Second hand parts from abroad

I've just won a set of forward controls on ebay germany, they are second
hand, but looking at them on the photo, they don't look too old.

I take it even second hand parts can get hit with customs duty and all that
shite.. including the feking 8 quid charge the post office make to hold the
package for the 2 hours between when i get the note to collecting them.

What's the best way to avoid customs charges on second hand parts?? if they
apply, and if they do how are they likely to work out what 2 lumps of bent
chromed steel, a couple of levers and some rose jointed rods are worth,

I've asked for an invoice not to be sent with the parts, so if the package
gets opened there'll be nothing obvious saying they cost me around £130.

What else can i do, i'm fucked if i'm paying this country money for doing
naff all other than intercept a package and bung a sticker on it saying they
want a cut of it's value.

 

Hairy Arse says...

What customs duty? They're coming in from the EU so there shouldn't be
any.

 

Buy from within the EU. The Single Market. It means, generally, there
are no customs duties between member states. That is the whole point
of the damn thing.
Hint. Germany is a member of the EU, so is the UK. The US is not.

--
ColonelTupperware,
spouting bollocks on Usenet since 1997
Usenet FAQ at
http://www.its.caltech.edu/its/services/internetapps/news/news2.shtml
UPCE FAQ at http://upce.org.uk/ UKRM FAQ at http://www.ukrm.net/faq/

 

Yup, but remember places like Switzerland and Norway are not in the EU(1)
and intrestingly Germany has a size restriction on what can be sent using
the local PO equivelant(2) Not a problem for you unless the poor seller
fails to realise this.

(1) DAMHIK-IJK
(2) DAMHIK-IJK Luckily they do have UPS

Despite these I routinely buy from Europe and have made huge savings.

 

Colonel Tupperware was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

I haven't read today's papers. maybe the UK has left the EU overnight
and joined NAFTA?

Ah, I forgot - we're not governed by the Tories at the moment,
although it's hard to believe...

 

Like wot Lozzo said.

If its from the EU and 2nd hand then AFAIK there's no duty etc...

And last time I looked Germany was part of the EU so yr OK.

Buying parts from the US or Japan, however, *would* incur import duty and
VAT etc on anything over £18 (in theory, but they can get a bit lax on this
one....)

Dave

 

Doh.. cheers for putting me right on that,

i dug out the last invoice from something i ordered from abroad.. a new item
at that (hence i was asking if second hand items get caught) and it came
from switzerland.. which isn't part of the EU..
and hence why i got charged 36 feckin quid for some twat in customs to think
up a number, write it on a label and slap it on the package,

Mind 8 quid of that was for the post office to let me know they had a parcel
for me, and were keeping it untill i paid up.

 

Hairy Arse wrote:

Bargain, especially compared to the brokerage fees that a carrier is
likely to charge you.

 

I also got stiffed big time for VAT and charges after buying our wedding
rings from CH, but worse still was the case of the chap who got a s/h GSA
off fleabay Germany, had it picked up by a transport company, got as far
as UK customs, and despite having all of the correct documentation was
charged VAT, of cause the haulage company got pissy, the bike was
impounded until the VAT was paid, it was then reimbursed a few weeks
later. However the additional transport charges, hassle and pain were
ignored.

Bastards.