Can I do ToR about 20 months after I arrived in the UK?

Thanks for the feedback and good advice as always. We will enclose a copy of the original letter... fingers crossed!

So after receiving no reply (to letters dated March 6 and then May 7, making our case for an over-12-months waiver, and attaching the ToR application and all enclosures), we filed a formal complaint on June 7. We got a reply from the Complaints people in the mail (and confirmation in a phone call) directing us back to the regular ToR application channel.  They basically said a letter asking for a waiver should be enclosed with an initial ToR application and not sent as a package to the Enquiry team (which is what we did.) The Complaints people could not explain why the Enquiry people did not simply forward to the right person or at least reply to us...
So it looks like you should not send waiver requests to Enquiry at this site: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/customs-international-trade-and-excise-enquiries
But do send them via the regular ToR channel and include your request for a waiver in the enclosures.
The HMRC complaints people have offered to liaise with the ToR people to expedite our request. Still, no guarantee that we will get a waiver or a ToR... Is this confusing enough??? 

Thank you for the update! It really sucks that they didn't  even bother to reply or use some common sense and pass on your enquiry but glad you're on the right track now. Hope you get a positive outcome SOON! 

Thanks, Larabee!
Now that I am about to submit the scan of the ToR form plus all attachments via email - do I recall reading that their capacity to receive email is limited and files larger than a certain size should be placed in a ZIP file? Is that right?
What information does one put in the covering email?
Thanks!
E

Happy to report my ToR application (which I first submitted last March!) was approved in one day, after being fast-tracked with the help of the Complaints department. They granted a waiver of the 12-month requirement and approved the ToR. Hurrah!
So if anyone out there needs to apply for a waiver of the requirement to move your things within 12 months of arriving in the UK... it seems the best route is to write a letter explaining your situation and include it as one of the enclosures with your ToR application. Then send it to the regular ToR application email or postal address.

Happy to report my ToR application (which I first submitted last March!) was approved in one day, after being fast-tracked with the help of the Complaints department. They granted a waiver of the 12-month requirement and approved the ToR. Hurrah!
So if anyone out there needs to apply for a waiver of the requirement to move your things within 12 months of arriving in the UK... it seems the best route is to write a letter explaining your situation and include it as one of the enclosures with your ToR application. Then send it to the regular ToR application email or postal address.

That is fantastic news!   . So sorry you got the runaround initially but your perseverance paid off!

Yay! So glad you were granted the TOR finally

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Congratulations, perseverance wins out!!

Thanks for coming back and letting us know, it’s good information for others who may find themselves in a similar situation.

I’m having a shipping issues. I applied for a TOR and was denied. I actually spoke to the person who took on my application and explained. They said they’d do what they can to approve and took all of my “exceptional circumstances” details. It was denied...it was just too long (3 years since my move) so there was no way it could be accepted.

She advised we label everything with the shipping company personal effects and itemise it all as used “garage sale” value.

Is there any other options or do I have to just take my chances?


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I’m having a shipping issues. I applied for a TOR and was denied. I actually spoke to the person who took on my application and explained. They said they’d do what they can to approve and took all of my “exceptional circumstances” details. It was denied...it was just too long (3 years since my move) so there was no way it could be accepted.

She advised we label everything with the shipping company personal effects and itemise it all as used “garage sale” value.

Is there any other options or do I have to just take my chances?


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Thanks for sharing, Karl. That's really unfortunate but it's good to have this information on the forum so others won't assume that the leeway past the usual 12 months is endless.

Is there any other options or do I have to just take my chances?

Bring a little bit back in your suitcase with each visit.

In another 2.5 years, get citizenship here.  Then move back to the US.  Then after some time, move to the UK again, this time getting ToR immediately.

It wasn’t so bad in the end. The total for customs/fees was £176. It’s in the country now at least. Our smart clutter free house is about to look like we hoard. I used Upakweship for the entire thing.

Hi Karl,

I was wondering if you could please give a bit more detail of what your declared value was? We are planning to move our belongings out of storage in ( 6years+)  so have no chance or TOR relief.

It's just  a 5 X 10 storage unit's worth : bookcases- lots of books, carpets and hope chest,,lamps and 40 boxes of obviously used household items. After seeing 20% of CIF being used we're afraid if we spend £6000 to complete move- it's going to be in the £1200 zone - 

Thanks, and congratulations on getting your belongings to your home. It's no small feat!
-Caroline

It wasn’t so bad in the end. The total for customs/fees was £176. It’s in the country now at least. Our smart clutter free house is about to look like we hoard. I used Upakweship for the entire thing.

Hi Karl,

I was wondering if you could please give a bit more detail of what your declared value was? We are planning to move our belongings out of storage in ( 6years+)  so have no chance or TOR relief.

It's just  a 5 X 10 storage unit's worth : bookcases- lots of books, carpets and hope chest,,lamps and 40 boxes of obviously used household items. After seeing 20% of CIF being used we're afraid if we spend £6000 to complete move- it's going to be in the £1200 zone - 

Thanks, and congratulations on getting your belongings to your home. It's no small feat!
-Caroline

Hi, we were lucky in that we had three weeks in the USA to sort it all out. So a lot of it got sold. We only had two pallets to ship (75 moving boxes).

So firstly for insurance we sent an itemised list. The value on this list was £5,600. It was pretty much what it would cost to replace it if lost.

The same list was then modified for customs with car boot / garage sale costs. Everything was declared as “personal effects”.  The same items on this list totalled £549

Literally like “Kitchen Utensils” insured at £75, garage sale cost £3. We were told to not be concerned about going to even NIL as the value.

What a great thread guys.  I'm in similar situation, except worse--ten years on and I finally saved up enough to buy a house and get my stuff moved over.  How can they hold us to account to a law they passed AFTER we moved?  I came over in 2010 and the law was passed in 2013?  I've explained my reasons for delay (renting a furnished flat due to non-permanent contract so no room for goods; once permanent, couldn't afford to buy due to London prices; finally saved up the down payment to house the goods; now they tell me they changed the law and I can't get a waiver from it).

Needless to say, it's upsetting, but you've all identified little tips.  Perhaps it's the complaints route?  Or should I take my chances on incurring duty taxes?  And what is CIF?  Sorry guys if this is mentioned elsewhere, but I'm loosing the will to live here.

Appreciate any help as always, this forum always comes through.

B