Quote: just a quick rant,orderd some parts from new speedmaster in america,very quick delivery.the thing is i got a letter from parcel force telling me that they could not release the parcel until i pay a £35 vat charge. has anyone else had this probblem,is there a way round it for next time or have i just been unlucky. glen
Ummm not that I would instigate or advocate any body into breaking the law. Buuuut if a member in the States was to receive the parcel from a vendor....and send on to the UK changing the declaration to say faulty goods /scrap ....then with no inherent charges i.e. purchase price ..then I am led to believe that Import duty is not applicable. Now if for instance a fellow member in the States was to open a parcel and mark the item with a marker pen as scrap and add a scrap value to the declaration Import duty can be greatly reduced.....this marking can be removed once received in the UK by liberal application of polish. This is only a theory mind you I cannot say positively that it would work...I have heard that in certain cases in the past it has worked........
Oh yes and make sure that there is no invoice left in the parcel because if Custome find an invoice or such they will cofiscate the goods as being in breach of HM customs & exsice rules.
Alternatively, ask them the vendors to write something like 'repaired (insert item of choice) value of $20 value' or something on the invoice. If the value is under, I think it's £18 you don't pay import tax. If that fails, then hope that it slips through Customs although they're quite hot on these things from my experience.
