RADBMX.CO.UK
Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: stfc on March 05, 2009, 02:51 PM
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just a heads up here really, i have been taken by the customs again on parts coming from America, it seems to make no odds now whether the customs declaration is marked"gift" on your consignment,Today i had an invoice hit the doormat to go and collect my mongoose decals etc from the royal mail with a bill for nearly 20 quid to pay to the customs/royal mail, they seem to have really clamped down on anything coming from the states, basically anything over 30 quid in value gets stung VAT and the royal mail handling charge.... Nice earner eh... :Great_Britain:
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B Stards!
Once i imported a Apple Macbook worth £400 i got the company to pu it was worth £20 lol pure brilliance!
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B Stards!
Once i imported a Apple Macbook worth £400 i got the company to pu it was worth £20 lol pure brilliance!
on who,s part,, if it gets lost you can claim 20 quid not so brilliant, its a bloody lottery with royal mail half the time they lose what youve sent or are waiting on...
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They look less at commercial address senders for some reason, I had several frames sent from the US by a mate with a company in NJ, never got any tax or duty......the minute its between residential addresses they jump on it......EBAY for ya ;)
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nowt to do with ebay, bmxproducts, grips and several decals ended up being the best part of a ton!
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They look less at commercial address senders for some reason, I had several frames sent from the US by a mate with a company in NJ, never got any tax or duty......the minute its between residential addresses they jump on it......EBAY for ya ;)
Where you been? :)
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I'be brought in a few frames and bits from the states and only ever paid once. Last week I landed a $300 plus frame with no Duty or Vat. I asked the guy sending to mark as "used childrens bicycle parts" as suggested by someone here I think.
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you were lucky, i paid on a frame a few months back , will have to try that next time, on the declaration from customs it states any item over 36 pounds declared as a gift, maybe its a new clamp down, robbing muggy c**ts
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they're trying to make up for the 2.5% VAT reduction.... :2funny:
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you are fooking right, theyve fooked the country up now lets fook everyone in it.. :rant:
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you were lucky, i paid on a frame a few months back , will have to try that next time, on the declaration from customs it states any item over 36 pounds declared as a gift, maybe its a new clamp down, robbing noo-noos
Never use the gift option unless it really is and it's below 36 quid, always have them put "used childrens bicycle parts" as you are less likely to get hit and if they inspect and find it is really "used childrens bicycle parts" they'll (Customs that is) most likely let it go :daumenhoch:.
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As of 1st jan 2009 the allowance for private imports was increased to £120 CIF. Gift allowance is £36 so getting sender to state gift on customs declaration is a bad move. So any order for less than £120 is not liable to import duty only VAT if the order is over £18. You can claim money back from HMRC if you have been wrongly charged for a personal import(not gift). Contact them on 0845010900 option 2 and they will advise how to get your money back. it seems a lot of the over charging is down to the couriers and clearing agents not applying the new allowances. Hope this makes sense it all very complicated. bloke i work with got his money back when wrongly charged duty on some boots he got off the net
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FYI the service I request is 'USPS Global Priority' - the one time I got charged was when the frame came in with FedEx. Perhaps using US Postal Service is one of the tricks.
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I'd been lucky until this year, bought a new Kashi for £72 from Japan and got stung for £26. Could have had a NOS one for that!
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If you guys need anything brought back me and the Mrs go home to Scotland from Dallas every 6 weeks
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If you guys need anything brought back me and the Mrs go home to Scotland from Dallas every 6 weeks
mate that is very kind, i have 16 frame sets 8 pairs of wheels, grips and bars to come over, can you get them in your hand luggage ?...
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Had to order a set of coaster Skyways from colored tuffs in the US as no one here will get them.
first off, they cost £130 with shipping! (I bought a set here brand new last october and they cost me £110 inc)
this morning I got the dreaded parcel force letter! they want another £30 AND, I've got to go and pick them up!
This has happened to me 20 times before with musical equipment and it always give me the hump >:(
how can it be fair that they take it upon themselves to pay the vat and take my goods out of customs, then make up a figure to charge me?
I've done the maths on all previous packages and there does not seem to be rhyme or reason to it.
Fu*k parcel force, and the horse they rode in on :rant:
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Why do you have to pick them up!!
When you pay online they let you choose the delivery date! ???
If the post office have them then you have to pick them up but I never have to with ParcelForce!!
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you're right, but I'm sure you will understand that I couldn't wait :D
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i does depend on who you buy from over there and if both you and the seller are willing to mark the item as a gift, this way it normally gets through customs with no charge.....but if it goes missing will only be insured for about £30 (i think)
i bought a new set of Tuffs from Rinnys and never got charged as she marked em as a gift.
i've also bought quite a few smaller items from US ebay and never been charged either.........i would think frames are a diferent matter though.
