Buying from the USA?

[RussJ]

Sorry to labour the point but the presumption will be that anything being sent to you is owned by you and therefore will be subject to duty. After all not many retailers would ship to you from the US without having received payment first! HMRC is well aware of who the forwarding companiers are and where they operate from. If personal goods were being returned to you (say you'd left them behind when on holiday) then you might get away with it provided you could produce evidence of purchase from within the EU. There is an appeals procedure but its long winded - as you might expect.
If you're going to do this, best to expect to pay duty and be pleasantly surprised if you don't!

 

[flecc]

I'm one of the lucky ones, indeed I must be exceptionally lucky judging by the experiences of many others. I've bought a number of items from the USA, including e-bike stuff like chargers and battery packs, and I've never once been caught for duty or VAT. I've also never encountered anyone not shipping to the UK, although I've heard this is the case with some suppliers. The nearest I ever had to a problem was one supplier not wanting to accept credit card payment from the UK, but digging my heels in made them change their mind.

 

[DBCohen]

I'm one of the lucky ones, indeed I must be exceptionally lucky judging by the experiences of many others. I've bought a number of items from the USA, including e-bike stuff like chargers and battery packs, and I've never once been caught for duty or VAT.

Duty and VAT are certainly due, Flecc, unless the items were purchased in the EU. Ownership is merely a matter of who gets the bill - it is immaterial as to whether a bill is due or not.

As far as getting billed in the first place, HMRC has limited resources, and I suspect is far more focussed on the big volume stuff like computers and electronics, jewellery, watches etc.. I've shipped clothes and miscellaneous goods many times, and never been charged for them - whereas more often than not anything electronic gets caught, and recently a watch too. With the add-on charges that all UK carriers impose, it can get pricey.

My simple rule is to always assume an overseas shipment will get charged, and budget accordingly. If it gets through without, then happy days!

 

[flecc]

Yes, I knew the rules David, but as I've shown, my experiences are of considerable tolerance. That's why I thought that personal mail service might improve the odds substantially. I still think it might help, but obviously others don't think so, and of course the added costs might make it not worthwhile anyway.

It's not only with stuff from the USA that I've been lucky. Years ago before our EU membership when I was living in France but also had UK homes, I brought in quite a range of items when visiting back here, but was never charged. Why I don't know, since I always declared, but perhaps the fact that I never brought in any cigarettes or alcohol influenced customs thinking since they have always been a favourite target.