Shipping from the US to the UK

maxi-model

maxi-model

UK/US/ROW steam narrow gauge railways 1:1
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While I have brought quite a few garden railroad items from the US to the UK - anything from dry print sheets to complete locos and cars in Fn3 - they have been almost exclusively from trade suppliers and have always attracted 20% import tax and handling fees.


Question - If I am importing a large item with a value of c$300 from a genuine private seller will I still be hit with import taxes and possibly the handling fee if USPS ? I have only done one other similar "private sale" on an Ebay purchase, an AMS Fn3 D&RGW boxcar at around $120, but it's a while back and I cannot remember if I got hit with tax on that one. Faded memory says no. Anybody with a definitive answer. My thanks in anticipation. Max
 
I think everything gets hit with VAT when it comes over & this includes VAT on the postage as well.
 
It might be worth checking, but somewhere in the dark recesses of the mind, the question of whether it is new comes into play :wasntme::wasntme:
 
Rhinochugger said:
It might be worth checking, but somewhere in the dark recesses of the mind, the question of whether it is new comes into play :wasntme::wasntme:
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It is an unfinished conversion of what I assume to be a used item using commercially available parts from a specialist supplier that have been painted and a decal sheet (not applied yet) . Max
 
maxi-model said:
It is an unfinished conversion of what I assume to be a used item using commercially available parts from a specialist supplier that have been painted and a decal sheet (not applied yet) . Max
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So, it's not brand new as in a manufacturer's box.

It's a long time since I looked into this :think:, but I can remember considering the possibility of getting a loco out of its box, running it up and down for a couple of minutes, in order to say that it was not new. (In the end, I didn't import anything as expensive as a loco, and the other wagons came in by different methods.)

Whether the same now applies, I don't know.
 
It could be cheaper to fly and get it - b****r the carbon footprint (call in at Davos on the way through) :devil: :devil:
 
That is fairly clear..

BUT
(Not applicable in this case)
I had some 'faulty' RC receveirs sent back to me form the US, and it cost me £60 to get them the final few miles.. :(

I eventually found I could get this back, as I had sold the good's in the first-place, and they had been sent back for repair.
i did not get the (in this case) £15 'handling-fee' back though, :cry::cry:
 
Yes Max and not only the 20% import taxes but also the ParcelFarce charge (if sent by USPS) for 'dealing with it!
 
beavercreek said:
Yes Max and not only the 20% import taxes but also the ParcelFarce charge (if sent by USPS) for 'dealing with it!
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Yep, that's the sting in the tail - If a courier takes something through and then finally delivers, you don't get Parcelfarce interfering, but where the item is just 'sent', Parcelfarce obviously have the contract and hoover things up - as Mike says, the highwayman then gets his bit by charging an extortionate handling fee to collect the VAT.
 
Rhinochugger said:
Yep, that's the sting in the tail - If a courier takes something through and then finally delivers, you don't get Parcelfarce interfering, but where the item is just 'sent', Parcelfarce obviously have the contract and hoover things up - as Mike says, the highwayman then gets his bit by charging an extortionate handling fee to collect the VAT.
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I believe all the couriers charge to collect their bit. Some make parcelforce look cheap.
 
dutchelm said:
I believe all the couriers charge to collect their bit. Some make parcelforce look cheap.
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Yeah, I had some paintings (art don't ya know) sent from the US, and it was just dropped off by UPS - well, with the usual idiotic first attempt, then the second attempt will be sometime between 7 am and 7 pm.

Now, whether the sender had covered all the charges, I don't know. Or maybe art doesn't get VAT - Mike (Bevercreak) will know?
 
Fine art attracts VAT, but there are grey areas. I am a fan of Norman Rockwell paintings. Originals are a bit out of my league but I have a few artist signed prints. Prints are exempt (they are not original pieces of work) but the rules are not clear on signed prints. The first one I received from the US had no VAT, with the second one (same courier, same packaging) I got stung for VAT. I decided life was too short to start a debate with HM Revenue and Customs, and anyway they might have decided to charge me on the first one!
 
I think you must assume that you will get charged for VAT and Customs, then if you don't its a win!
 
muns said:
I think you must assume that you will get charged for VAT and Customs, then if you don't its a win!
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Hmmm - 'VAT / Customs' and 'win' in the same sentence? Someone else on the substance abuse :p:p
 
With the word 'abuse' in there as well, I reckon you will have set-off alarms in most Government Departments automatic monitoring systems? !
:eek::lipssealed::tmi:
 
PhilP said:
With the word 'abuse' in there as well, I reckon you will have set-off alarms in most Government Departments automatic monitoring systems? !
:eek::lipssealed::tmi:
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:D:D:D

Forgot to substitute a letter or two with an asterisk ;);)
 
Drats! Thanks for the info guys but that puts the nail in the proverbial coffin for the K27 I found on evilbay :(
 
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