Import charges for the UK on goods from abroad post 1st Jan 2021

[Globibahn]

Earlier this week I decided to "test the water" with an order of £185 from DM Toys in Germany.
German tax was not deducted from the order and on arrival in the UK I was requested by UPS to pay 20% UK VAT plus £11.50 handling fee before delivery.
Quite an expensive experiment but because I paid online at least the delivery was not delayed and it arrived next day.
It would appear that HMRC don't have a VAT amnesty.

Be careful also of the Haribo tax!

[swisstrains]

Hi Matt. I assume not being able to go on your travels has resulted in an attack of boredom and an uncontrollable urge to read old posts.
Hopefully things will improve soon and you can get back on track.

[Globibahn]

Hi Matt. I assume not being able to go on your travels has resulted in an attack of boredom and an uncontrollable urge to read old posts.
Hopefully things will improve soon and you can get back on track.

Hah yes you caught me out there! Serves me right! 

[Railwaygun]

I am ordering some wagons from MB Lippe. I gathered that they deducted German VAT.

their carriage page states

If you have a tax ID, then please let us know. We then will deduct the German value added tax from your bill.

How can I get a Tax ID - do I have to be VAT registered? Or find a friend with one?

[GScaleBruce]

I am ordering some wagons from MB Lippe. I gathered that they deducted German VAT.

their carriage page states

If you have a tax ID, then please let us know. We then will deduct the German value added tax from your bill.

How can I get a Tax ID - do I have to be VAT registered? Or find a friend with one?

That "tax ID" statement is, I think, only applicable to EU customers who are VAT registered. My business is, and no, I don't put model railway items through it, but previously business purchases made from other EU countries could be made without paying VAT - which, as a business, I'd have been reclaiming anyway.

These days, when you purchase from Lippe they deduct the (German) VAT at the checkout for UK customers (I've just run something through the shopping basket to confirm, stopping short of actually paying). I note that they now use FedEx for shipments to non-EU countries including the UK and Switzerland; I don't know how FedEx handle the import side (i.e. whether they will clear the item and levy any UK VAT due) as I haven't bought from Lippe since they changed their shipping arrangements.

[swisstrains]

I have used Lippe recently and can confirm that they are still deducting the German VAT.
When FedEx are ready to deliver, if your order is greater than £135, they will contact you by email and you can pay online.
I was asked to pay the UK VAT plus a FedEx Disbursement Fee of £11.16.

[Les1952]

What gets me is the amount of time UK Customs are taking to get stuff through, particularly from Europe.

Recently I ordered two items on the same day- one from the US (California to be precise) and the other from Germany.   Both were shipped on the day of ordering.  Both used Fedex.

The item from California arrived eight days before the item from Germany.

Les