Extortionary customs duties

[KillerOnion]

I just got a notice in my mail today from the postal service saying that I owed them some shipping charges on my Cocker being sent from home. Looking down the bill I saw an expected £15.00 excise duty, then a F%^&$ing £104.73 VAT charge assessed on it...... WHAT THE FLAMING HELL IS UP WITH THAT?!?!? The whole fuggin shipping cost for the postal service itself was only £30, but they had the nerve to tag my stuff over 300% of that,which was merely being sent from home and in no way involved any sale of any kind. The only shred of basis for any valuation of my Cocker, nitro, pack, revo, and such that was in there is because it was insured, as simple prudence demands for any shipping, especially overseas. What lies in what I get in the mail is or should be none of their damn business unless I bought or sold it, neither of which is the case.

Charging me $150+ for my own damn stuff sent by my mom from home.

This is absurd to say the least. Have any of you ever run into this kind of bull****? Yes, it's being sent from my home in the US to where I'm studying in the UK, not from EU country to EU country. But surely it'd require a cold day in hell before that should stand up in court. This is purely bludgeoning someone for money upon a whim.

 

[Steve (NPG COWS)]

ah, the joys of UK Value Added Tax.....

 

[Wookie]

Pisser...

There has to be a way of claimng al that back.

I think the best way is to call Customs & Excise and have a "quiet chat" with them about what they really need to charge duty on. If you talk to them they are not that bad. They even let me get away with paying 2 grands worth of VAT a few days late once.

Then you just need to follow it all up with the Post Office and get them to release it without charge.

It seems a lot to go through, but if you have owned it before and they are charging you for "importing" it, then you _need_ to get that money back.

Do it. You need to for both your sanity and your wallet.

Wookie

 

[Buddha 3]

I spoke to a relative of mine, who used to be the big cahoona (is that even a word) in the dutch customs, and he says they're (and I quote) f*$%ing mental. If the stuff is yours, there's no way in hell you have to pay for either VAT or import duties. So it's whoop ass time for you I guess...........(even though your problem ain't dutch, the same laws still apply, since the UK signed the so called Schengen treaty, ask someone who knows...)

anyway, good luck mate. let us know how it went.

 

[KillerOnion]

Well, after day 1 of trying to get ahold of the *******s, the phone number I was given was busy for literally the whole damn day as I tried to call them. Hrm...gee...I wonder why. Yeah, I think there's no way in hell this **** could be in any way legally upheld. They probably know that too, which is why they keep their phones busy so no one can call and complain to get the f&*$ing charges revoked. The postal service here is powerless they said to just ignore it; Customs themselves has to revoke it. So till I can get them by the collar my paintgun, tank, hopper, pack, and all sit in the post office until either I give in to this blatant extortion or argue my way out of it.

 

[KillerOnion]

Oh, and yes it is a Hawaiian word, but spelled kahuna. I think it means wave or chief or something like that.

 

[KillerOnion]

Hey Robbo

Any words of wisdom on this matter, O Great Robbo? Have you or anyone you know run into similar crap as this? Surely we as the paintball community can stand up to blatant bullying such as what I have encountered.

Thanks!

 

[Dan 2]

As I understand it, the way the law works is that they 'can' charge you (coming from non EU country) both import duty and VAT for any items you being into the country. Now most of the time they don't bother with a lot of items except for those that are fairly new and/or expensive, but they are legaly supposed to... It has nothing to do with if you are buying/ selling or not... My guess is that as it was insured, some zealous customs guy decided to charge you for it (which they are legaly allowed to do), they tend to do it on insured packages. Not a lot you can do about that except pay it.

If however you are only in Britain on a temporary basis then you should be able to reclaim the money when you leave the country. There is a standard form that you need to fill in on departure along with your proof of payment of the VAT... Or you could obtain a temporary import license (thoreticaly possible but VERY VERY hard to obtain).

Oh and the reason I know this? I'm from Jersey British Channel Islands which is also technicaly non EU I have been through this before... On an up note you can technicaly get back ALL the VAT for all the items you have purchased in this country in the same way... So SAVE THOSE RECEITS! You may be suprised how much money you can get back on your way home...

 

[KillerOnion]

Hrm...so you're saying that I could possibly recover this VAT as well, sorta like a deposit? I'll at least try that on my way out if I don't get this damn tax repealed up front. I'm going to at least talk to them about it first. Surely no conscionable person would actually slap someone this hard knowingly.

If not, those responsible will be fed to alligators.

 

[Bully]

The UK Customs and Excise

Killer Onion,

I think we met in Tolouse!!!

If we did then you know who I am, the guy who was working for Powerball.

Contact me and I will be able to offer you some advise on the subject of UK Customs and Excise

steve@ukpsf.com and e mail me your phone number

Bully