I am considering a purchase of a fly rod from America via ebay - what would be the approximate taxes for a £150 - £200 rod? also are there any other 'pitfalls' of buying from a foreign country.

Thanks,

Daryl

Hi. Ask fredevans, he might be able to help you out.

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If is second hand get sender to mark package as second hand gift, and indeed make payment by pay pal stating same gift.
avoids paying said taxes!!
regards
bert

This is what I tend to do with my 'forrin' purchases but ask the vendor first as they are not always willing to mark a package as gift.

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

I believe the most you can be liable for is VAT at 20% plus a £25-30 fixed handling fee

I got nailed for this!

Even though its marked as a 'gift' I'm certain that HMRC can open it to check the contents even though its secondhand/gift etc.
They chraged me £35 for the pleasure so my £10 oakleys cost me £45. (still a bargain though)

Call your nearest HMRC office and ask, you don't need to give your name!

Finally bear in mind that if your seller undervalues the item and it goes amiss the insurance (if any) won't cover the cost.

I buy quite a lot of radio equipment which is sometimes due import tax. If you can get the sender to mark it as a gift BUT also to mark down the price if asked to state value on the shipping form.

.. Sometimes stuff coming from canada will require duty to be paid even if it's a gift and is calculated by the monetry value put on the packet.

I have a friend in El Paso who buys my gear for me and sends it over..

you will find HONG KONG distributers regularly send things as a gift as standard to help us out .. I'm only going off what radio stuff i buy here though.

this import duty is a big hit and miss affair lots of times..

As an HMRC employee, marking the package as gift will avoid you the duty due, although I can only stress to declare things when tax is liable. ;-)

This hasn't been my experience as I have been nobbled for duties/tax on gifts in the past. Excerpt from the HMRC site says:
Regards
-A.

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Yep the 20% on goods valued above £15 seems right, also the handling fee is non regulated and the postal service used can charge whatever handling fee they like.

I bought a reel from Cabelas and thought I had got myself a bargain. WRONG...The reel waas delivered by UPS to my home address and I was then asked for the VAT and a substancial handling charge?....I ended up paying more for the reel than if I had bought it in the UK

I believe their are ways to mark good's in different ways but it seems it a bit of a lottory.