Importing to uk

LOLZERISOP101 · September 2, 2022

I live in the uk, I went to hk for holiday and found components that are pretty cheap compared to the uk. I bought cpu, ram, ssd, gpu, cpu cooler, mobo, psu. Except for case as it’s too big. I’m going back to uk Tmr what should I do to prevent it from getting taxed as I am building it in the uk for self use and not selling it. I am planning to carry gpu and mobo on a hand luggage and the rest in check in luggages. I have opened them but don’t wanna remove the protective packaging but would this cause suspicion??

DoctorNick · September 2, 2022

10 minutes ago, LOLZERISOP101 said:

I live in the uk, I went to hk for holiday and found components that are pretty cheap compared to the uk. I bought cpu, ram, ssd, gpu, cpu cooler, mobo, psu. Except for case as it’s too big. I’m going back to uk Tmr what should I do to prevent it from getting taxed as I am building it in the uk for self use and not selling it. I am planning to carry gpu and mobo on a hand luggage and the rest in check in luggages. I have opened them but don’t wanna remove the protective packaging but would this cause suspicion??

If you get busted you'll have to pay. If you carry gpu and mobo in hand luggage then you will get busted.

venomtail · September 2, 2022

Just now, DoctorNick said:

If you get busted you'll have to pay. If you carry gpu and mobo in hand luggage then you will get busted.

They can still do random scans on luggages.

Then again shouldn't this stuff be classed as personal purchases within allowance? Even cigarettes that have much higher tax have a personal allowance before they have to be declared. What was it, 100 packets per person limit? Pretty sure cars are even exempt for the first 180 days or something before they have to be registered and tax paid for registration not import, since it's already yours and you'd be driving it rather than buying something new and having to pay VAT on it.

Most likely I am wrong tho.

DoctorNick · September 2, 2022

2 minutes ago, venomtail said:

They can still do random scans on luggages.

Then again shouldn't this stuff be classed as personal purchases within allowance? Even cigarettes that have much higher tax have a personal allowance before they have to be declared. What was it, 100 packets per person limit? Pretty sure cars are even exempt for the first 180 days or something before they have to be registered and tax paid for registration not import, since it's already yours and you'd be driving it rather than buying something new and having to pay VAT on it.

Most likely I am wrong tho.

Exactly. Most like safer to just declare. Pretty sure you've to pay a fee if you get busted: https://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/declaring-goods

If you don't want to declare, the put in check in luggage and cross your fingers

Akima · September 2, 2022

Since Brexit, they've been a lot more strict to "importing". That being said, HK is outside of the EU, so the usual standards still apply. As you're traveling as a private entity (I'm guessing you wen't for personal reasons, not for work?) they'll be a bit more leniant.

You can validly argue that the components in your luggage are for personal use. Ultimately, it'll be down to whoever processes the luggage when you hit the UK.

As for packaging - if the box and contents match, they won't spend an awful lot of time determining if it's a valid item or not. You have to remember they process 1000s of passangers a day, they don't have time to fully inspect everything that comes through.

If you want, I could speak to our courier at work, we occasionally ship from HK and could potentially include it in one of the shipments. Your call.