Customs and Excise - Tax etc...

Posted by: MontyW on 04 September 2005

Hi,

A good friend of mine is selling his Leica M6 and is giving me first refusal. I will pay him via Paypal or something similar - perhaps even a direct bank transfer in US $$s - my question is, when he ships the camera to me, will I get stung with a massive Customs and Excise bill?

I recently ordered some CDs via Amazon market place and these came from the US (Unknown to me at the time of ordering) and I got a customs/post office bill that was far in excess of the value of the CDs.

So any advice?

Thanks,

David
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by GuyPerry
David,

I maybe incorrect.....
but I don't think second hand gear is taxable.

I bought some Ping golf clubs in the US, traded in my old ones as soon as I got there, used the new ones, bought them back in my old bag.

Make sure there is no billing inside etc.

Regards

Guy
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by MontyW
Guy,

I hope you are right.

Thanks,

David
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by Paul Hutchings
You'll have duty and vat to pay at the appropriate rates.

Sadly gifts, s/h purchases etc all count.
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by Mick P
VAT = Value Added Tax, you pay tax on value that is being added.

Value is being added on second hand goods but only on the dealers margin. Therefore if a dealer is selling the goods, then you pay VAT on the dealers profit.

If the goods are being sold by a private individual then there is no added value and the tax is zero. Howvever, the private indivual will have to go to the trouble of proving second hand status.

The bad news is that you will still have to pay import duty (which is a different tax)whether it is new or second hand.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by MontyW
Mick,

Thanks for this - how do I find out what import duty I will have to pay. Just been on the customs and excise website and its a bl**dy pain to find what I'm looking for.

Thanks,

Dave
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by Steve Bull
quote:
Originally posted by David Greenwood:
Mick,

Thanks for this - how do I find out what import duty I will have to pay. Just been on the customs and excise website and its a bl**dy pain to find what I'm looking for.

Thanks,

Dave


Just phone them up - they're actually very helpful.

Steve.
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by Mick P
David

Roughly 6%.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by J.N.
Any posted imported goods exceeding a value of £18 are subject to import duties and VAT. This seems whacky to me, as you can bring back £145's worth of goods from the USA without incurring any UK duty or VAT.

Some USA CD suppliers I use, 'fib' about the value of goods on the postal package for this reason.

The only way to avoid these duties, is to get the item marked as a gift.

Info here and here.

John.
Posted on: 04 September 2005 by MontyW
John,

Thanks for your help.

DG