UK Customs

[Mirosae]

I did find the right spot indeed ! 

[erik1925]

And now time to show the poster....

Indeed. 

[Mirosae]

Frustration, Frustration

WHY UK CUSTOMS cannot calculate the right VAT? Aghhh

And it happened again today. I'm really p. off now.

It is only £20.00 it should have been £5.00. Not a huge amount. But i don't care.  It is a point of principle. Won't pay the wrong fee.

[Mirosae]

Agree with the delay frustrations - I had a poster make it over the pond in about 2 days, then to sit in their depot for 7 days before I even received the bill...and they have the cheek to charge such a high handling fee!

As a future tip, if you're buying prints, I think you can get the VAT rate reduced to 5% as it's a limited piece of art (rather than a mass produced piece of art). Never tried it though.

A long frustration of mine is now finally over. The UK import rate duties changed on 1 April. Now it is clearer that posters (any posters) will have the standard-rate VAT of currently 20%. I actually welcome this, it will save me time (not money though). As it happens, I won't miss the need to call the UK customs helpdesk line. It used to be 5%. Now no more. I will just have to add the extra 15% to my calculations when buying from abroad.

HMT VAT GUIDELINES

VAT REDUCED RATE
Publications     0%   Some items are standard-rated such as exercise books, letterheads, posters - VAT Notice 701/10

Those UK buyers collecting vintage posters circa 1900 are OK (0% TAX on 100 year old posters!). So this is the time to buy the really oldie ones



PS- My colleague in HMRC will be discussing this with a tax expert there. If anyone is interested to learn more do please pm me.

[monocle]

20% VAT! Thank goodness I normally skulk around in the Victorian era.

Would anyone happen to know the correct way of labelling a poster when you're sending it abroad for restoration? I've got one I want to send to the USA so I'm assuming I would simply have to state on the customs declaration, that it's temporarily off for restoration?

[Mirosae]

That has changed too. There are new forms. You need to fill in NOTICE 235,  basically telling the UK Gov that you are sending this item abroad for repairs, and you already paid tax on it, so when is back you dont have to pay import tax again.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-235-outward-processing-relief/notice-235-outward-processing-relief#simplified-authorisation-for-repairs

[monocle]

I see! Thanks for that Rosa. Is that a 'pick up at the Post Office' form or do I have to contact elsewhere?

[Mirosae]

Best if you do it all at the time you get the poster back in the UK. When you receive notification that the goods have arrived, you should contact CUSTOMS at the parcel depot and tell them you want to declare the goods under the OPR NON-COMMERCIAL arrangements. They will send you the forms to fill in (just remember to keep all the relevant receipts- postage - from and to the UK, track numbers, and proof you have already paid your tax (if bought abroad) or no need to pay (if bought in the EU but exported only temp for repairs).

I do find the HMRC rules a bit tricky to follow, but this one is sort of  simple..

I also sent you a separate pm- hope it makes sense .

[brude]

It really sucks that any government inhibits personal trade between nations with these VATs.
If anyone is making or spending, they want a piece of the action.

[Tob]

It really sucks that any government inhibits personal trade between nations with these VATs.
If anyone is making or spending, they want a piece of the action.

Death and taxes...I sort of accept that they'll take their share. What annoys me most about the situation is:

- The low threshold for when you're liable for VAT - it's a paltry £15 at the moment I believe? Where as it's something like $1000 for importing into Australia.

- The dreadful fees the carriers charge you for collecting the charge. If I ordered a vinyl LP from Amazon.com and the HMRC exchange rate had it coming out at £15.01 - I'd have to pay the £8 Royal Mail fee + £3 VAT on the LP + VAT on the postage (estimating postage of £5, that's another £1). So £12 in fees and taxes for a £15 record. Ridiculous!

I suppose it creates a lot of income for HMRC and also keeps me spending money on records in this country instead of importing them, so I suppose it's effective for them!

[monocle]

That additional collection charge really is an extraordinary bit of extortion on the part of the carriers. Considering the cost I'd have expected it to be delivered on a silver salver.

[erik1925]

Any way to gouge the customer.. all in the name of God and country. 

[Mirosae]

That additional collection charge really is an extraordinary bit of extortion on the part of the carriers. Considering the cost I'd have expected it to be delivered on a silver salver.

Mine normally arrive just in tubes ! 

Death and taxes...I sort of accept that they'll take their share.

