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General Philatelic/Gen. Discussion : Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

 

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Guthrum
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12 Apr 2018
02:06:19pm
Apologies if this matter has been discussed elsewhere, but it has affected me only today, despite having bought from several non-EU dealers in the past without trouble.

So, today on a not-especially-expensive ($26) purchase from Colorado, USA, I was mulcted a further £10 ($14) as a "Customs Fee". My question is whether all future purchases from outside the EU are going to attract this extra charge (which is frankly too much), or whether for some reason this particular one has attracted the attention of HM Customs.

Any thoughts? This seems to be a EU matter, so can it be that post-Brexit I will either (a) be charged a fee for every overseas purchase, or (b) be charged no fees at all?

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Webpaper

In loving memory of Carol, my wife for 52 years.

12 Apr 2018
02:46:43pm

Auctions - Approvals
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Since the customs fees are being charged by the UK I think you would be best served by asking your Customs Office directly. The only thing that has changed here in the US is the cost of International shipping ($10 plus for ANY merchandise to ship overseas) and that was, as I understand it, mandated by the UPU due to complaints from other countries that the US was not contributing enough money to move parcels at the destination country.

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Guthrum
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12 Apr 2018
03:45:03pm
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Thanks, Webpaper.

The bulk of my extra charge is a ridiculous Royal Mail "handling fee", which may not have been applicable had the dealer stated that the package was a "gift". Nevertheless, it's not clear whether all mail from outside the EU is going to warrant this fee, or whether "Border Force" (the tough, masculine, don't-mess-with-us name for UK Customs) just picks on random letters. We shall see soon, as I have a couple more orders coming in from the USA.

There are lots of dealers in the USA, and also in Europe. There appear to be virtually no dealers in the UK. Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just my area of collecting?

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Brechinite

12 Apr 2018
03:48:28pm
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Guthrum:-

What size was the package? Was it a Letter or a Large Letter?

Had the shipper put on a customs label with the contents and value listed.

It has been known that a package without a customs label has been inspected, found to contain "goods" and an "Administration Fee" been asked for from the recipient.




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nigelc
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12 Apr 2018
03:49:32pm
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Hi Guthrum,

From my experience, I'm guessing the majority of your fee was a Post Office handling fee of some kind.

I had a similar example a couple of years ago.

Edit: I see from your latest post that this was the case!


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In loving memory of Carol, my wife for 52 years.

12 Apr 2018
03:57:51pm

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re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Brechinite

International shipping is a brave new world. Customs labels can no longer be applied to letter or large letters in the US - only to parcels. Letters and large letters can now only include documents. As Dylan said back in the 60's, "The Times They Are A Changin'".

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Stampme

12 Apr 2018
04:36:33pm
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

While it is helpful for the recipient if the sender marks purchased items as gift on the customs form, it is against the law for the sender to mark as such. Whether or not a sender wants to run that particular gauntlet and violate the law would be up to that sender I suppose. I do not think that the government officials would accept an excuse: But the recipient (who paid me) asked me to mark the customs form as gift for the contents.

From my own experience attaching customs forms to packages that make their way to the UK, going back years, some people get dinged and some do not. So, it appears to me that the imposition of extra fees are not consistent so, not fair. But that would be a matter to discuss with UK Customs.

Bruce

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Brechinite

12 Apr 2018
07:10:27pm
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Webpaper,

I was using the terms Letter & Large Letter as in The Royal Mails descriptions as Guthrum would be able to relate to these terms better as he is a citizen of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

I do believe that there are major differences of these terms from one Postal Authority to another.

Guthrum:- I do believe there are probably sufficient dealers within the UK. It is just that they are not as good marketers as their American counterparts. (Its probably due to the British reserve and failure to blow their own trumpet!!)

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"Gonnae no dae that!..........Just gonnae no!"
scb
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Collecting the world 1840 to date - one stamp at a time!

13 Apr 2018
01:11:01am
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

"This seems to be a EU matter"



No, it is not EU issue only. The same kind of things happen if you post stuff from China to say Australia, US to Canada etc. It is called customs.

The only way to avoid customs is to

a) make purchases that fall below customs limits
That means approx. 25€ (with postage included) for commercial goods and 40€ for gifts when living/receiving within EU-area (this varies slightly from country to country).

That said, in few years time all goods regardless of their value (even 0.01€) will be subject for customs. This is part of change where customs processing moves from paper into digital globally. The fact that US, Canada etc. countries ceased CN22 usage with letters relates to this. In the future there will be no letters or parcels, but "mail with goods" and "correspondence (no goods included)" - the first being always subject for customs. All this is result of growth in eCommerce and people buying more and more online from countries like China or US without paying taxes & customs. The governments want their part of that money (like they used to).



b) buy within the same customs area
Ie. people living inside EU can buy from any EU country without a worry of customs.
When UK leaves EU that will be the last of my British purchases.


"
My question is whether all future purchases from outside the EU are going to attract this extra charge (which is frankly too much), or whether for some reason this particular one has attracted the attention of HM Customs."



If there's CN22 or any other customs form on letter/parcel, and it points out that value of sending (with postage included) exceeds the custom limit, then the answer will be yes. In the past this has not been enforced as strongly as in recent times.

So in nutshell.. The days of buying globally without a worry on customs will be over very shortly.

-k-

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michael78651

13 Apr 2018
02:45:00pm
re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

I'm afraid that the way you put it makes perfect sense.

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Author/Postings
Members Picture
Guthrum

12 Apr 2018
02:06:19pm

Apologies if this matter has been discussed elsewhere, but it has affected me only today, despite having bought from several non-EU dealers in the past without trouble.

