Import Duty etc On Goods From UK After 1 January 2021

[ntpntpntp]

Just got a bill for £49 for import vat and UPs handling charge on a order from DM toys

Just out of interest how and when did you receive the bill? Was it at the time of order delivery or sometime later? 

I've still not had anything from UPS demanding VAT and handling on over £460 of drum kit from a German shop that arrived over 3 weeks ago. This was free of German VAT so I fully expect there should be something to pay.

[Yet_Another]

It'll be interesting to see what he does when the rules for intra-EU sales change, and he's supposed to charge VAT at the rate of the country of delivery.

Based on current practice, they'll probably just charge everyone the highest rate of any country that it applies to.

[nobby]

Hi all

I regards to the 20 % import vat.  Yes and no. Ie i had to pay 20 % on 190 euros as if it was £190 , not 190 euros with exchange rate should be £163. Then 20 %  so it would have been around £32. Not £37.   Just another cheeky way of getting a few quid. Other shops i have brought from in germany have taken off the german vat. If dm toys had done so then the cost would have been 36 euros less so then its not so bad. This is just bad and the fact theres not much you can do about it is the most annoying.

[woodbury22uk]

Hi all

I regards to the 20 % import vat.  Yes and no. Ie i had to pay 20 % on 190 euros as if it was £190 , not 190 euros with exchange rate should be £163. Then 20 %  so it would have been around £32. Not £37.   Just another cheeky way of getting a few quid. Other shops i have brought from in germany have taken off the german vat. If dm toys had done so then the cost would have been 36 euros less so then its not so bad. This is just bad and the fact theres not much you can do about it is the most annoying.

Once you get the documentation which shows it should be GBP163 not GBP190, then challenge HMRC and add on your GBP11 query handling charge to the claim.

I seem to recall that DMToys said the German VAT charge value was in lieu of an export documentation charge.

[njee20]

Hi all

I regards to the 20 % import vat.  Yes and no. Ie i had to pay 20 % on 190 euros as if it was £190 , not 190 euros with exchange rate should be £163. Then 20 %  so it would have been around £32. Not £37.   Just another cheeky way of getting a few quid. Other shops i have brought from in germany have taken off the german vat. If dm toys had done so then the cost would have been 36 euros less so then its not so bad. This is just bad and the fact theres not much you can do about it is the most annoying.

That's not "a cheeky way of getting a few quid", that's an error. They can't convert it to Yen, then put a pound sign at the front and charge you 20% of that. If you've paid VAT on £190, and your order was €190 then they've got it wrong.

[Doddy]

I joined this thread back in March when I had to pay double VAT on an order from Langley's who were unable to dispatch before January 1st but said they were unable to reimburse the UK VAT I had paid them in December which was 'trousered' by either them or HMRC! As a result of this and another VAT event with a Hattons order, I haven't ordered anything from a UK supplier this year. Nobby's story brings to mind a recent ironic event because I did want some railings of the sort supplied by Langley but I was damned if I was going to order them from him! So I've sourced them successfully and with delightful service from an EU supplier who I hate to say is Daniel at DM Toys!

And this is the sad lesson of these events because Daniel at DM toys, the guy at Langley's, Greg at Kernow, Mike at Osborns etc are all enthusiasts first and shop keepers second which is why we like to shop with them and Brexit, VAT etc has driven a knife through these happy and productive relationships. The saddest thing I've seen this week is Gaugemaster's ad on the back of the latest RM telling us we can get all their stuff from Amazon uk. Deep joy although I'm sure Mr Amazon knows far more than any one else on this planet about international taxation regimes, he's probably read a book on customer centric organisation but he knows F all about the Great Western Railway, the Dawlish Sea Wall or CAB control! So sad.

[njee20]

It doesn't mean Gaugemaster are supplying Amazon, merely that they have a marketplace relationship. Sure enough I've just found loads of items that are "fulfilled by Gaugemaster". Never really see the point when retailers have a decent e-commerce site (whether Gaugemaster qualifies is a different point!).

[Doddy]

Thanks, I think you've amplified my point because I can remember when Gaugemaster appeared to sell on their name and reputation for controllers etc. I realise they are a Market Place partner with Amazon but I wonder why? They appear to have sacrificed their place among model railway suppliers by diversifying to the point where allies and partners have become competitors.

But I fear we have drifted from the title and theme of this thread...... possibly?

[dannyboy]

But I fear we have drifted from the title and theme of this thread...... possibly?

There has been a lot of 'drifting'! The purpose of me starting this thread was to talk about duty etc on goods exported from the UK, i.e. imported to other countries. I have not counted, but it seems that the majority of posts are talking about duty etc. on goods coming in to the UK.

[guest311]

purely as a heads up,
with all the uncertainty on this subject, I banged off an order to the far east for some BTR-80s and some M-35s, apologies but 1:76th scale for wargames.
apparently RM now have them so waiting to see if they are delivered, or the dreaded RM admin charge and customs.

will advise.

[Doddy]

Hi Dannyboy, I think this where we were when we met in March-sadly. I wonder why people suddenly find it consequential?

[ntpntpntp]

... "fulfilled by Gaugemaster". Never really see the point when retailers have a decent e-commerce site (whether Gaugemaster qualifies is a different point!).

It's another global sales channel.  I'll do some searching on google ("due diligence" to check around for good prices) but for convenience I probably hit Amazon and eBay first when looking for most things rather than trawling loads of individual shop web sites. I'll only hit specific shop sites for things like spares or bulk orders of specific items that I know they carry, if I've seen a sale advert, or google says it's cheaper there.  Not what shop owners want to hear I guess, but I'm well past the days of dropping into a local model shop or the local electronics store now.  I prefer the online global marketplace, and it's the shops which have a presence on Amazon and eBay which are likely to get my custom.

[dannyboy]

When buying things from the UK, I am finding it a lot less hassle to order from Amazon. UK VAT is automatically deducted and, okay, they do add import duties etc. if required, but I know up front exactly what the item is going to cost me. Amazon have a guarantee that if they over charge me for duties etc. they will reimburse me. The system does work, as only last week I received a refund of 11 cent and a couple of weeks ago, they refunded me 1 cent -  I kid you not.   . Ebay is starting to get expensive, certainly for items of rolling stock from the USA, mainly because a lot of the sellers now use the 'Global Shipping Programme' and then there is duty to pay on top of that. An example is a piece I am watching at the moment, $US 32.99c + $US20.03 postage + $US14.88 import charges, so postage and the charge come to more than the cost of the item!

[njee20]

Interesting! I'm a huge Amazon customer, 3-4 orders a week, but have never once ordered anything railway related, just not a site I ever think to use.

[dannyboy]

@njee20
Certainly worth checking. I have noticed that some things are cheaper buying direct from a model shop, but I like the hassle free way of doing things with Amazon. Being a Prime user, delivery is quite often within 2 or 3 days, (to Ireland). I ordered something earlier this afternoon and delivery is promised for Wednesday.