Customs charges on second hand items?

[Lyris]

Hey everyone, not specifically a games question but one that's close to home nonetheless.

I bought a pretty pricey Laser Disc set on eBay (Compleat Tex Avery, auction came to just under 100 pounds with shipping included).

Now I've got a little notice sayting I have to pay a customs fee to Royal Mail of 15.73. Surely that's not on for a second hand item? Can anyone clarify?

[Rep]

I don't think it matters if the item is new or not, it's all down to weight and value. If you only got a charge of ?15 you got off lightly. Some of my charges have been upto ?70! My DS for example was ?36 .

[J0e Musashi]

Used or new, if you bring something into the UK from outside of the EU you have to pay.

[Mayhem]

I know, it's a bit silly considering second hand games are technically exempt from VAT in many cases, but you get charged it bringing them in from abroad.

[J0e Musashi]

If you can, get parcels marked as used and/or faulty goods as well as gift and under ?18 in value. 9 times outta 10 you'll get away with paying nowt in tax providing it isn't too big a box. I've done this with brand new Atomiswave cartridges worth ?500 many times.

[Lyris]

Alright, thanks everyone. I asked the seller to state the value of the shipping cost ($35) on the label but it doesn't seem to have happened. Blah!

[Brodie]

I don't think second hand items are exempt from VAT anymore. I know guitars definitely aren't.

Robbing gits.

[MattyD]

The customs charges are import duty, not sales tax like VAT, so it makes no difference whether the item was purchased retail or second-hand.

Quite why some things get through free and some don't, though, I have no idea. I deliver imported stuff all the time that's obviously worth more than the ?18 threshold (iPods, tools, you name it) and hasn't been charged, so you may get lucky if the package is small.

[Mayhem]

Nope, if you look at the charges label (that big white sticker with red writing on it that gets slapped on a parcel when it's been caught), you'll see most of the cost is VAT. Which is charged on the combined customs declaration value PLUS the shipping.

I've had plenty of packages charged VAT on them with zero import duty imposed. I begin to wonder if second hand items are immune from import duty but not VAT.

[Lyris]

That sounds quite likely actually. 15.73 is close to 17.5% of 75 pounds (the cost of the LDs themselves minus shipping).

[112]

the customs charges are only for elctrical good and jewelry right? Can they put a price on clothes?

112

[buster_broon]

the customs charges are only for elctrical good and jewelry right? Can they put a price on clothes?

112

if they are new - yes, if opened and taken from the wrapper no

but anything for children is exempt from tax or duty

[Mayhem]

Really? Even if imported?

*gets evil idea*

[buster_broon]

Really? Even if imported?

*gets evil idea*

was talking about clothes not electricals

but honestly Mr Duty man - the imported 360 is for my 6 month old son, he's a gamer like his daddy