Well I just got my refund cheque from HMRC for the £167 they slapped on me when my reel (and case) came back into the country after I sent it back to the manufacturer for warranty repair.
Morale of the story? Make sure you keep all documentation - emails, invoices, Postal tracking receipts for presenting to HMRC. This time it was only about a month, and you don't get your parcelforce fee refunded. I wonder what the percentage of people is who just give up and wear it, because it's too much hassle?

Stevel, don't know if you are aware of this but prior to exporting for repair you should refer to HMRC document "Guide to Importing & Exporting - Breaking Down the Barriers".
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...CE_PROD_008051
Search the document for the word "repair"; it tells you all you need to know. I found HMRC staff very helpful on the phone.
Andrew

Andrew,
Thanks that's helpful - I will consider it the next time to fill out a form for pre-approval prior to sending an item for repair, though to be fair these occasions are fairly infrequent (4-5 times over 15 years). Sometimes however the item may not have a serial number, as in the case of this reel, and also there may be some operator error in either the manufacturer filling out customs declarations (filling out zero value against a value for insurance may not be possible or allowed), and on some occasions where all the documentation was correctly provided and forms filled out, and charges were still applied.
The pre-approval form will definitely help in getting your money back in case of a claim, but it probably will not prevent the item from being charged duty if the documentation is not examined in the first place.
Regards,
Steve