Customs charges in the UK

[Pauljoecoe]

If relocating (back or 1st time) to the UK need to apply for ToR from HMRC to avoid any duties or taxes. If shipping stuff to UK over a certain limit it’s taxable - why else would you have duty free shops at airports?

They don't sell well worn 5 year old T shirts in Duty free.

[bak875]

I honestly think every parcel is x rayed by UK Customs and based on that duty / VAT is charged.

Cigarettes sent to me from the US when I was in the UK - Charged. I gotta proper demand note from HRM Customs.

I saw a documentary about Customs in NZ and it was pretty clear everything is x rayed to prevent drug smuggling

[jdf21st]

They don't sell well worn 5 year old T shirts in Duty free.

One would most sincerely hope such things aren’t taxed - but (very annoyingly for you) seems they do - and noted some items UK-bought (ie VAT included). Waste of everyone’s time & money...
Probs a technical issue of declaration.
Distinguish as HKD - HMRC sometimes assumes $ means USD even if from HK (as my godson’s Mum found when Pat delivered a birthday present a few years back...)
Our leaving shipment also included some items first “exported” to HK when we left Blighty 21 years earlier: declared it all in 8 page long schedule to get our ToR for all our stuff, with approx value (including our rescue dog (!), and again later when we decided to ship our car). We got our unique reference number back from HMRC in <2 weeks in height of last summers’ expat departure phase (and quicker for the car) against warnings of all shippers of the current backlog.
HMRC ranks above all creditors, not renown for compassion or sense of humour.
Hope you get a refund - good luck!

[Pauljoecoe]

I readily admit I was unaware of the forms that I should have filled in. What with all the other pressures of packing, moving, leaving I really didn't consider it.

What is odd is they only intercepted 1 of 5 boxes in the the shipment. It appears they have charged us 20% VAT on the value we put on the box. This was a rough guess value and tbh I thought it was for Post office insurance purposes.

The box they stopped and charged had very little of value in it. The ones that were delivered with no question were the ones more likely to have things which might be considered valuable/taxable. I think it was just a random selection and a random charge.

Anyway sent off all the forms and info now so here's hoping.

[jonastainine]

The Covid situation is keeping us here. Sometime next year we will give up residency here for the U.K. I have amassed a lot of expensive stuff here like cameras etc and wondering if I should sell them else need to pay some import tax.

[TheBrit]

The Covid situation is keeping us here. Sometime next year we will give up residency here for the U.K. I have amassed a lot of expensive stuff here like cameras etc and wondering if I should sell them else need to pay some import tax.

Second hand personal goods should not attract any import tax.

[kimwy66]

The Covid situation is keeping us here. Sometime next year we will give up residency here for the U.K. I have amassed a lot of expensive stuff here like cameras etc and wondering if I should sell them else need to pay some import tax.

Just don't send them through the post. Preferably for camera gear, take them with you on the plane, and do one shipment via sea. Lots of packages will end up with more issues than one shipment that is clearly used personal goods.