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nah the "gift" thing is out the window now they are checking everything by the looks , had some bits turn up from Ray aka Worldwide and that had been opened by customs and checked luckily it was under the 36 quid value, i have a mongoose stem enroute , and i have asked the guy to put "childs second hand bike parts" as suggested , will see what happens :coolsmiley:
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can they legaly open things? surely they have xray machines for checking the contents?
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yes they can apparently they can do what the fook they want >:(
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just had the parcel force letter this mornin for a set of forks they are marked 'childs used cycle parts' i paid $30 and i've been stung with £8 vat and £8 parcel force fee :tickedoff: :tickedoff: :tickedoff:
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that doesnt add up i had a mongoose gold stem arrive today marked as ""childs second hand bike part ""it had been opened and checked and they charged me nothing at all this time, it makes up a tad for the fooking expensive decals...
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If you guys need anything brought back me and the Mrs go home to Scotland from Dallas every 6 weeks
mate that is very kind, i have 16 frame sets 8 pairs of wheels, grips and bars to come over, can you get them in your hand luggage ?...
No but I have crate heading over on the 5th May half full
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ive been really lucky,ive had a set of bars at £40 and decals at £30 both slip under the radar!!
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just got the forks i was talkin about , i paid $30 for them and the kid i got them from has put $60 on the package for some reason :tickedoff:
i've phoned customs and they said anything over the value of £18 gets a vat charge and if you get vat charged you get the mandatory £8 parcel force charge :tickedoff:
so my forks cost £21.50 and i've had to pay another £16.82 , f'ck you gordon brown
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been hit a few times recently, although my Hutch pedals got through & they were marked at $145 and marked as 'other' ?
had stuff marked lower and as a gift and got stung
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been hit a few times recently, although my Hutch pedals got through & they were marked at $145 and marked as 'other' ?
had stuff marked lower and as a gift and got stung
that's because the allowance for a gift is £36 but for a personal import it's £120
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I'm just about to order a frame from the USA - about $100 or so - if I get collared, how much I'm I likely to have to pay??
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I'm just about to order a frame from the USA - about $100 or so - if I get collared, how much I'm I likely to have to pay??
15% vat on your $100 and an £8 handeling charge from parcelforce if you pay online they will deliver next day for no extra charge or if your close to depot you can collect and pay cash
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I'm just about to order a frame from the USA - about $100 or so - if I get collared, how much I'm I likely to have to pay??
I don't think you should get charged if it's a personal import cos that is up £120(that includes shipping and insurance)
But if you do get charged ie total cost more than £120 or £36 if marked as gift it would be 14% duty 15% VAT + couriers handling charge usally about £10 hope that makes sense?
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It's bad enough getting stung but it seems some of us alately are getting stung for larger amounts just because customs know they can get away with it. It seems if you know how to work it out and you have been charged too much you can get it back. It looks like mr nice has looked into it a bit.
Maybe a stickie of the charges and reasons/weights for them could be made. Then the number to ring. It would make it a lot easier for us to work it out and be sure before we wasted more money getting through to the right department just to fooked off before the end of the call.
A sort of numpty's guide for guys like myself that haven't a clue why and what :idiot2: :) Just a thought cause it looks like it could be useful instead of just bitchin all the time when we get stung.
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I'm just about to order a frame from the USA - about $100 or so - if I get collared, how much I'm I likely to have to pay??
I don't think you should get charged if it's a personal import cos that is up £120(that includes shipping and insurance)
But if you do get charged ie total cost more than £120 or £36 if marked as gift it would be 14% duty 15% VAT + couriers handling charge usally about £10 hope that makes sense?
they are certainly checking and opening all largish consignments, i have been stung on a frame and fork set a few weeks ago, you will be charged 8 pounds by the courier this is as stated by the customs office plus VAT@ 15 %, you will not get charged 14% duty!, you may be lucky and get away with it but i very much doubt it.....
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hey swindon , just got me motomag frame from the states today no vat or charge :D it had gift marked think i was just lucky but makes me feel better about my forks charge , got some Z rims comin this week also marked as gift will keep you informed :daumenhoch:
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they obviously felt sorry for you ::) :2funny:
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:knuppel2:
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I asked the guy sending to mark as "used childrens bicycle parts" as suggested by someone here I think
Yep, that was my little stroke of scheme-ous genius a while ago. Worked everytime for me except for when some cnut added up the value of all the items I bought off him instead of listing them individually like I told him to, then he put "goods" on the ticket, hey presto, I was dry-bummed by customs the cheeky feckers. :shocked:
Surely with the pound being so weak against the dollar it's not worth taking the risk anymore as stuff works out way more expensive if you get caught? I've left US eBay alone for a while now. :'(
Spen
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I'be brought in a few frames and bits from the states and only ever paid once. Last week I landed a $300 plus frame with no Duty or Vat. I asked the guy sending to mark as "used childrens bicycle parts" as suggested by someone here I think.
doesent always work though :2gunsfiring_v1: Had a pair of babyblue skyways sent from Colored Tuffs maked as "childrens bike wheels" still gor flagged and i was left shelling out another £45. the fookers