So, today on a not-especially-expensive ($26) purchase from Colorado, USA, I was mulcted a further £10 ($14) as a "Customs Fee". My question is whether all future purchases from outside the EU are going to attract this extra charge (which is frankly too much), or whether for some reason this particular one has attracted the attention of HM Customs.

Any thoughts? This seems to be a EU matter, so can it be that post-Brexit I will either (a) be charged a fee for every overseas purchase, or (b) be charged no fees at all?

Like
Login to Like
this post
Webpaper

In loving memory of Carol, my wife for 52 years.

12 Apr 2018
02:46:43pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Since the customs fees are being charged by the UK I think you would be best served by asking your Customs Office directly. The only thing that has changed here in the US is the cost of International shipping ($10 plus for ANY merchandise to ship overseas) and that was, as I understand it, mandated by the UPU due to complaints from other countries that the US was not contributing enough money to move parcels at the destination country.

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
Members Picture
Guthrum

12 Apr 2018
03:45:03pm

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Thanks, Webpaper.

The bulk of my extra charge is a ridiculous Royal Mail "handling fee", which may not have been applicable had the dealer stated that the package was a "gift". Nevertheless, it's not clear whether all mail from outside the EU is going to warrant this fee, or whether "Border Force" (the tough, masculine, don't-mess-with-us name for UK Customs) just picks on random letters. We shall see soon, as I have a couple more orders coming in from the USA.

There are lots of dealers in the USA, and also in Europe. There appear to be virtually no dealers in the UK. Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just my area of collecting?

Like
Login to Like
this post
Brechinite

12 Apr 2018
03:48:28pm

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Guthrum:-

What size was the package? Was it a Letter or a Large Letter?

Had the shipper put on a customs label with the contents and value listed.

It has been known that a package without a customs label has been inspected, found to contain "goods" and an "Administration Fee" been asked for from the recipient.




Like
Login to Like
this post

"Gonnae no dae that!..........Just gonnae no!"
Members Picture
nigelc

12 Apr 2018
03:49:32pm

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Hi Guthrum,

From my experience, I'm guessing the majority of your fee was a Post Office handling fee of some kind.

I had a similar example a couple of years ago.

Edit: I see from your latest post that this was the case!


Like
Login to Like
this post
Webpaper

In loving memory of Carol, my wife for 52 years.

12 Apr 2018
03:57:51pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Brechinite

International shipping is a brave new world. Customs labels can no longer be applied to letter or large letters in the US - only to parcels. Letters and large letters can now only include documents. As Dylan said back in the 60's, "The Times They Are A Changin'".

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
Stampme

12 Apr 2018
04:36:33pm

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

While it is helpful for the recipient if the sender marks purchased items as gift on the customs form, it is against the law for the sender to mark as such. Whether or not a sender wants to run that particular gauntlet and violate the law would be up to that sender I suppose. I do not think that the government officials would accept an excuse: But the recipient (who paid me) asked me to mark the customs form as gift for the contents.

From my own experience attaching customs forms to packages that make their way to the UK, going back years, some people get dinged and some do not. So, it appears to me that the imposition of extra fees are not consistent so, not fair. But that would be a matter to discuss with UK Customs.

Bruce

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Brechinite

12 Apr 2018
07:10:27pm

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

Webpaper,

I was using the terms Letter & Large Letter as in The Royal Mails descriptions as Guthrum would be able to relate to these terms better as he is a citizen of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

I do believe that there are major differences of these terms from one Postal Authority to another.

Guthrum:- I do believe there are probably sufficient dealers within the UK. It is just that they are not as good marketers as their American counterparts. (Its probably due to the British reserve and failure to blow their own trumpet!!)

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Gonnae no dae that!..........Just gonnae no!"
Members Picture
scb

Collecting the world 1840 to date - one stamp at a time!
13 Apr 2018
01:11:01am

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

"This seems to be a EU matter"



No, it is not EU issue only. The same kind of things happen if you post stuff from China to say Australia, US to Canada etc. It is called customs.

The only way to avoid customs is to

a) make purchases that fall below customs limits
That means approx. 25€ (with postage included) for commercial goods and 40€ for gifts when living/receiving within EU-area (this varies slightly from country to country).

That said, in few years time all goods regardless of their value (even 0.01€) will be subject for customs. This is part of change where customs processing moves from paper into digital globally. The fact that US, Canada etc. countries ceased CN22 usage with letters relates to this. In the future there will be no letters or parcels, but "mail with goods" and "correspondence (no goods included)" - the first being always subject for customs. All this is result of growth in eCommerce and people buying more and more online from countries like China or US without paying taxes & customs. The governments want their part of that money (like they used to).



b) buy within the same customs area
Ie. people living inside EU can buy from any EU country without a worry of customs.
When UK leaves EU that will be the last of my British purchases.


"
My question is whether all future purchases from outside the EU are going to attract this extra charge (which is frankly too much), or whether for some reason this particular one has attracted the attention of HM Customs."



If there's CN22 or any other customs form on letter/parcel, and it points out that value of sending (with postage included) exceeds the custom limit, then the answer will be yes. In the past this has not been enforced as strongly as in recent times.

So in nutshell.. The days of buying globally without a worry on customs will be over very shortly.

-k-

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.stampcollectingb ...
michael78651

13 Apr 2018
02:45:00pm

re: Non-EU to UK Customs Charges

I'm afraid that the way you put it makes perfect sense.

Like
Login to Like
this post
        

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