Customs £18 surcharge

[chris110]

Just a quick question. On the declared value, do they put the value of the contents inside or the order? Obviously the order value would include the postage cost but the value in the package will just be the DVD value.

 

[Garrett]

They charge custom charge on the total i.e. the price of the DVD plus postage, not just the DVD.

 

[chris110]

damn that sucks. Ok thankyou

 

[eddiethehead]

If the value of the goods is below £18, it doesn't matter how much P&P costs, you won't get hit by customs.
So for example : if a DVD costs £17.99 and P&P costs £4 making a total of £21.99 you won't get charged customs.

However if the DVD costs £18.50 and P&P costs £3, you will be charged customs on the total, ie £21.50.

Mark.

 

[Garrett]

I rang customs last week about duty for importing some figurines and they were only about £10 but the postage was $34 they said I would have to pay duty on all the lot.

 

[Zone]

Garrett
you should look into that as you can get relief from duty and VAT on items if the intrinsic value of the goods are less than £18

 

[Dave H]

Don't forget the post office want a cut as well.

 

[Garrett]

Originally posted by Zone
Garrett
you should look into that as you can get relief from duty and VAT on items if the intrinsic value of the goods are less than £18

How do you do that, when it is customs I rang in the first place?

 

[Zone]

Sounds like you were given duff info to me, check out point 3.3 I'd email/ring them and query it.

 

[Simon6776]

I e-mailed DVD Pacific about them now having to declare the true value on the packaging, and this was the relevent part of their reply:

"That is correct and all shipments now to the UK will be declared at true product value minus shipping charges."

I don't know how the actual law stands, but surely if it's based on the value of the product, that should not include shipping costs?

 

[Garrett]

Looks like I have been given bad advice, shame when you go to the people responsible for knowing.