THANKS A LOT BREXITEERS (and good luck when you order items from abroad)!

[customchaos]

I recently bought some art through an online website (think, a bit like Etsy, but not that one). So the item was £400, plus £140 delivery, which I did think it was a lot, but it was being shipped from Russia. Anyway, two weeks later, I get an email from the website company, to tell me the item is being held at the depot and I am required to contact Parcelforce to pay a customs tax. I phoned up and the tax is to the tune of £140. For an item costing £400! Apparently this is the new post-Brexit norm. Just to get what you have ordered over the border!

I’ve also ordered more art from Bulgaria which is apparently in its way now and I’m really worried as this was more expensive (just under £3000). Does this mean I going to be charged another ridiculous amount as customs tax?

I’ve been on to HMRC today and they are no help, beyond saying “yes this is because of Brexit,” “No we’re not sure if you’ve been charged the right amount or why,” and “You will need to pay first and them make a claim if you think you’ve been overcharged.”

So basically, is this the end of ordering from abroad? What madness is this?

Also op there is some duty/ vat calculators about that can give you a rough amount online
As long as you input all the details correctly .

@donewithitalltodayandxmas if you have spent two decades sending British made items to people in the EU regardless of the cost who then recommend those brands to people they know, it is short sighted of the British government to agree to such a low gift rate let alone making it more difficult and costly for British based businesses to export to the EU.

The majority of the food we eat comes from abroad!

36% according to Farmers Weekly.

I have to disagree as I have paid import duty tax from outside eu and only found out once delivery- companies have contacted me.

Although one website did mention small print about may occur duty/import tax.

Have you checked company you ordered from as some include shipping costs they pick up tab and others warn - small print about this item when ordering to whatever countries may occur extra import duty/tax.

I’ve had two items same size and weight and duty tax was different between delivery companies my end

@SpaceRaiders

People saying "diddums" don't seem to get the wider implications for the economy, and for their lives in terms of buying, selling and exporting goods and how the extra taxes will be bad for our economy, from the little person to the huge company or rich man.

YY Wine, Prosecco, cheese and or milk products, ham, bacon, will all be more expensive for a start. The majority of the food we eat comes from abroad!

There are plenty of wines, cheeses and bacon available that are produced in this country. This will mean no additional taxes, better quality products as (bacon will not be water injected to increase the bulk etc), there is extremely good Camembert available from the co-op which is made in Somerset from English milk. The added bonus is that is all locally produced and no issues with flying this stuff half way around the world.

@RedMarauder i agree I said it has always been a ridiculous low amount for gifts ( obviously before to eu it didn't matter ) but to other countries , my nan used to struggle sending gifts to my uncle in canada as always having to find something within the value and the same with them sending.
But your right the uk must if agreed to the amount as would be set by eu , you would of though they would of negotiated a better amount both ways

What has the world come to? Never had this trouble buying posters from Athena...

I’ve had two items same size and weight and duty tax was different between delivery companies my end

Its not calculated on the weight or size its value of goods and a few other bits
I suppose sellers assume people are aware and your right some do send duty paid ( not usually vat).
Always worth checking if buying from abroad any charges that may be incurred and the shipping terms.

Perhaps you'll support UK artists next time.

Don't think the vast majority of Brexiteers or anyone is buying art from Russia.

@donewithitalltodayandxmas years ago when a former housemate of mine was charged about £50 for a birthday present from his family in NZ, realised I had to be extremely careful of the amount by value sending stuff abroad to non-EU countries. However the countries I sent items to had treaties with the EU, so while I had to declare the goods value the recipients didn't pay extra taxes.

I've ordered things from outside the EU prior to brexit - the USA and Thailand to be specific and I absolutely DID have to pay a parcelforce import tax. Not expensive items. It's a funny one because you get an email telling you to pay and it's easy to think it's a scam. But no it was real.
The customs label has an option for "sample" or "gift" both of which avoid the tax but it would be fraud to falsely tick them.

