Isn´t this outrageous? UK customs rant

[5F6-A]

I´ve received a parcel with guitar parts from the US valued $25 though USPS.
The parcel was taking longer than expected to be delivered so I started fearing the worst (other than the parcel being lost, naturally). UK CUSTOMS!!!!
... and that´s exactly what happened: I´ve been charged 11 pounds and 18 pence! (£3.18 for VAT, and 8 for providing the ´service´)

For goods worth roughly 15 quid I´ve been charged more than 11.

I don´t know if this is even legal as I think goods´value need to be more than  £36 to be charged at all.



What do you think Shall I complain?

[Cam_H]

I'd complain as I believe getting items shipped from US cost roughly 20-25% if you're unlucky. But what you've been charged sounds outrageous. Of course this usually applies to items that cost hundreds so it may only seem a lot as your item was of low value. There could be a percentage they charge, but a bare minimum cost. Kind of like a credit card: it costs me £3 minimum to draw out cash, but 3% overall, so anything from £10-100 is £3, but £200 withdrawel would be £6. Best off having a look at the terms and conditions

[blue]

Unfortunately, you're unlikely to get any joy.  The limit before charges are made is only £18.  I've been stung by this a few times myself, once the charges were higher than the value of the item!  the admin charge is the most galling, it's quite ridiculous.  Strangely, the most expensive item i ever imported, a Gibson Les Paul, got through without any charges at all. 

[5F6-A]

Thanks to you both...

Still $25 is only £15.60 today so still under £18!

[Philly Q]

The threshold is actually £15, it was reduced from £18 a few years ago.

For items between £15 and £135, you get charged VAT but no customs duty, so your £3.18 suggests they valued it at £15.90.

It's hard luck that you're only just over the threshold, but unfortunately that's the way it works - and of course the £8 fixed admin fee is disproportionately high on a low-value item.

So no grounds for a claim I'm afraid.  Sometimes they do get it wrong (because they've misread the value or something) and you can claim the VAT back, I've done that several times.  But you can't get the £8 admin fee back.

It's swings and roundabouts, though, I've quite often escaped a VAT charge on much more valuable items, even when the seller has put the full value on the declaration.

I don´t know if this is even legal as I think goods´value need to be more than  £36 to be charged at all.

That £36 threshold applied only to gifts (it's now been increased to £40).  And it has to really be a gift, if it's been marked as a "gift" but it's come from Amazon, they'll still charge you the VAT!

[5F6-A]

The threshold is actually £15, it was reduced from £18 a few years ago.

For items between £15 and £135, you get charged VAT but no customs duty, so your £3.18 suggests they valued it at £15.90.

It's hard luck that you're only just over the threshold, but unfortunately that's the way it works - and of course the £8 fixed admin fee is disproportionately high on a low-value item.

So no grounds for a claim I'm afraid.  Sometimes they do get it wrong (because they've misread the value or something) and you can claim the VAT back, I've done that several times.  But you can't get the £8 admin fee back.

It's swings and roundabouts, though, I've quite often escaped a VAT charge on much more valuable items, even when the seller has put the full value on the declaration.

I don´t know if this is even legal as I think goods´value need to be more than  £36 to be charged at all.

That £36 threshold applied only to gifts (it's now been increased to £40).  And it has to really be a gift, if it's been marked as a "gift" but it's come from Amazon, they'll still charge you the VAT!

Been reading the small print and -unfortunately- you are right. :(

[Lucifuge]

Don't they also include the shipping fee as part of the value of the item, so you can get charged even on items that are below the threshold if the shipping fee takes it over the limit?

[Philly Q]

I'm not sure exactly how the shipping charges rules work or what the thresholds are, but they shouldn't be included in the calculation for lower value items sent by normal international post.

When it's something big and/or valuable like a guitar, sent by international courier, e.g. UPS or EMS, then the shipping charges are included in the VAT/duty calculations.

[juansolo]

The threshold is actually £15, it was reduced from £18 a few years ago.

This is spot on annoyingly.

Sadly you were 60p over and they will screw you £8 for the privilege of slapping the duty on top regardless. If you're really unlucky they don't even deliver the $%&#er and you have to go and pick it up...

Don't get me started on this one. It's essentially meant that getting parts for pedals from the US is now no longer financially viable. Thankfully there are other avenues, but it really screws us for certain thing that can't be sourced elsewhere. :(

If you want to be really angry, have a look at what the limits are for doing it the other way around (ie into the US). It's more than a tad depressing.

[Philly Q]

And hey, if we withdraw from the EU we'll have to pay VAT on everything we import from Europe, too!  :P

[juansolo]

Thankfully most things can be sourced locally and for other things there are alternatives.

It is one of the reasons we use optical switching for example. Madly it's about the same money for us to do that than source decent 3PDT stomps from the States because of all this. The advantages of the opto switch is that it uses a much more robust stomp (we've never had a failure), it still grounds the effect and it doesn't pop. The alternative is Chinese stomps... They're not great.

[PhilKing]

If you want to be really angry, have a look at what the limits are for doing it the other way around (ie into the US). It's more than a tad depressing.

Basically we have no duty when things come into the US.  I've declared lots of things (including an $1,800 guitar), and been waved through.  The onetime I did have to pay (I had ~$2,000 worth of stuff), it was something like $15 (I think it was 3% on the amount over $1,500).

If it is something that originated in the US (like an old Fender), then they don't charge anything for bringing it back!

If it comes through the mail, then I don't think it ever gets looked at!