UK Customs and Excise Update

[drunken monkey]

Right, just a quickie.

I received a parcel from Japan yesterday that was correctly labelled and marked for customs and on it was clearly stated that anything over £15 from outside of the EU is liable for customs charges/VAT with all items valued over £135 liable for import duty as well.

Of course, there is also the £8 handling charge imposed by HMRC on top.


Hadn't ordered anything outside of the EU for a while and thought it was still the old(?) £30something before charges/duties.
This was also the first time such a clear label was stuck onto the parcel so I thought it would be good to note, especially with so many nice new things on the market these days (i.e from HLJ)

[bradfordian]

Think its £17 limit, that can be that the value of the item is £17 or the value could be lower say £14.00 but they can add the price of shipping ontop to make the value at or ovet £17.00.

Basicly its just touch and go cos I have had an item marked correct from japan that cost me £20+ amd its marked in yens,3000+ and I got postman knocking my door and handing over then I might get usa package marked for $10 and I get a silly £2 customs and £8 handling and its royalmail.

realy its just a case of touch and go, the marked value dosnt always count as you could buy a gold ring for £500 amd it could be marked £1 on box.at the end of the day its the border agency person who decides.

then the question of whom is handling the package is a factor as it could be a lazy git who just put the box in the bin or a stern hit who checks every package and dont believe everything thats written on the label.

[jano11]

Looks like the Brits learned from the Austrians! Around here they started this several years ago, and they will always add the shipping costs to the price. In some cases they even open the package and come up with a corrected value for the stuff instead of just accepting the value declared on it. It's hallucinating stuff, they must be on some kind of mushrooms!

[drunken monkey]

it's more the £15 as the threshold that I am pointing to.

not sure when they changed it but it was definitely £35ish a few years back. You can get a decent kit and a few small items legally under the limit back then that you most definitely can't with £15.

[bradfordian]

Originally Posted by drunken monkey

it's more the £15 as the threshold that I am pointing to.

not sure when they changed it but it was definitely £35ish a few years back. You can get a decent kit and a few small items legally under the limit back then that you most definitely can't with £15.

ues couple years or so ago it was in the 30's £'s, think it was £37.now its £17, more likey it was changed so gov gets more tax after all they put it up by 5% from 15-20, so makes sense to get tax also from border control on excise.also couriers makes millions through supposed handling charges.

[stevenoble]

It's been £15 for a while, but it's hit and miss. I got stung on two of the three McLarens I ordered, but one slipped through with no charges at all. I've just ordered a MFH Brabham BT52 at £180 and I just know it's going to get pulled...

[MPWR]

Oh, those customs. And here I was hoping for some cool British designs....

[jimken]

Thanks for the update.

[Kaj45rpm]

£15 is a joke frankly but so are most things for the man on the street in the UK. I've been stung for the last3 kits I've bought from Japan. It makes them not really viable as a saving. I could understand if people were ordering loads to sell on at a profit but enthusiasts like ourselves are just trying to keep a hobby affordable. Pisses me right off.

[hirofkd]

Did you use EMS or SAL? From what I've read on shipment from Japan, EMS packages are treated just like private carrier (like FedEX, DHL etc.) packages, and all of them are subject to custom inspection, while standard postal service packages (like small packet and SAL) are searched at random.

[kopek]

Thanks for the update.

There goes my new lens from Japan from a company who clearly state that they will not 'undervalue' the goods on the label.