good. 

Recently stayed in a German Hotel. Whilst there they kindly gave me, to keep, some of their hotel shampoo,  body wash and conditioner. 
I had only travelled with hand luggage and the size of the bottles was too big for my hand luggage.
As they were nice items I thought I would post them home as i wouldnt be able to pass through Berlin airport with more than 100ml of liquids.
The hotel said they'd take care of everything if I paid the postage charge via DHL which I did at the hotel reception.  
I wasn't aware of import fees. 

Today I received a bill for vat and Import charges of £51. Bit shocked to be honest.

I never bought these items, but they are personal belongings for me, not for resale.

Do I have a case to challenge this bill?  Not trying to avoid tax but wondering if, as this is for me, 100% personal, and not for resale, is there a case for an appeal? 

Thank you

eskbanker

The charges aren't being applied on the basis that they're to be resold, they're levied because you're importing these goods.  What's their declared value (regardless of what you actually paid, or rather didn't pay)?

MyRealNameToo

Ningaloo said:

Hello. Help needed with tax bill for imported good. 

Recently stayed in a German Hotel. Whilst there they kindly gave me, to keep, some of their hotel shampoo,  body wash and conditioner. 
I had only travelled with hand luggage and the size of the bottles was too big for my hand luggage.
As they were nice items I thought I would post them home as i wouldnt be able to pass through Berlin airport with more than 100ml of liquids.
The hotel said they'd take care of everything if I paid the postage charge via DHL which I did at the hotel reception.  
I wasn't aware of import fees. 

Today I received a bill for vat and Import charges of £51. Bit shocked to be honest.

I never bought these items, but they are personal belongings for me, not for resale.

Do I have a case to challenge this bill?  Not trying to avoid tax but wondering if, as this is for me, 100% personal, and not for resale, is there a case for an appeal? 

Thank you

What's on the declaration form? 

Presumably they were part used/seal broken so the declared value should have been their secondhand value. Assuming the total value was under £135 you would only be paying 20% VAT on the value and whatever fee DHL charges for doing clearing for you. 

If they declared their retail value then you have little to argue, especially if these were unused. Its unlikely to be considered a gift given it was indirectly related to you paying to stay at their hotel and even if it did count as a gift the limit is £39 for the parcel, if the parcel is over that then the VAT is charged on the full value 

superbigal

If DHL have delivered them then good luck to them if you ignore.  If not yet delivered you can simply ignore and they will eventually destroy the goods.