[mikehaspey]

Those robbing bastards at HMRC are at it again, can someone please tell me the score with buying original artwork from overseas?
Is it VAT exempt or at least a lower rate?
I paid top price for an original piece from the U.S., they are now trying to charge me over £200 in import VAT.
I'm not paying another £200 on top of what I already paid for it!

[alittle]

It should have been described on the customs documents as being classed under tariff code 9701. The VAT rate should be 5%.

[mikehaspey]

Nov 27, 2014 15:27:20 GMT 1 alittle said:

It should have been described on the customs documents as being classed under tariff code 9701. The VAT rate should be 5%.

Great ok thanks, now I've got a battle on my hands trying to get it changed to the correct rate I guess

[tab1]

Nov 27, 2014 15:24:00 GMT 1 mikehaspey said:

Those robbing bastards at HMRC are at it again, can someone please tell me the score with buying original artwork from overseas?
Is it VAT exempt or at least a lower rate?
I paid top price for an original piece from the U.S., they are now trying to charge me over £200 in import VAT.
I'm not paying another £200 on top of what I already paid for it!

You have to pay it;-)
Appeal the claim , the process took minimum 8 months to get my 15% back ( 6 claims )seems like a bonus when you get the cheque after you almost forget about it!
Even though I asked gallery to put all details of artwork on paperwork on the tubes.

[alittle]

Whenever I ship to the UK, I put large notices all over the tube so that customs can't help but notice.

[mikehaspey]

It's ridiculous, I'm not impressed at all....grrrrrrrrrr

[mikehaspey]

Nov 27, 2014 15:36:02 GMT 1 tab1 said:

Nov 27, 2014 15:24:00 GMT 1 mikehaspey said:

Those robbing bastards at HMRC are at it again, can someone please tell me the score with buying original artwork from overseas?
Is it VAT exempt or at least a lower rate?
I paid top price for an original piece from the U.S., they are now trying to charge me over £200 in import VAT.
I'm not paying another £200 on top of what I already paid for it!

You have to pay it;-)
Appeal the claim , the process took minimum 8 months to get my 15% back ( 6 claims )seems like a bonus when you get the cheque after you almost forget about it!
Even though I asked gallery to put all details of artwork on paperwork on the tubes.

If I pay it and rely on the claim going through to get the 15% back, how do I prove that it was artwork in the tube? At the moment I'm not sure what it's marked up as on the declaration, if I can't prove that the item meets the criteria for 5% it's goodbye £200?

[tab1]

It's all on the form with the info that you need to produce

Invoice on the tube ( usually three copies attached)
Original type of payment copy ( ie PayPal print out)
Photo of tube with custom stickers on
Gallery's website address forwarded

Bit of a hassle but you get a large chunk back

Even with details all correct on the tube still get 20% charge but then sometimes they pass through with no charges at all ?!! :-)

[fattyramone]

Or , if it's still not been delivered yet , you can ring up Border Control and explain your case , they will need to correspond with your post office depot ...lots of fax's back and forth themselves then they will inform your local PO branch of the new 5% charge to be paid.

That's what I did when faced with a £200+ import bill via Parcel Force....I knew I would eventually get it back , but I never had it to spare for 3 months while it got sorted.

The best of all of them to get it sorted out there and then on the doorstep is UPS , if it's UPS then feel free to PM me and I'll talk you through it ...it's a doddle

[Deleted]

does customs still charge a fee for opening a package and re sealing it?

[mikehaspey]

Nov 27, 2014 18:55:36 GMT 1 fattyramone said:

Or , if it's still not been delivered yet , you can ring up Border Control and explain your case , they will need to correspond with your post office depot ...lots of fax's back and forth themselves then they will inform your local PO branch of the new 5% charge to be paid.

That's what I did when faced with a £200+ import bill via Parcel Force....I knew I would eventually get it back , but I never had it to spare for 3 months while it got sorted.

The best of all of them to get it sorted out there and then on the doorstep is UPS , if it's UPS then feel free to PM me and I'll talk you through it ...it's a doddle

Cheers mate, it's parcel force

[fattyramone]

Parcel Force are a bastard.

First off you can kiss goodbye to at least £12 "handling charge" that PF charge.

You've 2 options really.

1) pay it , then claim it back printing off this form search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/forms/view.page?record=Bc2hJFTaDRM&formid=178
You will need to peel off the charge sticker on the tube , print off evidence of what you paid for it (paypal receipt)..... I would be confident that you WILL get it back , but it can take in the region of 3 months for them to issue you a cheque refund.

2). If Parcel Force still have it in their depot , liase with them and explain the situation that you've been charged 20% VAT on a 5% rated item ("artwork").

They won't be able to do anything other than pass you on to Border Control...Although they might try ringing Border Control on your behalf.... These guys are a nightmare to get hold of properly....like everything nowadays their phone systems are designed to make you give up before you even start and seem to send you around in frustrated loops ...but stick with it you'll eventually find someone to talk to , once you find a human voice they are pretty good to deal with

Either way £200 is enough money to perceive with it.

Good luck mate

[berlin20]

Do you have to pay generally only 5% import VAT on artworks in GB? In Germany you pay 7% on original artwork, but 19% on all prints, multiples and photo editions.

[Deleted]

Nov 27, 2014 18:55:36 GMT 1 fattyramone said:

Or , if it's still not been delivered yet , you can ring up Border Control and explain your case , they will need to correspond with your post office depot ...lots of fax's back and forth themselves then they will inform your local PO branch of the new 5% charge to be paid.

That's what I did when faced with a £200+ import bill via Parcel Force....I knew I would eventually get it back , but I never had it to spare for 3 months while it got sorted.

The best of all of them to get it sorted out there and then on the doorstep is UPS , if it's UPS then feel free to PM me and I'll talk you through it ...it's a doddle

Got talking to a UPS courier on the doorstep once, he told me to write a cheque for the amount and then cancel it. I didn't do it so am unable to comment on the effectiveness of that course of action.

[kendo]

More info here: urbanartassociation.com/post/1049311/thread

Good luck, worth it in the end when you get a cheque in the post!

[mikehaspey]

Cheers all
Going to call the depot that are holding it on Monday and see how we get on!

[FЯ]

Parcelforce have not other option.
You have to pay and claim back after, everything else will fall on deaf ears im afraid.

You need to pay it and ask them to send you a vat claim form. Fill out the form, attach receipts and proof of purchase plus pictures of the item and make sure you return it to their coventry address.

Make it clear on a covering letter your reasons as well (e.g. 'you robbing bastards, im only meant to pay 5% on this as it is clearly artwork. dumb shits')

[sohohoho]

HMRC only know to charge 5% when the contents have been clearly described correctly. If the contents has not been clearly described correctly then how are HMRC to know? Either way, iff it's Parcelforce dealing then you'll more than likely have to pay the charges and use the form above to claim them back. Heat up the label with a hair-dryer to get it off in one piece ;-)

[jlf]

Anyone had any luck with TNT? I've got some stuff on it's way and preparing for the worst.

Any advice or tips for them in particular would be good

[Deleted]

If someone from the states is sending a print to me in the UK and i don't wanna get stung on charges how much should they declare the items worth? I trust the seller... Cheers

[bigv]

From the opposite perspective, I've had pretty good success with UK galleries sending me an adjusted invoice that removes 20% VAT from pieces (last one was ZEVS Liquidated Atlas Wordl Wide from Lazarides) sent from the UK to the US. A few galleries online do that automatically when you load the shipping address which is always nice.