Customs into the UK/Scotland

[leasj1]

Hello,

As a few are aware i have just bought a Emerald cut ring from GOG and was wondering how do Customs get a hold of me when my ring enters Scotland. Do i get a call on the phone or does someone personally come round to my house?

I know i have to pay import tax and VAT on the ring im just unsure how i go about doing this?

Also can i claim the tax back?

Regrards,

John

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 6/30/2008 6:25:40 AM
Author:leasj1
Hello,

As a few are aware i have just bought a Emerald cut ring from GOG and was wondering how do Customs get a hold of me when my ring enters Scotland. Do i get a call on the phone or does someone personally come round to my house?

I know i have to pay import tax and VAT on the ring im just unsure how i go about doing this?

Also can i claim the tax back?

Regrards,

John

The last couple of things I imported, either I got a card through the door to say charges were due and a number to call. You call, pay, and then they deliver. Or, they delivered the box and I got a bill in the post a few days later.

Expect to pay around 20% of the total price you paid for the item. 17.5% VAT and about 2-3% duty.

No you can''t claim the tax back.

 

[Indira-London]

There is little to add to Pandora''s good reply.

Re. process: sometimes the payment will be collected on delivery by the third party courier (e.g. Fedex) who will take payment when they drop off.

Re. the extra charges: if you had bought in the UK you would have to pay 17.5% VAT: the extra that you are paying is the 2-3% import charge.

 

[Splinter]

Pretty much summed up in the previous responses. All I can add is that when my girlfriend''s White Flash ring was sent to London using FedEx, they called me when the ring arrived at the airport to arrange payment before sending the ring out for delivery. I paid with a debit card over the phone.

 

[Maisie]

The first time I bought from the US I had to pay FedEx the VAT and duty before they would deliver the package.

All times after that I have received the package and was invoiced later for the charges.

 

[leasj1]

Ok thanks for that, So i guess ill just have to wait and see what happens then with the customs. Whether or not i get a card, call or invoced.

Would be nice if they just forgot...hmmm doubt it though. ha.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 6/30/2008 11:58:42 AM
Author: leasj1
Ok thanks for that, So i guess ill just have to wait and see what happens then with the customs. Whether or not i get a card, call or invoced.

Would be nice if they just forgot...hmmm doubt it though. ha.

Sometimes happens...

Not with Fedex though....

 

[CatherineMcGr]

When we got my ring from Whteflash two years ago we tracked the package on the Fedex website until it reached England. (We''re in Northern Ireland). It didn''t move for two days so we rang Fedex to ask what was happening. They said, "We''re waiting for you to pay Customs duties on it." We paid there and then by credit card and the ring arrived with us the next day. The thing is, we didn''t know that we were supposed to contact them, nor did we know exactly how or when the taxes were to be paid and nobody informed us. Just something to be aware of in case your parcel is similarly delayed.

 

[leasj1]

Thanks all for your replies.

Just one more thing... They wont open the box? will they?

 

[CatherineMcGr]

No, they shouldn''t open it. In our case my husband worked from home the day we knew it was to be delivered. We had heard of rare cases where someone opened the parcel to discover the jewellery missing and because my husband was at home alone, and therefore without witnesses, and also because we still couldn''t quite believe that we''d been mad/brave enough to buy a diamond ring over the internet, he asked the delivery driver to wait (and watch) while he opened it. And there it was - just beautiful. I hope yours will be just as good an experience as ours.

 

[Splinter]

Customs do have the power to open packages entering the country if there is a problem with the paperwork or similar reason. Usually this relates to packages coming in via Royal Mail, but I imagine it extends to FedEx and other courier services. This is pretty rare though. There will always be paperwork attached if your package has been opened for inspection.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 6/30/2008 5:32:59 PM
Author: giotto
When we got my ring from Whteflash two years ago we tracked the package on the Fedex website until it reached England. (We''re in Northern Ireland). It didn''t move for two days so we rang Fedex to ask what was happening. They said, ''We''re waiting for you to pay Customs duties on it.'' We paid there and then by credit card and the ring arrived with us the next day. The thing is, we didn''t know that we were supposed to contact them, nor did we know exactly how or when the taxes were to be paid and nobody informed us. Just something to be aware of in case your parcel is similarly delayed.

Thanks for that. I''d been tracking my wedding band and when it still said it was stuck at Stansted yesterday I called them up and paid the charges - they ''forgot'' to tell me it was there!

 

[Lord Summerisle]

yip - to echo other comments...

mine was shipped by US parcel service, and transfered to Royal Mail, Parcel Farce once into the UK.

according to the tracking it was in customs for a couple of days - i called royal mail who said they where waiting for me to pay the charges, which i did over the phone by plastic.
when i got home that night there was a card to say please call us.

the next time i purchased - the courir was FedEx, they called me as soon as the tracking showed it was in customs.
its been the same for friends who''ve bought from the US - some have had to call to chase up, others get a note to say please call.

so best thing is - just follow the tracking, and call once its shown processed through customs.


Yes - it is a possiblitity that customs my open the package - but it will be taped back up and sealed. but otherwise in most cases they go off the paperwork completed by the sender

 

[leasj1]

Thanks ill keep those things in mind. Itll not be for another week or so but i just wanted a heads up. But ill keep an eye on it and phone them in to be sure.