UK import duty

[colinlyne]

I have now taken the first step in having a hat made by art....can't wait. Can any UK Lounger (or other in the know!) tell me the cost of import duty on an Art Fawcett creation please?

 

[avedwards]

Not sure if Art Fawcett hats are different, but as far as I know there are no import duties on hats shipped to the UK. When I ordered my Stetson Chatham in December (it arrived in January) I didn't have to pay any customs. It clearly said on the box that it was a hat of $130 value.

 

[billyspew]

Not sure if Art Fawcett hats are different, but as far as I know there are no import duties on hats shipped to the UK. When I ordered my Stetson Chatham in December (it arrived in January) I didn't have to pay any customs. It clearly said on the box that it was a hat of $130 value.

I have paid duty on hats quite a few times, normally when they're over about a 40 buck price. When it has been over 100 bucks it's been import plus the parcel force handling.

 

[stephen1965]

You are liable for customs charges and import VAT but some parcels are passed over (I am not sure how many or what the percentage is).
As far as I can gather, from the US to UK, Customs duty is payable but it depends on the category of goods... clothing is 12 -17.5%
Import VAT of 15% is also payable (if the value of the goods is €22 (£18) and over).

Postal service or ParcelForce will also charge an extra a handling fee of around £14 for apparently paying this for you and sorting the paperwork. There are ways around this but they are long winded. Some people have gone so far as to challenge the legality of ParcelForce charging you to receive your own post(outside of customs charges).

These figures might not be totally accurate or might have changed but you can check them here:http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_ShowContent&id=HMCE_PROD_009989&propertyType=document

 

[Charlie Huang]

It is a lottery whether you pay custom charges. Once, I ordered a musical instrument sent through FedEx woth over $500USD (in 2003) and was not slapped with a charge.

My sister a year back ordered a bunch of CDs from Japan worth around £30 altogether. She was slapped with a £40 custom charge, most of which was composed of the 'handling fee!' She tried to protest of the fact that the fee was more than the value of the items plus p&p put together but FedEx said 'deal with it' and that was that... Madness really.

 

[galopede]

I've found that most things I buy from the States get charged all the fees they can think of. Things from Australia and New Zealand always sail through unchallenged - so far. As does stuff from Europe (EC does have the odd good use) Canada's ok and even China gets through. Not the good 'ole USA though.

The fees and assorted rip offs can be so high, I've just about stopped buying from the States!

Gareth