# Import duty and charges



## Kev7950 (Sep 5, 2017)

Got caught with a £58 charge through DHL today, from creation watches. I have another with Parcelforce held up in customs. You win some you lose some I guess.


----------



## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Kev7950 said:


> Got caught with a £58 charge through DHL today, from creation watches. I have another with Parcelforce held up in customs. You win some you lose some I guess.


 It will only get worse. HMRC are active in trying to close all Loophole's.


----------



## JimboJames1972 (Jun 3, 2016)

...and add to that the poor exchange rate of Sterling against both Dollar and Euro, and it is making more and more sense to buy from UK sources 

J


----------



## rodiow (Nov 6, 2004)

...Yep, I think the golden days of buying from overseas without getting screwed with extra charges are over, It seems the customs are on it like a bonnet nowdays....  ...not much chance of one slipping through un-noticed....


----------



## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

rodiow said:


> ...Yep, I think the golden days of buying from overseas without getting screwed with extra charges are over, It seems the customs are on it like a bonnet nowdays....  ...not much chance of one slipping through un-noticed....


 You are not being `screwed' with extra charges but simply paying the VAT that you would pay if buying in the UK and that makes it fairer for UK traders. Still some good buys to be had from overseas though.


----------



## ong (Jul 31, 2008)

richy176 said:


> You are not being `screwed' with extra charges but simply paying the VAT that you would pay if buying in the UK and that makes it fairer for UK traders. Still some good buys to be had from overseas though.


 True, but technically VAT only applies to goods and services emanating from the UK. Other countries have their own sales tax that is often included in the price but HMRC still see fit to claim their pound of flesh even though no UK entity sold the item. To add insult to injury there's also a handling charge from Royal Mail and VAT on this, despite the fact you will have paid for P and P.


----------



## Stuart2103 (Feb 22, 2017)

I have a watch coming from overseas in October. The value is £300. Anyone care to hazard a guess at what I'm likely to pay, if I'm 'caught'. Cheers


----------



## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

Stuart2103 said:


> I have a watch coming from overseas in October. The value is £300. Anyone care to hazard a guess at what I'm likely to pay, if I'm 'caught'. Cheers


 If it is coming with a courier like DHL then you should just have to pay £60 VAT but if it is via the postal services then ParcelForce will charge you a handling fee of maybe £15 plus the £60 VAT.


----------



## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

ong said:


> True, but technically VAT only applies to goods and services emanating from the UK. Other countries have their own sales tax that is often included in the price but HMRC still see fit to claim their pound of flesh even though no UK entity sold the item. To add insult to injury there's also a handling charge from Royal Mail and VAT on this, despite the fact you will have paid for P and P.


 Companies can export without charging sales tax so that should not be an issue unless the company is ripping you off. The VAT legislation clearly states that it is charged on imports from outside EU countries (will be included in the price from the EU at that country rate).

Royal Mail charge a handling fee for clearing through customs and paying the VAT on your behalf whereas a courier company includes customs clearance as part of their service.

A few years ago there was no VAT charged on purchases from the Channel Islands but that loophole was closed.


----------



## Autonomous (Nov 16, 2016)

My last Seiko bought from Creation watches came (via DHL) from Singapore. The bill came in soon after, for a whopping 20% (vat). It does say so on their website to be fair so I don't blame Creation, I will be more hesitant in future though.

I know we are only paying what's due and it's the same rate here but - call me an anarchist - I don't agree with such taxes! Payed enough in my time... grumble, grumble, grumble...


----------



## RWP (Nov 8, 2015)

The good old days.......15 dollar measuring instruments


----------



## reggie747 (Sep 10, 2013)

Kev7950 said:


> Got caught with a £58 charge through DHL today, from creation watches. I have another with Parcelforce held up in customs. You win some you lose some I guess.


 Seldom do you get away with it really. If you think you have, expect a note through the door in a week or two's time asking you to cough up.


----------



## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

Autonomous said:


> My last Seiko bought from Creation watches came (via DHL) from Singapore. The bill came in soon after, for a whopping 20% (vat). It does say so on their website to be fair so I don't blame Creation, I will be more hesitant in future though.
> 
> I know we are only paying what's due and it's the same rate here but - call me an anarchist - I don't agree with such taxes! Payed enough in my time... grumble, grumble, grumble...


