Tax & Declaring - HELP ASAP!!!

[neilll]

Got this frame coming in from Switzerland.....how much should I get the seller to declare on customs paperwork?
Does it matter how much?
Any guesses at what I might get charged?

 

[Hilts]

Rather pot luck in my experience. generally expect to pay anywhere from £20 to £50 judging from past threads of this nature..

If it's a 2nd hand frame make sure he puts that it's a gift or alternatibvely a 'repair' as that will get you around the VAT issue (even better.)

 

[Augustus]

Inland Rev told me that over £36.00, the gift declaration is irrelevant anyway. It's only up to that value it's free.

Basically...

Importing from outside the EU (Definately the USA anyway) goes as follows...

Cost of bike + shipping + insurance on shipping is duty taxed at 14%. Then that new total is taxed at 17.5% for VAT (even if the said bike is 2nd hand).

Got stung like this before, it's hard - nigh impossible to avoid if posting.



:roll:

 

[neilll]

This is EU (sorry, forgot to mention that)....so shall I ask seller to mark it up as 'repair/warranty' and hope for the best?....or???

 

[SLIM]

basicaly it all depends on whether they pick on the container , that the parcel is in

they pick one out at random , open everything in it and then charge you for it

so total pot luck really

just recieved frame fron US , no charge , recieved a headset last year that cost £10 and got charged £8

 

[orange71]

Switzerland isn't EU is it? Or is it for the purposes of this?

 

[neilll]

Nope...Switzerland isn't EU apparently....

 

[cchris2lou]

Switzerland is not in the EU , but it is in europe , and you should not pay any taxes on that .

I have never paid anything from continental europe .

 

[cce]

commercial sample? thats how my skewers got in from the US

 

[Archangel]

Switzerland is not in the EU , but it is in europe , and you should not pay any taxes on that .

I have never paid anything from continental europe .

NOOOO!! You have to pay taxes if item comes outside of European Union to a country within. Since Switzerland is not part of the EU, you have to pay customs fees & taxes.

To get around this is: ask the seller mark the package type as GIFT, contents whatever like "vintage bicycle frame" and value like £30. Of course if it is a brand new Colnago or something like that and the customs officers open the box, they might not believe you and you'll have to show the original receipt...