Customs charges/VAT for shipments after 12 months of living in the UK

Hi Everyone,

So after 7 years of living here in the UK and finally buying a house, I am now ready to ship my storage unit of stuff over from the USA.  Unfortunately, because I didn't ship my stuff within 12 months of moving over, I am now subject to paying VAT and/or customs charges up to 19% on the "value" of my shipment!  It's really just things like family photos, my book and record collection, some small pieces of furniture etc, but an added expense I didn't anticipate.  Just wanted to let you guys know that perhaps shipping stuff over sooner rather than later may be wise!  I've chosen Gentle Giant as my shipper based on some great reviews here on UK-Y, so I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Goodness!! Thank you for posting that info about VAT and customs charges beyond twelve months. I'm waiting until January to ship our items and will check out Gentle Giant.

All the best

The key here is the 'value'; for essentially everything, aside from valuable antiques, booze, cigarettes and so forth there is actually 'no cash value'.

We shipped before we left and nothing was dutiable, but still had to put a 'value' on the UK customs form. Our agent said to look at it as if an item in a yard sale.

This is very coincidental - I was coming on here to see if I was the only one in this situation. My husband and I have lived here almost 9 years and just bought a house and want to ship over all our wedding gifts (we got married a few months before moving) and just found this out. Not sure what we're going to do now - if we claim 'garage sale' value, we can't get insurance. If we claim the real value, we'll owe too much in taxes to make it worth shipping.

I just found this on the H&M website. I 'think' you might have gotten bad advice actually. It seems to say that if you've 'ever' lived outside the EC for more than 12 months and 'ever' used these items for more than 6 months you aren't liable.
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5.1 Can I get relief from duty and tax on transfer of residence?

Yes. You can bring in your belongings or vehicle free of duty and tax so long as you:

    are moving your normal home to the EC
    have had your normal home outside the EC for a continuous period of at least 12 months
    have possessed and used them for at least 6 months outside the EC before they are imported
    did not get them under a duty/tax free scheme (but see paragraph 5.2)
    declare them to us as explained in paragraph 3.2
    will keep them for your personal use and
    do not sell, lend, hire out or otherwise dispose of them in the EC within 12 months of importation, unless you notify us first and pay duty and VAT on disposal. Our hepline can tell you how to do this.

Belongings include clothing, furniture, portable tools of trade, pets and other household and personal effects, but not alcoholic drinks or tobacco products: you will not get relief on those unless they travel in with you and qualify for the duty-free allowances - see paragraph 2.1.

We will normally waive the second and third conditions if you could not meet them due to circumstances beyond your control. Explain the position to our officer when you declare your belongings or vehicle.

Generally speaking, "possession" means "to have" rather than "to own", but there are particular restrictions in relation to company vehicles imported by travelling sales representatives. Our helpline can give you full details.

See paragraph 5.5 if any of your belongings or vehicle were previously taken out of the EC.

Other goods and vehicles imported for commercial purposes will not qualify for this particular relief. However, if you are also transferring your business to the UK, you may be able to claim the alternative relief on imported capital goods. See our Notice 343 Importing capital goods free of duty and VAT.

Hey Bound4Orkney, how did you find your experience with GentleGiant and Customs/Import Taxes?

My parents are in the process of cleaning out their house so they can move somewhere smaller and I need to start thinking about getting all my stuff out of there. I don't have too much, but it's stuff that I want and is sentimental to me.

We were just discussing this.  Background:  I lived in UK over 20 years on an ILR but then lost it when I had to move back to US and stayed over the 2-year limit.  Been back here nearly two years (as an Irish citizen).  DH says I will have to ditch everything I accumulated plus the family heirlooms -- "replacing" it all will be cheaper than shipping, duty, VAT, etc.  My argument is that most of it is not replaceable.  Would the furniture my great grandfather made be regarded as "antiques"?  Obviously cannot shift all the big stuff but I would have liked to have a few of the smaller things.

Once again I've made a bad decision due to ignorance.  The last few years in the US I stocked up on household items (towels, kitchen stuff and so on) and now they'll have to go to Goodwill   

Hey Bound4Orkney, how did you find your experience with GentleGiant and Customs/Import Taxes?

My parents are in the process of cleaning out their house so they can move somewhere smaller and I need to start thinking about getting all my stuff out of there. I don't have too much, but it's stuff that I want and is sentimental to me.

Hi PB and everyone else who answered my post!

I am going back to the USA in March to begin the process, so I will be sure to update everyone on my experience!

I just found this on the H&M website. I 'think' you might have gotten bad advice actually. It seems to say that if you've 'ever' lived outside the EC for more than 12 months and 'ever' used these items for more than 6 months you aren't liable.
_________________________
 
5.1 Can I get relief from duty and tax on transfer of residence?

Yes. You can bring in your belongings or vehicle free of duty and tax so long as you:

    are moving your normal home to the EC
    have had your normal home outside the EC for a continuous period of at least 12 months
    have possessed and used them for at least 6 months outside the EC before they are imported
    did not get them under a duty/tax free scheme (but see paragraph 5.2)
    declare them to us as explained in paragraph 3.2
    will keep them for your personal use and
    do not sell, lend, hire out or otherwise dispose of them in the EC within 12 months of importation, unless you notify us first and pay duty and VAT on disposal. Our hepline can tell you how to do this.

Belongings include clothing, furniture, portable tools of trade, pets and other household and personal effects, but not alcoholic drinks or tobacco products: you will not get relief on those unless they travel in with you and qualify for the duty-free allowances - see paragraph 2.1.

We will normally waive the second and third conditions if you could not meet them due to circumstances beyond your control. Explain the position to our officer when you declare your belongings or vehicle.

Generally speaking, "possession" means "to have" rather than "to own", but there are particular restrictions in relation to company vehicles imported by travelling sales representatives. Our helpline can give you full details.

See paragraph 5.5 if any of your belongings or vehicle were previously taken out of the EC.

Other goods and vehicles imported for commercial purposes will not qualify for this particular relief. However, if you are also transferring your business to the UK, you may be able to claim the alternative relief on imported capital goods. See our Notice 343 Importing capital goods free of duty and VAT.

Thanks to you PittP, for this additional information- I am totally going to try for the interpretation of the "ever" angle on this, and will be sure to let everyone know if it was successful.