To think I shoudn’t have paid a whopping I port city on item from Germany

[Easipeelerie]

DHL Express just charged me £63.80 import duty on an item sent from Germany. When I ordered the item, I saw no reference to import duty anywhere. I expect if I look harder, I’ll see it in the small print.
I rang DHL who said this is correct. Should I have paid and how do I avoid it in the future?

I’m feeling got at, a little, I am a staunch remainer. I don’t generally import from other countries, it was just a niche expensive item my DP had had his eye on for his birthday.
Because the item was listed in £s, I naively assumed all cost would be factored in. I’m not ordering from abroad again, bloody nightmare.
something I wanted in Sicily, I had to get my sister to go and buy today as she happens to be there. They won’t import to the UK at all as the product is flammable or something.
I hate Brexit. It’s shit.

Export not import

Yeah but it's all good OP, because look how Brexit has helped the NHS!

Oh, wait...

Aww, don't feel got at OP - I think the sentiment is against Brexit, not you.

This happened to me recently... 54 sodding quid on an item over £300, gyargh!

Yep. Brexit. The gift that keeps on giving.

They won't have us back 😢

They might, but definitely on far less favourable terms than we had before.

I have a small business here in the UK and sell to people in the EU regularly. If they buy from me they do not have to pay UK VAT but when the items arrive in their own country they will be likely be charged tax at that end. So usually they pay no more than a customer in the UK would have done (maybe an admin fee from the courier). I do not have a note on my website saying they will be charged as it is not me doing so and to be honest I would expect that everyone knows about it!

Customs duty rates depend on what it is you've purchased & which country you are buying. You can check them online, search for trade tariffs

Yes - two UK companies I loved and ordered lots from (small ethical companies). Can’t order from them anymore as the import charges are too high.. and one gone out of business.

Take it up with the idiots who voted for Brexit

Awwww, #bekind.

Nobody pointed out to them there were any downsides to leaving. Nobody warned them them that the maths simply didn't stack up. Nobody warned them that the result would affect subsequent generations for years to come. Nobody warned them that trade and travel would be made more difficult. How were they to know there might be a downside ?

What's £64 against knowing that you now have your sovereignty back? Because that really makes such a difference to everyone, doesn't it?

If any Brexiteers can explain to me how life is better now that they are basking in owning their sovereignty (even though - shh, don't tell them - the UK hadn't ceded it in the first place) please do let me know.

If any Brexiteers can explain to me how life is better now that they are basking in owning their sovereignty (even though - shh, don't tell them - the UK hadn't ceded it in the first place) please do let me know.

There was a lot of talk at the time about laws being made in Brussels yet nobody could name an outrageous law that the EU “imposed” on us. Supermarkets still specify size of produce on farmers (“bendy bananas” was a Brexiteer favourite argument )

I remember a hoo ha about the EU allegedly stopping the sale of vacuum cleaners with powerful motors. Did we get those back? 😂

No. But then the NHS didn't get £350 million a week either.

But we did get a different colour passport that we could have had at anytime. So it all evens out in the end.

Don’t worry at all OP for now you have your country back and behold! Only last week 5 million voted for Nigel and his great fellows of Reform to take seats in Parliament and do their best to make things even more ridiculous. Rejoice!

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but how do you calculate the import duties and VAT? Obviously the VAT is 20% but how are the import duties calculated? I tried to use the gov.uk site but went round in circles!

Import duty may or may not apply, and is based on specific item categories ….. which from your comment you probably found the references to the list.

In general you would pay 20% import VAT, which most often would be calculated agaisnt the declared value/invoice (converted to £)
But may get revalued if customs choose to be the equivalent cost in the UK

The unknown is a handling fee charged by the carrier, this depends on the carrier and could be a fixed price or it could be a percentage of the value.
(you only get charged the handling fee if there is a VAT/customs charge raised - it’s dealt with between you and the carrier on behalf of customs)

There is the potential of import VAT being pre-charged by an overseas retailer - if so they declare the references and they pay HMRC directly, therefore no charges on arrival - this is a recent measure - but it costs companies to register with UK HMRC and probably isn’t worth their effort to sell to the UK

I forgot to say - charges are likely to be made against the full item price plus postage …. Assume you will pay the most

Last year I imported items valued at $294, about £220, was charged £45.73 VAT, and £12 handling

@tommika thank you! It’s a risky business isn’t it!