 

Agree with you Tob! As it happens, I am sure that it would not stop me from buying abroad, I will just need to be a bit extra careful with my maths..

[CSM]

Any way to gouge the customer.. all in the name of God and country. 

I think you need to add 'Queen' in there somewhere

[erik1925]

I think you need to add 'Queen' in there somewhere

Indeed, Chris.

 

[paul waines]

Agree with you Tob! As it happens, I am sure that it would not stop me from buying abroad, I will just need to be a bit extra careful with my maths..

It stopped me from buying outside of the EU. I was paying a fortune to the Customs people. If you buy from the U.S. it was daft buying £15 posters, but the more expensive they were the higher the costs, even the handling charge goes up on a sliding scale..

I was regularly paying £80-100+ in total to those Monkeys, so thought, I could have another poster for the extra I was being ripped off by, so stopped.

I still find enough to keep me happy in the EU...  

[Mirosae]

Good for you Paul. Certainly if it is in the UK it makes sense buying in the UK  totally. You are right that encourages more in-house hunting & buying. I was thinking more along the lines of posters which just might come up say at HA or Bruce. Not anywhere else. Though as it happens I just located one i want here!! ..hehe...oh... watch this space  

[paul waines]

Looking forward to seeing what you get Rosa..


I tend to find, anything HA has that I would want ends up over priced anyway, never mind the extra cost of posting and Tax. Bruce does have the odd item, and if the price warrants the extra postage, I have a go at it.

Luckily I mostly collect British stuff, and as I live here....

[Mirosae]

Very wise!

[ladeda]

It stopped me from buying outside of the EU. I was paying a fortune to the Customs people. If you buy from the U.S. it was daft buying £15 posters, but the more expensive they were the higher the costs, even the handling charge goes up on a sliding scale..

I was regularly paying £80-100+ in total to those Monkeys, so thought, I could have another poster for the extra I was being ripped off by, so stopped.

I still find enough to keep me happy in the EU...  

The same for me too. I was hit with a £300+ charge (..from HA.. always HA) that was enough for me. I've limited myself to EU only. I'm usually better off purchasing from dealers within the EU than from further shores once customs and shipping has been accounted for.

[erik1925]

Places like HA (and many others) will claim the full value on the customs forms.. that's just how they work. I'm sure it can be a kicker, tho, when it comes to the tax owed on something declared at the full bid/purchase price. OUCH!  

Plus, the forms that show a high end item's value, is a potential for said package to disappear, en route. A Big $$$ written where all can see = an eye catching, blinking, red beacon to some sticky fingered person working for the carrier.   

[Mirosae]

The same for me too. I was hit with a £300+ charge (..from HA.. always HA) that was enough for me. I've limited myself to EU only. I'm usually better off purchasing from dealers within the EU than from further shores once customs and shipping has been accounted for.

WoW  £300+ that must have been a heck of a poster.  Good that you find your posters within the EU. Shipping is cheaper too.

[paul waines]

Places like HA (and many others) will claim the full value on the customs forms.. that's just how they work. I'm sure it can be a kicker, tho, when it comes to the tax owed on something declared at the full bid/purchase price. OUCH!  

Plus, the forms that show a high end item's value, is a potential for said package to disappear, en route. A Big $$$ written where all can see = an eye catching, blinking, red beacon to some sticky fingered person working for the carrier.   

Thing is Jeff, when you declare the true value, it's covered for that amount, where as if you don't declare it and it goes missing, you claim very little back...

I have taken a few chances over the years, but the older I get, the more I think it's not worth it if it goes missing. 

[erik1925]

Thing is Jeff, when you declare the true value, it's covered for that amount, where as if you don't declare it and it goes missing, you claim very little back...

I have taken a few chances over the years, but the older I get, the more I think it's not worth it if it goes missing.  

True, Paul.. was more just referring to those stories we have all seen or read where a package or tube had arrived with the contents missing, or the parcel goes missing 100%. And, tho covered, if the item is gone, and it was a poster that rarely comes along.. the cash refunded wont make up for the 'lost' item.  

[Mirosae]

I tend to find, anything HA has that I would want ends up over priced anyway

I found HA 's charges ''clearer'' than say Bonhams or Christies here in the UK, as sometimes you end up paying BP + VAT on top, not always, so I find it a bit confusing, whereas HA's charges for whatever reason seem to me to be a clearer cut. But I am not arguing that it is expensive or indeed sometimes overpriced if one is not careful enough