11 Set stuff

[Ron Pier]

I've got the outer case of my cabinet made and my gauges from America arrived over the weekend. The bloody Customs sod's hit me with £3.89 VAT plus the post office fee to collect it £8. Bastards! Why is there any VAT due on items that were made before VAT was invented?

Mr Angry from Poole!

[Tim Bell]

Ron

You need to ensure they are imported under the correct UK Import Commodity code... that way you should only pay vat at most 5% and no duty.

Take a look here:

https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff/sections

Make sure the sender clearly writes the code details on the outside of the package - ideally on the customs form.

You will still get Parcelfarce stiff you though for their "processing fee".

For WW2 vintage stuff, I use this one.
.
Section XXI - Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques
97 - Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques
05 - Collections and collectors' pieces of zoological, botanical, mineralogical, anatomical, historical, archaeological, palaeontological, ethnographic or numismatic interest
00 00 90 - Other

The commodity code for importing is 9705000090.

Importing from outside the EU is subject to a third country duty of 0.00 %.
Goods are subject to VAT reduced rate 5%.

Hope this helps in the future.

Tim