exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

Badwolf wrote: 23 Sep 2021 14:31 I'm sure if the BBC were reporting this issue, there'd be five or six reasons why this is now happening and none of them would begin with B... :mad:

Agree with you there!

Looking at it a little closer it was actually originating from Hong Kong not China like I thought originally.. So maybe that is the reason :shrug: I don't think anyone can make sense of any of it any more.

Seriously considering starting a *ahem* non legal cash only business, ferrying expensive electronics overseas in a rubber dingy...

I mean, whats the worst that can happen?

I feel your pain Chris, just trying to lift your spirits! ;)

exxos wrote: 23 Sep 2021 14:52 Looking at it a little closer it was actually originating from Hong Kong not China like I thought originally.. So maybe that is the reason :shrug: I don't think anyone can make sense of any of it any more.

This is the current relevant stuff from what I understand: https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

The only thing I can think of is that the vendor has listed the net worth inclusive of VAT taking you over the £135 threshold for Customs Duty?

Shitshow either way. :(

It does suggest you can reclaim overpayments after the event, though: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-appl ... rpaid-c285

BW

mrbombermillzy wrote: 23 Sep 2021 15:12 Seriously considering starting a *ahem* non legal cash only business, ferrying expensive electronics overseas in a rubber dingy...

I mean, whats the worst that can happen?

I feel your pain Chris, just trying to lift your spirits! ;)

Yeah, there is enough dingys coming over the channel.. Probably just use them all as couriers...

Badwolf wrote: 23 Sep 2021 15:15 This is the current relevant stuff from what I understand: https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

The only thing I can think of is that the vendor has listed the net worth inclusive of VAT taking you over the £135 threshold for Customs Duty?

So reading this..

Goods worth £135 or less in total
If you bought the goods yourself and they are not excise goods, the seller will have included VAT in the total you paid.

You will need to pay VAT to the delivery company if the goods are:

gifts sent to you by someone else and worth more than £39
excise goods
Goods worth more than £135 in total
You will have to pay VAT to the delivery company either before the goods are delivered or when you collect them.

So as the goods was below £135.. The seller collected their VAT ( assume on behalf of the UK government) .. The idea being that the courier does not charge import taxes because they are already paid for upfront..

However after adding VAT of £25.. I am now over the £135 threshold , where obviously UPS have done their part and charged me..

So this system is actually broken beyond belief. Because I have actually paid charges twice :( I don't really know why they have to bugger about with the thresholds in first place.

So really, you cannot order anything between like £50-£150 in value without running into this type of problem.

Badwolf wrote: 23 Sep 2021 15:15 The only thing I can think of is that the vendor has listed the net worth inclusive of VAT taking you over the £135 threshold for Customs Duty?

Oh yes... good point. IIRC >£135 is supposed to be collect VAT at border not prepaid... value will include the courier cost not just the value of the goods. Maybe that is it.

I have heard back from the guy who works in the post office and he says EU shipping seems to be going fine other than Germany. They are rejecting packages and sending them back for having enormous delays on processing packages. We have even had that problem with Germany as well.

Lately we are still shipping to Germany, but if this problem continues we will unfortunately have to disallow shipping to Germany until the problems are resolved.