Customs Protocol When Ordering From EU to UK…

[viscount806x]

Anybody in the know for the above, seems like several phases will apply but when?
 

I’m. primarily thinking about ordering from the likes of Arma Hobby and Eduard. Previously I filled my boots with such things as the ‘Overtrees’ with gay abandon. Now I’m scared stiff of incurring massive customs + post office handling fees along with a long drive to pick up the package.

 

What is the score nowadays ?

[RobL]

I recently ordered a figure from Spain.  I paid at checkout, presume VAT was already added and it arrived no problems, no customs etc.  It was only 15 EUR worth though (10 EUR being shipping), so ymmv but it doesn't seem much different than before, other than VAT is charged at source rather than here in the UK.

Edited February 9, 2022 by RobL

[viscount806x]

53 minutes ago, RobL said:

I recently ordered a figure from Spain.  I paid at checkout, presume VAT was already added and it arrived no problems, no customs etc.  It was only 15 EUR worth though (10 EUR being shipping), so ymmv but it doesn't seem much different than before, other than VAT is charged at source rather than here in the UK.

Is VAT always charged at source or is this an option practised by some sellers and not others. Arma say that  any orders from UK must be above £135. Why that sum particularly one wonders?

[Broadway]

£135.00 is the point at which duty is charged, under this there is only the VAT to pay which can be done at checkout if the retailer chooses to process UK orders less that £135,

 

Above £135 duty and VAT should be collected by the courier.

 

[alt-92]

2 hours ago, Broadway said:

 which can be done at checkout if the retailer chooses to process UK orders

And that requires a business to apply for several UK Customs and Tax licenses/certs which brings along a lot of admin overhead. 

Raising the minimum order is the least worst option in case orders from only UK are not sufficient to outweigh the cost of the overhead.

 

Import duty is supposed to be levied in all cases where applicable, but I guess HMRC are a bit overtaxed (lol) 

[Circloy]

It's a subject that has repeatedly been covered on these pages

 

For sales totalling under £135:

      Duty & VAT should be collected by the seller, goods should then ship with no addition duty or tax payable.

      The seller should be registered with the UK HMRC and pay the appropriate sum(s) to HMRC. 

For sales totalling £135 & above:

      Duty & VAT are payable on entry to the UK and is normally collected by the shipper (Royal Mail, etc) this usually incurs a fee for processing the collection on HRMC's behalf.

 

In both cases the seller should remove from the sale price any local sales taxes (e.g. the French or German equivalent to VAT) before calculating the UK cut.

 

The extra admin incurred for Sales under £135 is why many non-UK companies have either set this as a minimum order level for sales into the UK or no longer sell to the UK.

 

NOTE:  These rules apply to personal imports to the UK from anywhere in the World not just the EU

[Broadway]

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

 

No duty payable under £135 unless excise duty payable, which will not be the case for goods from Arma Hobby

[alt-92]

On 2/10/2022 at 10:10 AM, Broadway said:

which will not be the case for goods from Arma Hobby

It depends on the product purchased. 

[Julien]

As our American friends would say, its a crapshoot at the moment,

 

Ive had to pay for somethings, and I have others sail through with no issues. 

 

Ive bought from Germany and Holland recently and not had local VAT deducted at all. These have all been under £135 and ive just paid the price on their websites the same as EU customers.