Warning to anyone from the UK buying from overseas.

[kierden]

Hi all,

 

Not sure if anyone else knows this (I might be the only stupid one) but if you're buying a PC part from outside the UK, it will be taxed when coming in.

I bought a Swiftech H220 a few weeks ago as they are hard to get hold of in the UK and it seemed quite cheap considering it had to be delivered too. Anyway, it was delivered today but before I could accept it I had to pay a tax charge of £38!

 

Not too sure if anybody knows or has be stung by the taxman!

 

Cheers,

 

Kieren

[Samdb]

This should be obvious, it goes without saying.

[GrievingJosh]

Yeah that happens, luckily stuff that comes from somewhere in the rest of the EU doesn't get that hard with it, but things from the US I know get quite badly affected ... The U.K truly sucks sometimes.  

[Blade of Grass]

Hi all,

Not sure if anyone else knows this (I might be the only stupid one) but if you're buying a PC part from outside the UK, it will be taxed when coming in.

I bought a Swiftech H220 a few weeks ago as they are hard to get hold of in the UK and it seemed quite cheap considering it had to be delivered too. Anyway, it was delivered today but before I could accept it I had to pay a tax charge of £38!

Not too sure if anybody knows or has be stung by the taxman!

Cheers,

Kieren

Of course you have to pay tax!

I'm surprised that they didn't add duties to it.

[Volbet]

This should be obvious, sorry. Of course you have to pay taxes for stuff you import, unless you buy from within the EU of course

[kierden]

Okay, as expected I'm the only stupid one

[Damikiller37]

I sucks buy you sadly do with most oversee stuff. My friend once won an anime figure work about £120 but had to pay £20 for tax and duties

[Rambo]

Just stay within the EU and you're fine!

[Nertballs]

if you carry it into the country though, you can (not will, but can) get away with it!

[jameshumphries47]

i never order from oversea's, the tax is stupid

~james

[Cy-Fy]

if you carry it into the country though, you can (not will, but can) get away with it!

do you mean going to america for example, buying it and putting it in your luggage???

[Nertballs]

do you mean going to america for example, buying it and putting it in your luggage???

i don't obviously mean going there for that lone purpose, but if you knew someone going there, or were on holidays etc. you get me!

[Cy-Fy]

i don't obviously mean going there for that lone purpose, but if you knew someone going there, or were on holidays etc. you get me!

yeah yeah that could work ^^

[91Chris]

You only get taxed if it's not sent as a "gift"

Ask the seller if they will mark it as a gift before you buy. It will still be insured etc, it's just one little box they have to check

Big companies likely wont comply as their mail is payed for in advance (or with an ID of some kind) as goods sold.

[Blade of Grass]

You only get taxed if it's not sent as a "gift"

Ask the seller if they will mark it as a gift before you buy. It will still be insured etc, it's just one little box they have to check

Big companies likely wont comply as their mail is payed for in advance (or with an ID of some kind) as goods sold.

That's actually not true. They can still tax you and charge duties.

[ObeseWalrus]

Yeah, I bought a bag from the US imported to Denmark, t'was expensive

[91Chris]

That's actually not true. They can still tax you and charge duties.

What part isn't true? I've done it countless times now.

[Blade of Grass]

What part isn't true? I've done it countless times now.

You said that you're only taxed if it's not sent as a gift. Which is not true. They still can tax you if it's a gift.

[91Chris]

I've yet to be taxed on an import since we worked it out. It has to be sent specifically as a "gift" though. I could send someone something as a genuine present, but if i don't state that through whichever shipping method i use it will almost certainly get taxed.

IF you are technically correct... well it just doesn't matter because I'm telling you what actually happens. Not that i think you would know anyway seeing as you live in Canada and the goods are taxed on the recipients side (UK in this case).

[Blade of Grass]

I've yet to be taxed on an import since we worked it out. It has to be sent specifically as a "gift" though. I could send someone something as a genuine present, but if i don't state that through whichever shipping method i use it will almost certainly get taxed.

IF you are technically correct... well it just doesn't matter because I'm telling you what actually happens. Not that i think you would know anyway seeing as you live in Canada and the goods are taxed on the recipients side (UK in this case).

Just because I'm not from your country doesn't mean I don't know.

 

 

2.4 Gifts

Goods sent as a gift that are over £40* in value are liable to import VAT Customs duty also becomes payable if the value of the goods is over £135 but is waived if the amount of duty calculated is less than £9.

*Please note this limit will reduce to £36 with effect from 1 January 2013.

To qualify as a gift:

• the customs declaration must be completed correctly
• the gift must be sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in this country
• there is no commercial or trade element and the gift has not been paid for either directly or indirectly by anyone in the UK
• the gift is of an occasional nature only, for example, for a birthday or anniversary

Note: if you purchase something from outside the EU to give as a gift to a relative or friend, whether or not addressed to that person, it is treated as a ‘commercial consignment’ for which the import VAT relief threshold in paragraph 2.3 applies.

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageLibrary_PublicNoticesAndInfoSheets&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_CL_000014#P55_5016