Customs charge on stuff from U.S.

AzzaM · 08-04-2007, 10:55 PM

Probabilly asked loads of times but I just want a quick answer thanks guys and gals.

How much can something be worth without you having to pay customs from the U.S. or the amount its insured up to?

Cheers

Frollkiller

**Steven** · 08-04-2007, 11:05 PM

The limit is £18. Above that you pay VAT and import duty. Not including postage of course. Try and get the person to mark the cost down. My portable amp costing close to £200 was marked as £80 and I was charged only £10

AzzaM · 08-04-2007, 11:10 PM

Thanks alot LFC SL.

Mr Incredible · 08-04-2007, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

The limit is £18. Above that you pay VAT and import duty. Not including postage of course. Try and get the person to mark the cost down. My portable amp costing close to £200 was marked as £80 and I was charged only £10

Quite a risk for the sender if it is damaged and the insurance only covers the declared value. Some senders will not mark down the value of their goods because they may be able to offset their own taxes and duties if they export.

Not a good idea IMHO to get goods marked down.

**Steven** · 09-04-2007, 12:13 AM

That's from the sender's point of view though? Which makes me curious. That appears to be a sound point... so why do so many mark down readily on request?

Mr Incredible · 09-04-2007, 9:50 AM

I am surprised that many agree to mark down. LAst year I had nearly "imported" a replacement driver for my SVS sub and was getting it shipped from SVS in the US to AV-Sales in Kent (Kent Home Cinema). I asked about reducing the declared value to help minimise duty, but they refused saying that it could potentially jeopardise all their exports to the UK. Perhaps this is because the shipment was via container, not parcel post?

If a seller in the US has had instructions from the buyer in the UK to mark down the costs of the goods and the goods get damaged and not covered by insurance value, in theory the US seller could just wash their hands and say they were under instructions from the seller to reduce the value. Any difference therefore between insured value and actual replacement value is for the responsibility of the buyer? High risk for the buyer I think, not seller!