customs

henderson_mk

hi folks,

I acquired a nice set of wheels from the US and they've been with customs for the past three days.... how long do customs normally keep stuff, does anyone know? Also.... as the wheels were a private purchase from a friend over there... do you have to pay duty or antyhing like that?

ta.

marty

gematkinson

if they marked it as a gift you wont pay anything, otherwise be prepared to pay some iport tax

Shavedlegs

I've had to wait 5 or 6 days before, despite everything being in order. Just be patient and think of the money you've saved.

henderson_mk

argh....
5 or 6 days.... well that just sucks... I was hoping to have them for this weekend to race on.... it being a hilly one and these taking about a pound of weight off the bike... doh.
maybe the customs inspector just has a perchant for looking at nice wheels??

fast as fupp

the customs arent soft-even if its a private purchase you still have to pay duty vat and fees on the VALUE of the goods (not what you paid for them)

andrewgturnbull

henderson_mk wrote:

argh....
5 or 6 days.... well that just sucks... I was hoping to have them for this weekend to race on.... it being a hilly one and these taking about a pound of weight off the bike... doh.
maybe the customs inspector just has a perchant for looking at nice wheels??

Don't worry about it - you've probably lost a pound in weight worrying about it...

;-)

henderson_mk

man... if only
its been an 'eat like the horse and maybe the horse too....' week this week....

SunWuKong

The marked as gift bit only stands if it is sent from a private individual to a private individual. Effectively if your friend bought them and sends them to you, you should be OK. If they're coming from the supplier you might be deemed liable.

Info here:
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageTravel_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000014&propertyType=document

I ask my family to buy bike things there and send them on to me and haven't been liable for VAT or import duty as i am not buying anything myself.

meagain

They are still calculating the BILL!

"Most goods arriving in the UK from outside the EU are liable to any or all of the following taxes:

customs duty
excise duty
import VAT
and must be paid whether:

you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift;
the goods are new or used (including antiques)
the goods are for your private use or for sale"

Copyright acknowledged: HMRC.

Never ever mess with the Revenue boys and girls - they have powers of which the Constabulary can only dream.

SunWuKong

The next paragraph:

2.4 Gifts

Goods sent as a gift are not free of import duties and import VAT. However, customs duty will not be collected if the amount is less than £7, and import VAT is not chargeable if:

* the value of the gift does not exceed £36
* the customs declaration is completed correctly
* the gift has been sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in this country
* the gift is for the use of either yourself or your family
* there is no commercial or trade element and the gift has not been paid for either directly or indirectly
* the gift is of an occasional nature only eg for a birthday or anniversary.

Please note the purchase of goods from outside the EU to give as a gift to a relative or friend, whether or not addressed to that person, is treated as a ‘commercial consignment’ for which the import VAT relief threshold is £18 (paragraph 2.3 refers).

meagain

"However, customs duty will not be collected if the amount is less than £7, and import VAT is not chargeable if:

* the value of the gift does not exceed £36"

I rather assumed larger sums are involved!

SunWuKong

Probably, but IME they've left things alone sent from relatives in just plain cardboard boxes rather than company packaging. But when I've bought something myself I've paid duty and VAT.

When I've had questions for them, gave them a call and they cleared it all up.