Getting Cheap Pens From Hk/china To Uk - Taxes?

[LittleSkink]

Ever interested expanding my FP experiences (and in getting a bargain) I have been pondering a Broad nib Pilot 78G. Ebay prices from HK are good but I am unsure at what value the Customs and Excise will charge Duty and VAT on personal imports. It used to be £18 if I recall, but that is a long time ago

 

Anyone tell me how they have got on ?

[Inkwellpens]

I recently got a hobonichi planner from Hong Kong a couple of months ago and it came straight through. In fact each item I've ordered from China /Hong Kong it has come straight through. I'm waiting for a Pilot Prera that I got at Amazon for £16.00.

 

Orders from the US always seem to get stopped and charged the handling fee and customs duty.

[Paul80]

Hi

 

Most items I get from HK & China arrive ok without any duty added. The only time I had to pay was on a small lathe and the courier company demanded duty payment before it even left HK, IIRC it was someone like TNT so probably no surprises there.

 

Like others, these days I always get stung with parcels from America and even when they are below the £18 that we are supposed to be allowed. I have given up buying from America these days because of it, unless its a real bargain that is

 

HK and China have been fine as long as they use China Post.

 

Paul

[Dubois]

I think the tax free limit has been reduced to £15. Above that, VAT (at 20%) is payable, plus, if delivered by Royal Mail, an £8 "handling" fee. Over the past two years I have ordered dozens of things from China and HK - all above £15. Only once have I been hit by Customs. None of the other packages have been queried. Mind you, this might have had something to do with the fact that many vendors declare them as "gifts" at $5 (never at my request).

 

The tax free limit on gifts is higher (around £40 if memory serves me right), but I would say you will not attract HMRC attention on the purchase of a 78G.

 

I've just ordered a Pilot Custom 74 from Japan and am hoping for a similar outcome (but actually dreading the postman's note advising I need to go to the Sorting Office to pay VAT & their fee). that's the other thing - if VAT is payable, Royal Mail won't even deliver it - you have to go to them to pay their handling fee!

[Lorna Reed]

It's a while since I ordered anything from China or Japan, but I don't think I ever paid any customs charges or VAT.

[LittleSkink]

thanks folks - don't mind paying some Duty/VAT if it is due but feel ripped off by the £8 handling fee. And like others I stopped getting stuff from the US as the fees made good deals silly expensive

[Tom Traubert]

I've had a few things come through from over there, including a 78G, without issue.