Just wondering how much duty I cam expected pay on Light Bicycle rims, apparently theybstated the value at $150….

You should pay vat and import duty on the total amount including postage.

If you only pay duty on the falsely stated value you are committing fraud.

Is the air thin on that high horse galloping across the moral high ground? Is the OP dishonest if LB choose to quote a different value on their invoice without him asking for it (so no intent by the OP) and he pays as-billed?

Anyway, it’ll be VAT (20%) + import tax (about 3%) on the £150. Plus you’ll get charged a customs handling fee by the UK shipper, cost will depend on which company but usually around the tenner mark.

And let’s be honest. If you scam Customs out of a few quid on some rims, the world would be a better place if you were in prison.

Is the OP dishonest if LB choose to quote a different value on their invoice without him asking for it

They do ask you if you want to go with a fake value or the actual value though, but I bet most people take the tax dodge

The world would be a better place if the due rates were paid on a luxury item, when LB emailed me saying they were going to put down $150 I emailed them back and told them to put the true value down.

I whine and moan about tax avoidance from those who abuse the tax system, I will be **** if I will be part of that immorality.

Is the air thin on that high horse galloping across the moral high ground?

Does the shit stink down there in the cesspool?

Mine were valued at $200 IRC. I ended up paying £47 for tax / duty and handling plus delivery by Royalmail. Its unavoidable. They send a slip saying they are holding them awaiting payment. Their fees for handling and delivery were greater than the import duty.

Mate just got a set of 38mm, DH Rims with Hope Hubs from them and had to pay £50ish import duty. They look lovely, especially with custom YT decals on the wheels.

I’m somewhat with MSP on this one, we’re quite happy to gripe and moan when banks, Amazon, Starbucks etc dodge tax, this isn’t really any different, just on a smaller scale and actually illegal.

apparently theybstated the value at $150….

for one? they’re $170 anyway aren’t they?

Their fees for handling and delivery were greater than the import duty.

is there no way of getting the (correct) duty paid on them upfront instead of being held to ransom by RM?

Anyone bought a single rim, if so how much did you end up paying GBP all in?

The world would be a better place if the due rates were paid on a luxury item, when LB emailed me saying they were going to put down $150 I emailed them back and told them to put the true value down

I assume you never use Duty Free in airports, either? That’s a luxury purchase you could have made in the UK and contributed to the treasury.

Does the shit stink down there in the cesspool?

now that’s a proportionate response 🙄

But you’re right, those smuggled LB rims would have covered the £5bn in lost corporation tax.

just on a smaller scale and actually illegal

The OP is only paying what he has been invoiced and he hasn’t asked LB to change the value so you’d struggle to prove intent to commit fraud or conspiracy by the OP, and for a criminal charge to go ahead the offence also has to pass the “public interest” test. With all the large scale tax avoidance, evasion and fraud and corruption out there I’m struggling to get worked up about the OP saving a few quid on plastic rims.

Then there’s the whole debate about the value of tax on luxury goods – if the tax is prohibitive a sale may be lost and so would be the associated tax.

I assume you never use Duty Free in airports, either?

duty free is outside of the UK so no duty to pay, allowed. Corporation tax avoidance is again allowed, (the rules are shite and need to be changed, but still, currently, legal). Lying on your bicycle rim order is not allowed. MSP has a point here.

duty free is outside of the UK so no duty to pay, allowed

you missed the “whole world would be a better place” schtick. MSP is so pure he actively emailed LB, so I would expect him to take a similarly principled moral stance and avoid duty free purchases of non-essential luxury items. Every bottle of whisky at full tax rate is another nurses job saved and all that.

now that’s a proportionate response

You rant because I point out (with a basic statement of fact) that they shouldn’t take part in a criminal activity, and then you feel my response isn’t proportionate. 😆

Simple answer for the scanario in quetion:
20% VAT
5% import Duty (assuming declared as bike part)
+£12 handling fee (usually parcelforce)

Importantly:
For imports into the UK, there are minimum thresholds below which duty and VAT are waived.
Duty is not charged if either:
the FOB value, i.e. the value of the goods excluding shipping and insurance cost, does not exceed £135
the amount of duty payable does not exceed £9

VAT is not charged if:
the FOB value, i.e. the value of the goods excluding shipping and insurance cost, does not exceed £15
HMRC DUTY LINK

Scar

Oh, my mistake. I’d assumed they’d put down their cost rather than retail as an insurance value.

I rarely order from abroad, but I recently ordered a pair of carbon forks from the USA (£193) as I couldn’t get them in the UK.

As far as I’m aware everything was quoted correctly and up front but I didn’t get charged duty despite that fact that Customs had clearly ferretted around inside the packaging to confirm the contents.

The only other overseas purchased I recall making in recent years were some DVDs from Amazon USA; again I wasn’t asked to pay duty.

Just had a recent consignment of titanium loveliness from China – declared value was $275 but didn’t get any charges, simply delivered to my doorstep. My experience of 8 consignments from China is only getting charged VAT+duty on 3. A recent legal ruling has meant that Parcel Force is having to review its charges.

–

They do ask you if you want to go with a fake value or the actual value though, but I bet most people take the tax dodge

They never asked me…

Anyway, it’ll be VAT (20%) + import tax (about 3%) on the £150. Plus you’ll get charged a customs handling fee by the UK shipper, cost will depend on which company but usually around the tenner mark.

thanks CTM

The world would be a better place if the due rates were paid on a luxury item, when LB emailed me saying they were going to put down $150 I emailed them back and told them to put the true value down

I did that too 😳 – they still put down a low price

A recent legal ruling has meant that Parcel Force is having to review its charges.

Didn’t know that, but it doesn’t surprise me – gouging bastards !

Yeh the whole personal import thing is a bit of a con, parcel force hit me with a handling charge.. Despite postage being paid and a aside from import and vat.. And you don’t get the option to personally collect from Coventry or arrange an independent courier for the final leg.. You just have to cough up or they won’t deliver.

Then people get on thier soap boxes when people who buy from outside the EU try to save a few quid on import.