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  #1  
Old 5th October 2013, 02:00 PM
Alastair Alastair is offline
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Default Customs and Excise... hit twice on two products with import duty

So I've been stung again for import duty. The first was a Linhof zoom viewfinder which I was charged £30 duty and a second import - my 8x10 film import (a single box of TMax 400) I've just found out I'll be paying duty on as well.

Neither items cost more than £150. The viewfinder was used and the box of film is several years old (but obviously not used!).

Very frustrating and I have one more item coming in.. if I get stung for duty on that then I guess I won't be looking at purchasing overseas in future.

I don't understand how this has occurred as I've bought products in the past - expensive cameras and lenses and never been subject to import duty. Am I just unlucky or has there been a tightening of the reigns at HM Customs and Excise?
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Old 5th October 2013, 02:49 PM
Eriktheviking Eriktheviking is offline
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I used to buy stuff from abroad especially USA but I found if it travelled with certain carriers duty was charged. In the end I found things were just as cheap at home so I stopped buying from outside Europe

Erik
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Old 5th October 2013, 02:58 PM
Collas Collas is offline
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The price of US postage has shot up to alarming levels as well, so buying from the EU is going to be quickest and easiest. European countries outside the EU will still be liable to VAT and "handling" charges.

Nick
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Old 5th October 2013, 03:04 PM
John King John King is offline
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Would it be possible to have the viewfinder valued in UK and if it is lees than you paid or less than the Customs think it is ask for a re-appraisal. In other words appeal - it may work.
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Old 5th October 2013, 03:08 PM
Alastair Alastair is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John King View Post
Would it be possible to have the viewfinder valued in UK and if it is lees than you paid or less than the Customs think it is ask for a re-appraisal. In other words appeal - it may work.
There's an idea.

I think I'm going to have to start buying locally but I do find there's certain things I'd like to purchase you simply can't find here in Europe. Mainly old darkroom equipment. I looked high and low for a unicolor drum and uniroller in the UK and Europe.. nowhere to be found.
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Old 5th October 2013, 05:00 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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It appears that Ian(Lostlabours) has in the past or may be still able in the present to import film more cheaply than purchase in the U.K. but if I recall correctly he now gets the items sent to a friend in the U.S. who posts to him. Presumably a parcel from one U.S. citizen to another U.K citizen does not attract attention in the same way U.S. citizens must send presents etc on a one to one basis to UK. friends/ relatives. A parcel from, say, B&H on the other hand is a give-away as to what is going on

This may be the only way to do it now and have a chance of escaping swingeing excise duty.

It could explain why Ilford is able to face with equanimity the odd re-import. It looks as if it would never work for a sufficient number of customers to make it a threat to Ilford.

Mike
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Old 5th October 2013, 05:30 PM
JOReynolds JOReynolds is offline
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I bought a nearly-new Gibson guitar in New Orleans in 2010 - a manager's red-ticket special - for US $500 plus sales tax. At Heathrow I picked up the red 'phone in the 'something to declare' channel. The officer answering told me that the declared value was below a threshold and no duty was payable. I don't recollect the threshold value, but there clearly is one, applicable to personal musical instrument imports, anyway.
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Old 5th October 2013, 06:13 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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The threshold value is quite low for photographic items bought by post. There's a different regime for items you bring back in your luggage when travelling outside the EU.

You take pot luck on postal items the customs & revenue have facilities near the airports, some seem to be more officious than others. But as Mike says commercial packaging is a give-away to them.

I'm due to place a large order for film & paper but much of it will be Foma and the US price from Freestyle is the same as the UK, I buy from a European source.

I'll get a family member to bring me LF Ilford film from B&H as it's half the UK price.

Ian
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Old 5th October 2013, 07:03 PM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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I've ALWAYS had to pay duty here in the Netherlands whether on books, lenses, enlarger parts ALL secondhand, you name it.

Since being stung several times, I will always try to avoid ordering outside of Europe.

The problem now seems to be that it often feels like price fixing as the only real discrepancy between the retailers is the cost of postage!
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Old 5th October 2013, 07:12 PM
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GrahamD GrahamD is offline
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I think they have tightened up recently - I bought 3 old Yashica filters from the USA via ebay - total for the items was £13 but when adding on postage came to approx £16.50 (so over the customs threshold of £15) - I got hit with duty AND an extortionate charge (something in the region of £10) from Royal Mail for a 'customs handling fee'...
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