Hello all

just wondering if anyone has been lumbered with VAT & Import duty when they have purchased from the states. I, personally have bought a few things (last one a 5  wood) but have never been asked for VAT or import duty. Am I just lucky, or is HM Government not really bothered about us minnows.

 got my eye on a nice new driver at the moment

Paul 

Oh, and my rant against the PO equally applies to any industry that was once govt run and all these tossers now think they are big execs of industry just because they were handed a monopoly to play with. I could do that, gissa job.

Hi Sir Arthur

All of the stuf that I have bought has been delivered by UPS or FedEx so I suppose those little buggers at the Post Office don't really get to have a go at me. I was just wondering really, if its upto the courier to advise the government of deliverys to the UK or do the government have someone keeping an eye out for such stuff.

The way I look at it, the courier could probably not give a S**t if you are charged or not, after all would it not cause more work for them, ie; collecting the taxes and then having to pay them to the government??? or am I totally barking up the wrong tree.

Paul 

John, if I may ask

was the item you bought of a substantial value (as marked on the box/invoice) and how much did they ask for, in percentage terms of the value of goods.

did you actually pay or was it forgotten about ????

If I'm being to nosey just tell me to  p*** off, I won't be offended.

The main reason I am asking is I have this new driver in mind and can get it for like £60 cheaper even with the postage in, but If I'm going to get lumbered with VAT and Import Duty I may as well get it here. All the stuff I have bought before has been for under 50 dollars (shirts, shoes, 5 wood) so the extra tax would not have been that much anyway.

Thanks  Paul 

i've been stung a few times when getting stuff sent from the us. HM customs aren't in the habit of opening packages and when i've been caught it's because the seller has put the true value (rather than the actual cost) on the customs slip and the customs slips are the things they check. Even then, they only select random batches so sometimes you'll still get away with it even if they've marked the value. Best contact the seller, ask him if he'll mark it as 'gift' with a value of $20 and hope for the best but as someone has suggested, factor in the possibility of getting caught.

thanks rgjusa

makes an interesting read, I particularly liked this bit "Note: Some unscrupulous overseas suppliers openly advertise on the internet, or on their websites that they will deliberately either misdescribe items or underdeclare their value in order to evade customs charges that are legally due on importation.  "

now who would do a thing like that.

PS

for those that are interested here is what I am looking to purchase driver

Paul 

Tends to be pot luck, some parcels get through without customs charges while others do. Supposedly more likely to get charges if sent via a proper courier like UPS, Fedex, they normally send you an invoice for them a week or so after delivery. Some claim USPS (who use Royal Mail for delivery) don't always charge inexpensive items, as they have a deal going (not worth their time for the small amounts?). But can still get caught if customs do random checks. Expensive items are probably just asking for custom's attention.

As a rough guide, it can add around 20% ontop of the total cost for golf equipment. Plus a clearance/admin fee that the courier charges (varies but often around £4-10 or 2%).

Any parcel or package that has a value on it above the limit of non-taxable (I think its £50) WILL get taxed when arriving by courier as they have their own warehouses and tax officers. With the PO you might escape taxes, its a bit of pot luck really. The reality is that if you buy from outside the UK unless the sender deliberately under values the declared value, you will most likely get taxed.

Given the shipping risks of buying from outside the UK, the muddied world of shipping insurance, the almost zero guarantee on the equipment as you really will have trouble returning it if there is a problem, and the taxes, its generally better to bite the bullet, go down your pro shop, get him to price match the lowest UK internet price, and buy from him. Generally the fastest and safest manner, and if the clubs have a future problem you have some recourse under sale of goods act.