 Always happy to oblige - You Sir are an anarchist


----------



## reggie747 (Sep 10, 2013)

Stuart2103 said:


> I have a watch coming from overseas in October. The value is £300. Anyone care to hazard a guess at what I'm likely to pay, if I'm 'caught'. Cheers


 Allow 25%



ong said:


> True, but technically VAT only applies to goods and services emanating from the UK. Other countries have their own sales tax that is often included in the price but HMRC still see fit to claim their pound of flesh even though no UK entity sold the item. To add insult to injury there's also a handling charge from Royal Mail and VAT on this, despite the fact you will have paid for P and P.


 It's more than a bit ridiculous to expect the country of origin sale to cough up their sales tax to the Uk for things already sold don't you think ?

That's why the VAT system exists, a blanket to cover all.


----------



## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

reggie747 said:


> Allow 25%
> 
> It's more than a bit ridiculous to expect the country of origin sale to cough up their sales tax to the Uk for things already sold don't you think ?
> 
> That's why the VAT system exists, a blanket to cover all.


 If a company in the UK sells outside of the EU then it should not charge VAT - if you look at the Steinhart site you will see that they quote a VAT inclusive price for EU sales and a VAT excluded price for other countries. It is similar with sales tax as it is only charged on domestic sales rather than exports.


----------



## Jersey1965 (Jul 10, 2016)

No VAT in Jersey so buying from a grey dealer such as Swiss watches direct I get an extra 20 percent off win win!!


----------



## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

RWP said:


> The good old days.......15 dollar measuring instruments


 Weren't you a builder in a previous life ??










Maybe that's why you have a few bob left for watches



:biggrin:

To the OP

Unlucky if you want cheap move to Singapore instead of being disappointed at not ripping of the tax man with an outright fraud which is actually a criminal offence.


----------



## RWP (Nov 8, 2015)

BondandBigM said:


> Weren't you a builder in a previous life ??
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Indeed, cash helped as a sole trader ( i will deny it) but once you are a Ltd company and VAT registered cash makes no difference. The Company Secretary and accountant would have a dim view.

Any cash jobs the blokes took and did off their own bat. :thumbsup:


----------



## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

RWP said:


> Indeed, cash helped as a sole trader ( i will deny it) but once you are a Ltd company and VAT registered cash makes no difference. The Company Secretary and accountant would have a dim view.
> 
> Any cash jobs the blokes took and did off their own bat. :thumbsup:


 How did he know you took cash for a job

I presume you told him ??



As I have just said in another thread

Call me an old cynic again if you like

:laugh: :laugh:


----------



## RWP (Nov 8, 2015)

Told who? I'm lost. If at any stage I hypothetically worked for cash I would theoretically keep quiet :tumbleweed: 



BondandBigM said:


> How did he know you took cash for a job
> 
> I presume you told him ??
> 
> ...


----------



## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

RWP said:


> Told who? I'm lost. If at any stage I hypothetically worked for cash I would theoretically keep quiet :tumbleweed:












:laughing2dw:


----------



## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

WRENCH said:


> :laughing2dw:


 On a serious note

These days

Everybody is complaining that this that and or other free at point of entry is sh!ite but as soon as they get a few bob in the bank they don't want to pay for it.

Meanwhile genuine down on their luck punters, the disabled and the less fortunate amongst us get villievied and pilloried by the right wing Tory Boy red tops and media as "benefit scroungers"

I'll bet a lot of the genuine ones wish their only problem was having to pay a few quid tax on a sparkling non essential trinket.


----------



## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

BondandBigM said:


> On a serious note
> 
> These days
> 
> ...


 Yes, two families within close proximity to me have had their home repo'd, just like the vast majority, work, pay your bills, borrow for a home etc, and whamo, job goes and you're up sh!t creek. But then the wilful ignorant believe "the daily Spode" and the sh!te "dirty Desmond" pedals on the large flat screen television.


----------



## BobJ (Jul 2, 2017)

richy176 said:


> If it is coming with a courier like DHL then you should just have to pay £60 VAT but if it is via the postal services then ParcelForce will charge you a handling fee of maybe £15 plus the £60 VAT.


 My Creation purchase (£126) was sent my work address around a month ago. No calls for a payment since, or so I thought.

Was approached this week by our finance controller who said she had paid an outstanding payment to DHL on my behalf of £62. I was too busy apologising to remember the breakdown in the 4 page invoice from DHL but it seems a good chunk of it goes on the admin in producing and sending out the bill itself.

Going by my experience, I would say a £300 purchase could be mid nineties to pay.

Good news was I arranged an auto payment from next months salary for the £62 plus the purchase was still cheaper than buying in the UK.


----------

