V.A.T

[walshie]

I ordered a picatinny rail for my CZ from the U.S. It was quite a bit cheaper than buying one from the U.K. Postage was dear though at $26 odd, but overall still cheaper than buying one here. Imagine my joy to find the postman has posted a card saying they couldn't deliver it because it had duty to pay on it. Plus an £8 handling charge for not delivering it. 

My understanding is that no duty was payable under £135, so this must be VAT as it was around 20%, a bit more actually.

So now it would have been cheaper to buy said item from the U.K and had it delivered next day instead of over a week. That'll teach me. 

Does everyone get fleeced like this or was I just unlucky? 

Edited October 15, 2018 by walshie

[steve_b_wales]

I too, had to pay VAT on an item sent from America, plus a handling fee to Royal Mail, bless them!

[hawkfanz]

i got stung same way,buying from usa,yes po do it cos they can legalised robbery i call it.

[Jaymo]

Paying the VAT I don’t mind, but it’s the obligatory Royal Mail ( other carrier) charges that I find annoying and there is no way around it as if you don’t pay then they just send the item back.........

I order from Norway and have the same too of course.

 

[johnphilip]

I had the same problem a few years ago , was making some goose  calls on my lathe , could not get the Guts for them anywere in the uk , same thing , card from post office throught the door , had to go into town 14 miles away and pay up . 

[pinfireman]

1 hour ago, walshie said:

I ordered a picatinny rail for my CZ from the U.S. It was quite a bit cheaper than buying one from the U.K. Postage was dear though at $26 odd, but overall still cheaper than buying one here. Imagine my joy to find the postman has posted a card saying they couldn't deliver it because it had duty to pay on it. Plus an £8 handling charge for not delivering it. 

My understanding is that no duty was payable under £135, so this must be VAT as it was around 20%, a bit more actually.

So now it would have been cheaper to buy said item from the U.K and had it delivered next day instead of over a week. That'll teach me. 

Does everyone get fleeced like this or was I just unlucky? 

I get this on a regular basis! The Post Office will not deliver to door, as postman cannot take cash or card payment for any VAT or duty owed. So you have to make the journey to the sorting office (20 mile round trip!) and then pay the taxes, plus a ruddy handling charge, which you would not have had to pay if the postman had delivered!  My advice? If buying anything from the States (or anywhere else), then get seller to  email dimensions and weight of package, contact Parcel Broker here in UK, (brilliant small company!) and book a courier collection in the USA...............on anything bigger than a shoebox, it works out cheaper! Tracked, insured and delivered to your door, faster than USPS mail and tracked all the way!

[Bigbob]

Thought if it was marked a gift you didnt pay tax or have i been lucky 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

1 minute ago, Bigbob said:

Thought if it was marked a gift you didnt pay tax or have i been lucky 

I suspect they have got wise to that old ruse!

[walshie]

They should have a 3rd box for the postman to tick after "Postage Payable" and "Duty Payable" of "Diabolical Liberty Tax."