Oh yes, we should all drink Nyetimber and eat English cheese and bacon now. Fuck you if you fancy a bit of prosciutto, Prosecco or Gorgonzola.

What a lot of people don’t seem to realise is that the EU had trade or other, wider agreements with countries outside the EU, which is why we get delicious avocados and oranges relatively cheaply from eg Israel. As the U.K. has left the EU, we no longer benefit from these agreements, and no, or low import taxes, so a lot of what is now considered everyday food is going to cost more.

The art was clearly a bad example. As so many Brexiteers on this thread have said, “you should of (sic) bought British.”

Cuntstable, perhaps, instead of these pesky foreign artists with difficult names like Van Gogh and Monet?

@RedMarauder yes all changed and most people might not be aware , really the couriers should have to inform as so many get caught out .
Which countries did you send to?
I have only found eu countries to be ones I could send duty/ vat free but that was for companies ( although there are duty free goods ( well used to be , im out of it now so not up on it)
The company I worked for last shipped a lot to and from the eu and I do wonder how its all working for them now and if I went back it would be different.
Like I say potentially we may negotiate good or even better trade deals , but not in the short term and I always thought it would be a rocky few years and will take time for importers/ exporters to get up on new rules and decide if its worth it for them.

@Blyatiful yes art was a bad example and stating non eu country as duty/ vat applicable from usa etc despite any agreements .
We can negotiate our own deals though and can buy oranges from anywhere now but it will take time.
Hard to tell at moment if costs going up ,if due to brexit or covid as my food bill went up a lot prior to jan due to covid.
Haven't noticed my Prosecco go up yet though
How i see it , is it has happened we now need to work with it and be aware , and yes if that means buying more british if cheaper , being aware of extra charges of importing etc. Obviously if you can afford extra you continue.
Certain things like olives and feta cheese i will pay more for , other things I will prob look for cheaper alternative.
Hopefully more trade deals will get done but only time will tell.

@DianaT1969

Perhaps you'll support UK artists next time.

Only if it’s good Not solely UK

Why all the vitriol?
If I take random people from my street, one has a range rover, one got granite work tops, another goes on all inclusive holidays, another buy tech for his kids,....all of these things will cost £3k+ . None of these are necessary/there would have been a cheaper option. Why give the op a hard time because he/she s into art?

@OneKeyAtATime

Why all the vitriol? If I take random people from my street, one has a range rover, one got granite work tops, another goes on all inclusive holidays, another buy tech for his kids,....all of these things will cost £3k+ . None of these are necessary/there would have been a cheaper option. Why give the op a hard time because he/she s into art?

It makes them feel good about themselves to knock other women down. It’s reverse snobbery. One poster on this thread in particular has a search history littered with mocking people for not being on the poverty line. Really nasty belittling stuff.

You can leave you know, no one is forcing you to live here with our high art import tax fees

Is this what it’s going to be like from now on? Any time someone has difficulty importing something, up leap a bunch of people to shriek about how we should only buy British?

Don’t remember that blinkered, impoverished viewpoint being plastered over the side of a bus.

Just wait and see what happens in April and then July. That's when the proper food checks kick in for all imports and exports. Fun times. Oh and medical products are further restricted at the end of this year and the end of next year for a smaller number of medical things.

It’s quite possible that she can’t leave. Freedom of movement has been stripped from us.
It’s also not a terribly helpful solution, is it. Dare to complain about the consequences of Brexit and a knee jerk reaction is to tell someone to emigrate.
Have you suggested that to the fishermen who are seeing their livelihoods dissolve?

@Magnificentmug12

You can leave you know, no one is forcing you to live here with our high art import tax fees

Now now. Dont be a dick.

I remember the 70s, the pre EU time. It was utterly bland. Orange juice was a luxury starter in restaurants. Does that sound ridiculous? Well it should. But those halcyon days of brexshiteets are here again! Fuck you, everyone who voted leave. You were either thick or selfish or both. And you've fucked us all.