Robbing gits.

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

If those are too high then by all means

Quoted message said:

question them but if they are too low do you want to question them or be
just thankful you got off lightly?

I'll never know until it is too late!

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 16:47:04 +0000, Tony Raven <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

If not you may be able to get the wheels through as
bicycle components which attract a lower duty rate

Do they? The EU site showed from the US all of the bicycle bits and
complete bikes at 15%, do you know the EU codes?

Jim.

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Simon Mason said:

I am *not* moaning about having to pay tax - I merely want to see the
figures behind what I am being asked to pay.

So what did you pay including shipping? You can estimate it yourself very
easily from there to see if its too high, right or too low. Just take
what you paid and multiply by 34%.

I paid £831 incl shipping which is 282 quid. So by your reckoning I've not
been charged enough - I'd better pay up then before they change their mind?

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason said:

Bought this bike off ebay from a seller in the USA who shipped it in
two bits.

http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/ebay1.htm

One package had the wheels and the other the rest of the bike.
Customs are charging me 77 quid to release the wheels and another 144
quid for the bike. Do they just dream up these figures or something?
Sheesh!

Yep. A set of poker chips from the states, import duty 2/3 of the
price. Pointing out I could buy them in England for less than the all
up cost brought no avail. They are [censored], all of them.

Quoted message said:

On a lighter note the insurance has just delivered a new Trek 1400
with 10 speed 105 groupset. Complete with bell and wheel reflectors.
Plus a white reflector taking up space on the bars and a rear
reflector just where the saddle bag would go. Needless to say they
have all been surgically removed.

Tony Raven said:

Simon Mason said:

What did I get for my money when I paid "stamp duty" on my house?
Nothing! Not even a bit of paper to say that I had paid it. It's just
another way of stealing more of your money off you.

You are starting to sound like a motorist complaining about VED and fuel
duty. Yes its tax and its not hypothecated so it goes into the general
pot that pays for all the things we expect like a health service and
education and transport and defence and....... Everyone happily elected
the current government three times on a manifesto of spending more on
such things and the money to pay for it has to be collected from us in
one way or another.

Do an Angela, cut politicians salaries! How many people are employed by
the civil service these days?

"Jim Ley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 15:57:00 -0000, "Simon Mason"

Quoted message said:

so 320*0.15 (for the Duty 15% from the US)
and 320*0.175 (for the VAT)
comes to over 100quid, so 77 suggests they are taking into account the
fact it's not new.

What did the sender say on their custom declaration the value was, are
HMCE arguing this?.

Doesn't matter now - I'm going to the depot in York on Monday to collect it.
Thanks for yours+Tony's help and advice. Once summer comes it will be a
distant memory :-)

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Jim Ley said:

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 16:47:04 +0000, Tony Raven <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

If not you may be able to get the wheels through as
bicycle components which attract a lower duty rate

Do they? The EU site showed from the US all of the bicycle bits and
complete bikes at 15%, do you know the EU codes?

Bicycles come under 8712003000 and have a 15% duty rate, Frames and
forks individually under 8714911019 at 4.7%, Wheels, rims and spokes
under 8714921000 at 4.7%. It is up to customs to judge whether you are
importing a bike or components and if it is frame, forks, gears and
everything but the wheels I would expect them to assess it as a bicycle,
not its parts.

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

davek said:

Simon Mason said:

What did I get for my money when I paid "stamp duty" on my house?

Schools, hospitals, roads, etc.

d.

....and an extra 800,000 civil servants to administer an increasingly
complicated tax and benefit system.

....and a whole load of benefits that encourage idleness.

Tosspot said:

Yep. A set of poker chips from the states, import duty 2/3 of the
price. Pointing out I could buy them in England for less than the all
up cost brought no avail. They are [censored], all of them.

Were you not aware you pay duty and VAT when you import goods? Are they
[censored] because you didn't work it out before you placed your order and
got it wrong? Or are they [censored] because you thought you would get
away with it and you didn't?

Under this Government it is clear that HMRC have been told to collect
every penny of tax they can to pay for Gordon's spending sprees so I
would not be surprised if they had turned their attention to import
duties on internet ordered goods.

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Quoted message said:

I paid £831 incl shipping which is 282 quid. So by your reckoning I've not
been charged enough - I'd better pay up then before they change their
mind?

