Customs and paypal contacts

[PHIPPSIO]

Because i import a lot from the states and use paypal virtually every week i have done battle with both organisations on numerous occasions. As part and parcel of this communication i have built up some usefull management contacts within both that i can share with others who encounter problems as i know how painful it is to get nowhere when dealing with both. I thought perhaps a sticky with contacts posted in the bmx chat thread that we can all add to from time to time? just a thought 

[brass monkey!]

good idea,

out of experience; how often to you get taxed on imports? or have you had any issues with getting stuff sent as 'gifts' ?

[PHIPPSIO]

good idea,

out of experience; how often to you get taxed on imports? or have you had any issues with getting stuff sent as 'gifts' ?

Yeah i get taxed quite a lot now, they have clamped down. The last time i got away with it was Christmas when the states had a bottleneck due to the bad weather they had and it all came through at once . The gifts thing no longer works, i have spoken with a customs officer today and he said its pretty pointless and it actually now flags up a possible issue. The only thing i can think of is whether the bicycle helmet option may work. As it stands there is no VAT on bike helmets in the uk 

[brass monkey!]

My Uncle used to be a senior Customs Officer, he told me that they don't have the resourse to check evey parcel, so theoretically 'gifts' with a value of sub £36 ($70) should breeze through everytime.

He did however say that if they see consistent names/addresses receiving parcels from Non-EU Sources they will eventually investigate and potentially you could get in some deep Sh!t...., but i'd say you'd have to be getting a lot of post to qualify 

[PHIPPSIO]

My Uncle used to be a senior Customs Officer, he told me that they don't have the resourse to check evey parcel, so theoretically 'gifts' with a value of sub £36 ($70) should breeze through everytime.

He did however say that if they see consistent names/addresses receiving parcels from Non-EU Sources they will eventually investigate and potentially you could get in some deep Sh!t...., but i'd say you'd have to be getting a lot of post to qualify 

Yeah that sounds about right. The declaration of under $70 in value is a way round it i think...

[bobafett]

My Uncle used to be a senior Customs Officer, he told me that they don't have the resourse to check evey parcel, so theoretically 'gifts' with a value of sub £36 ($70) should breeze through everytime.

He did however say that if they see consistent names/addresses receiving parcels from Non-EU Sources they will eventually investigate and potentially you could get in some deep Sh!t...., but i'd say you'd have to be getting a lot of post to qualify 

Yeah that sounds about right. The declaration of under $70 in value is a way round it i think...

That's how i've been doing it  Problem is when the f@$king seller won't co-operate Then it's a total lottery - I've had $200+ items (including a full bike which just with the size of it you think it would flag up !) slip right through and then had a poxy set of grips get held awiting tax payments 
It's all bollox though, bloody import tax on a 20 odd year old bike part.....please 

[wildon]

+1 ... i've also been getting letters from parcelforce notifying me of a charge and to come collect ... and the same day the parcel gets delivered by mistake by them    happened a few times now!

[jackel]

surely kids bikes arent taxable?

[crightonk]

I got done last week with R4 ds card, £3 tax and £8 delivry charge from Royal Mail, theiving c***s, was only worth £17

[bobafett]

I just got done 

Buyer marked it up as $50 value and "GIFT" but they still hit me for VAT and a "handling charge" 

.................cost me 38 quid in total to get my parcel 


Mind you there's a good fair few have slipped through the net over the last couple of years too