Hi,

Just recently heard that UK customs have gotten strict about importing

I'm going back to Hong Kong soon and will be buying badminton stuff, if i was to be checked by customs when I come back from Hong Kong with my badminton will i have to pay for tax?

also can anyone confirm that customs have gotten strict lately?


thanks

It is hit & miss, I have had packages over for several years (large ones sometimes) with no customs request for taxes, but sometimes smaller, innoccuous parcels have been caught.

The Law is a value of over $50 (about £37) is subject to taxes. The import company pay them on your behalf, then send you the bill.

It wouldn't surprise me they are getter stricter, UK Gov needs the money!

ye guess so because i friend of mine just came back and he saw 20 of the custom people just lining up checking everyone that came through thats why im scared to bring stuff back now :(

I thought you meant for posting stuff.....I don't travel enough to know about carrying things on person...I go to China in two weeks though so will let you know if I see anything.

ummm ok wen u come bk?

May 3rd...............

take some stick price tags with you, and give them really low mark up prices before you come home, so if they are checked, the price tags will be of low value thus no tax or little tax.

you could always remove all the tags from the racquets, regrip them before you get to the uk and claim they aren't brand new racquets. it isn't unheard of to be carrying racquets on holiday if you know you're going to be playing. if they can't prove it's new chances are you won't get taxed.

I have had some goods ( Non - Badminton ) delivered to UK. Usually the amount ranges from £200 to £50,000 or more. Sometimes the stuffs get thru customs without tax, sometimes they tax. It depends on the officer. Its a random thing.

Early this year i sent some badminton goods for my relative as gifts worth around £500. They didnt get tax for it.

thanks for the advice everyone

Dreamzz: so i wont get taxed if the rackets are not new because i could make it look like on the yonex stencil on the strings look used and on the grip

blundey: How much would should I put on the price tags if i were to no get taxed?

In Hong Kong I will most likely be having a 6-9 racket bag with the rackets shuttles and shoes in if i get checked when i get back to UK what do I say I'm 16 and I haven't got a clue because I never brought rackets back

Well you have one or two choices, you can take the price tags off the stuff and say u took them with you to play badminton on holiday.

Or you can put price tags on for say £5 per racket, because after 37£ you get taxed.

To help you work it out I imported 60 pounds worth and was taxed 8 quid.

so is it the total amount that has to be over £37 to taxed or each item

because i wont buy many rackets and shuttles and where can you get price tags? what type of price tags?

its the total amount. So the value of goods you import. But I think you would have to be really unlucky to get caught.

Price tags/stickers u can get on ebay, its only a precautionary measure that might help...but to be honest, if you got them all in one racket bag and you dont leave the labels on etc, then i veyr much doubt your going to get stopped and asked to pay, specially if your young.

Sometimes the stuffs get thru customs without tax, sometimes they tax. It depends on the officer. Its a random thing.


It depends on whether they check the parcel/package/delivery not on the officer. If a Customs officer checks the parcel & the value is above £37 then you will pay tax. If you don't get a claim to pay the tax it is because no one checked it.

Blundey: I hope a taxman isn't reading this thread for your sake!:D

Dreamzz idea is the best in my opinion. It would have to be a pretty dumb officer to believe that a package of 6-9 rackets is less than £37.

The disadvantage in trying to avoid tax by declaring lower values or hiding the fact they are new(apart from the legal implications of course) is that you won't be covered or get as much compensation if the parcel is lost or damaged - If you have £300 of rackets but "officially" declare it as £20 worth your maximum pay out wil be.......£20

"As of December 1, 2008, Duty Free Allowances for visitors from outside the EU have more than doubled. Here are the latest allowances, if you arrive in the UK on a transatlantic flight or from anywhere outside the EU:

£300 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs - rising to £340 after January 1, 2009"
http://gouk.about.com/od/tripplanning/ss/customsexcise_2.htm

I think it's more or less the same over here in that you can import a higher value in person than through online ordering.

And just pass the nothing to declare gate :D.

And from the official customs page:

"Travelling to the UK from outside the European Union (EU)


(Download options for this document)

From 1 December 2008, when travelling from a non-EU country (including the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar) you can bring the following into the UK for your own use without paying UK tax or duty:

...
£300 worth of all other goods including perfume and souvenirs.
If you have any more than these allowances you must declare the goods in the red channel or use the red point phone. If you do not, you are breaking the law and we may prosecute you.

From 1 January 2009, the other goods allowance will increase again from £300 to £340. However, there will be no further increases to any of the other allowances."

There are differences in bringing in stuff on your person & posting. The £37 limit blundey & I are talking about is posting.

Demolidor is talking about bringing in on your person, correct?

Yes that's correct. Bringing it with you in person.
It's the same here in Holland, €150 (was €22 last year) postorder and €430 (was €175) in person although you officially still have to pay sales taxes on anything over €22 when postordering.