No, I'd quit whingeing incase someone dobs on you and you're asked for the
difference ;-)

If, including taxes, you have got the gear for less than you'd have had to
pay here, I'd quit beefing and celebrate being one up on customs and excise.

Paying import duties is a bit of a lottery sometimes escape totally and
sometimes save a little bit as you have just done.

The sum demanded shouldn't have been a surprise apart from it being less
than it ought to be.

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Under this Government it is clear that HMRC have been told to collect
every penny of tax they can to pay for Gordon's spending sprees so I would
not be surprised if they had turned their attention to import duties on
internet ordered goods.

If you import lots of DVDs and CDs from the USA one by one they are not of
sufficient value to attract the C+E people, whereas if they were all bundled
together they would do, so maybe they are not squeezing every last penny out
of you after all.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason said:

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Under this Government it is clear that HMRC have been told to collect
every penny of tax they can to pay for Gordon's spending sprees so I would
not be surprised if they had turned their attention to import duties on
internet ordered goods.

If you import lots of DVDs and CDs from the USA one by one they are not of
sufficient value to attract the C+E people, whereas if they were all bundled
together they would do, so maybe they are not squeezing every last penny out
of you after all.

Well they have been very clear that they will not collect VAT and DUTY
if the VAT and DUTY due is less than 7quid, that's why the how it's
packaged matters.

Jim.

"vernon levy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I paid £831 incl shipping which is 282 quid. So by your reckoning I've
not
been charged enough - I'd better pay up then before they change their
mind?

No, I'd quit whingeing incase someone dobs on you and you're asked for the
difference ;-)

I'll be at the depot in York at 0830 on Monday before Customs has had a
chance to reassess things after what I've found out here ;-)

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason said:

I'll be at the depot in York at 0830 on Monday before Customs has had a
chance to reassess things after what I've found out here ;-)

<paranoia>

Don't appear too enthusiatic or they might get suspicious and reassess
things ;-)

</paranoia>

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Tony Raven said:

Tosspot said:

Yep. A set of poker chips from the states, import duty 2/3 of the
price. Pointing out I could buy them in England for less than the all
up cost brought no avail. They are [censored], all of them.

Were you not aware you pay duty and VAT when you import goods? Are they
[censored] because you didn't work it out before you placed your order and
got it wrong? Or are they [censored] because you thought you would get
away with it and you didn't?

It was the amount. When I said that's plain ridiculous they said tough,
that's the price. I did query the amount, and they admitted there was
no standard and this was their 'assessment'. Me pointing at adverts for
the chips *in England* that were substantially less had no avail. If I
knew it was that much I'd have saved time, bother and money by sourcing
them locally. Same chips btw.

Quoted message said:

Under this Government it is clear that HMRC have been told to collect
every penny of tax they can to pay for Gordon's spending sprees so I
would not be surprised if they had turned their attention to import
duties on internet ordered goods.

'Tis true.

Simon Mason said:

What did I get for my money when I paid "stamp duty" on my house? Nothing!

.... at a rate which is a tiny fraction of either income tax or VAT.

Since property ownership is the #1 indicator of wealth in this country
- way ahead of earned income - how is it fair that you pay so little?

--
not me guv

"Tosspot" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tony Raven said:

Tosspot said:

Yep. A set of poker chips from the states, import duty 2/3 of the
price. Pointing out I could buy them in England for less than the all
up cost brought no avail. They are [censored], all of them.

Were you not aware you pay duty and VAT when you import goods? Are they
[censored] because you didn't work it out before you placed your order and
got it wrong? Or are they [censored] because you thought you would get
away with it and you didn't?

It was the amount. When I said that's plain ridiculous they said tough,
that's the price. I did query the amount, and they admitted there was
no standard and this was their 'assessment'. Me pointing at adverts for
the chips *in England* that were substantially less had no avail. If I
knew it was that much I'd have saved time, bother and money by sourcing
them locally. Same chips btw.

Quoted message said:

Under this Government it is clear that HMRC have been told to collect
every penny of tax they can to pay for Gordon's spending sprees so I
would not be surprised if they had turned their attention to import
duties on internet ordered goods.

'Tis true.

Enough already!

Collect your bike/bike parts - put the wheels in and go and ride the damned
thing. You'll soon feel better.

I'm going out on mine now. (Bought in the UK so, yes I did pay taxes on it -
I just don't think about it).

Derek.

Tosspot said:

It was the amount. When I said that's plain ridiculous they said
tough, that's the price. I did query the amount, and they admitted
there was no standard and this was their 'assessment'. Me pointing
at adverts for the chips *in England* that were substantially less
had no avail. If I knew it was that much I'd have saved time, bother
and money by sourcing them locally. Same chips btw.

How it should work - and you can challenge it if it didn't - is you show
them evidence of the price you paid. It doesn't matter what the UK
price is, its the price you paid that counts including shipping. There
is then a massive volume of duty rates for every single type of product
(Google for the TARIC database) which they should look up your product
for the correct duty rate. They then apply that to the price you paid
inc shipping and then they apply VAT at 17.5% if they are VATable goods.

The only time this should be circumvented is either a) they have reason
to believe the invoice price was false in which case it is up to you to
provide further convincing proof absent which they will use their
judgement or b) you have tried to smuggle them and got caught in which
case they can apply penal rates of their own choice.

This is on the website of Casino-shop.co.uk

Quoted message said:

# US Price Comparison – Some people here in the UK seem to think that
prices seen on similar sites in America are cheaper than ours.
Unfortunately you could be in for quiet a shock if you do not fully
understand how importing goods from another country works. Here is a
quick review for you to consider:- # If your order includes gaming
chips customs and exercise will probably classify them as plastic and
apply an import duty of 6% (this is in no way reclaimable). # As well
as this import duty VAT will be applied at 17.5% (or your local
European rate) - ONLY businesses registered for VAT can reclaim this
charge. # Airmail services are restricted to 2kg so you will probably
need a courier service. Prices start from 40 pounds and quickly
increase according to weight or volume

So if they charged you 50% duty and 17.5% VAT then you have a case
(unless it was the duty and VAT on the shipping charge that bumped it up)

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Tony Raven said:

Tosspot said:

It was the amount. When I said that's plain ridiculous they said
tough, that's the price. I did query the amount, and they admitted
there was no standard and this was their 'assessment'. Me
pointing at adverts for the chips *in England* that were
substantially less had no avail. If I knew it was that much I'd
have saved time, bother and money by sourcing them locally. Same
chips btw.

How it should work - and you can challenge it if it didn't - is you
show them evidence of the price you paid. It doesn't matter what the
UK price is, its the price you paid that counts including shipping.
There is then a massive volume of duty rates for every single type of
product (Google for the TARIC database) which they should look up
your product for the correct duty rate. They then apply that to the
price you paid inc shipping and then they apply VAT at 17.5% if they
are VATable goods.

The only time this should be circumvented is either a) they have
reason to believe the invoice price was false in which case it is up
to you to provide further convincing proof absent which they will use
their judgement or b) you have tried to smuggle them and got caught
in which case they can apply penal rates of their own choice.

Well I didn't declare them, I just ordered tham and assumed C&E would do
the rest. Which they did. I was just shocked at the amount and the
fact there was no appeal. Anyway, long time ago now, but its put me off
ordering foreign goods where I can avoid it.

Quoted message said:

This is on the website of Casino-shop.co.uk

Quoted message said:

# US Price Comparison – Some people here in the UK seem to think
that prices seen on similar sites in America are cheaper than ours.
Unfortunately you could be in for quiet a shock if you do not
fully understand how importing goods from another country works.
Here is a quick review for you to consider:- # If your order
includes gaming chips customs and exercise will probably classify
them as plastic and apply an import duty of 6% (this is in no way
reclaimable). # As well as this import duty VAT will be applied at
17.5% (or your local European rate) - ONLY businesses registered
for VAT can reclaim this charge. # Airmail services are restricted
to 2kg so you will probably need a courier service. Prices start
from 40 pounds and quickly increase according to weight or volume

So if they charged you 50% duty and 17.5% VAT then you have a case
(unless it was the duty and VAT on the shipping charge that bumped it
up)

Dunno, they wouldn't budge so I coughed, but anyone else that asks me I
say don't order them from the States. Anyway, enough, this isn't bike
related and I was happy at the import price for my Schlumpf SpeedDrive
so sometimes it seems to work ok.

Tosspot said:

Anyway, enough, this isn't bike
related and I was happy at the import price for my Schlumpf SpeedDrive
so sometimes it seems to work ok.

It is relevant in that frequently there is discussion about ordering
bikes from the US "because they are much cheaper" and this just serves
to illustrate that, depending on the luck of the draw, it can be much
more expensive plus you have no warranty support.

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham