Importing from the UK - definitive guide (Q&A)

Unrealistic

Marcusm wrote: »

This would simply attract a fine for delayed presentation. It has to be used by you at your normal place of residence outside the state and you have to present accommodation, employment and travel documents to prove this to Revenue's satisfaction. 9ne of the questions is whether it has, during your period of ownership overseas, ever been in Ireland. If you live and work here, stop thinking about it.

Those are the criteria for getting an exemption from VRT but that's not what he is asking about. He just wants to delay the import until the car is more than six months old so he doesn't have to pay VAT in addition to VRT. I don't think parking it in the North would work as the only document you have would be the invoice with the original transaction date. Putting it in a lock-up near Holyhead might be a better option as then at least you'll have a ferry ticket confirming the date it was physically imported.

Marcusm

Unrealistic wrote: »

Those are the criteria for getting an exemption from VRT but that's not what he is asking about. He just wants to delay the import until the car is more than six months old so he doesn't have to pay VAT in addition to VRT. I don't think parking it in the North would work as the only document you have would be the invoice with the original transaction date. Putting it in a lock-up near Holyhead might be a better option as then at least you'll have a ferry ticket confirming the date it was physically imported.

He would still have a VRT fine to pay in the circumstances he cited. If he parked it up in Holyhead, it would not be imported and the VRT/VAT point would not be triggered. It would be simpler to buy a slightly older car!

mjatkey

Thanks Marcusm, point taken, so new car from north is a no no, but secondhand older than 6 months or with more than 6000kms is fine. Thanks

Esel

mjatkey wrote: »

Thanks Marcusm, point taken, so new car from north is a no no, but secondhand older than 6 months or with more than 6000kms is fine. Thanks

No, you have that wrong. A car over 6 months old AND with more than 6,000 km will not attract VAT.

masit

Anybody buy from cargiant lately. Do they give you the V5 before you leave or do they insist on sending it to DVLA. And what about car tax. Bought 2 cars lately in the UK and I had to tax them before I drove off the forecourt. Do cargiant make you tax the car before you drive off?

bazz26

I think all UK dealers these days are not permitted to let a car they sell drive off their forecourt without it being taxed whether that be they tax it on your behalf or you tax it yourself before collecting it.

aujopimur

Can the UK road tax be reclaimed?.

masit

aujopimur wrote: »

Can the UK road tax be reclaimed?.

I think it can but the 2 cars I bought the tax was £20 so didn't look into reclaiming it.

readysetgo

masit wrote: »

Anybody buy from cargiant lately. Do they give you the V5 before you leave or do they insist on sending it to DVLA. And what about car tax. Bought 2 cars lately in the UK and I had to tax them before I drove off the forecourt. Do cargiant make you tax the car before you drive off?

cargiant you sign a disclaimer saying you are aware that you must tax the vehicle, they dont make you tax it. they are well used to export and give you all docs. the day i was there they sold 10 cars to irish.

meant to post as well that they will give change to irish bank drafts up to a couple of hundred euro if you find a car slightly cheaper than you intended buying.

masit

readysetgo wrote: »

cargiant you sign a disclaimer saying you are aware that you must tax the vehicle, they dont make you tax it. they are well used to export and give you all docs. the day i was there they sold 10 cars to irish.

meant to post as well that they will give change to irish bank drafts up to a couple of hundred euro if you find a car slightly cheaper than you intended buying.

Thanks for that. I have always looked at cargiant but never ventured down to them yet. I was chating a friend at the weekend who lives in the UK and found out he lives a few minutes from cargiant and spends the odd evening in there just looking through the cars so I can get him to have a look at them before I head over. I think my next car will be from cargiant.

pokerface92

Just one last question guys wanna get yer opinion on this...


So I rang about this car in NI, the woman explained its history telling me she bought it from a man working in a registered main dealers garage and she bought it on hire purchase. She told me there is 1000 pound owed on the car which she would pay using the money I give her.

Fair enough but if I do a HPI check and I see that there is indeed 1000 outstanding owed on the car, how can I be sure when I give her the money and we are standing in the bank that she is paying 1000 off her hire purchase? Sorry I'm a total newbie with all this stuff. I just moved from buying 1 litre bangers to finally wanting to buy something decent for myself

grogi

pokerface92 wrote: »

Fair enough but if I do a HPI check and I see that there is indeed 1000 outstanding owed on the car, how can I be sure when I give her the money and we are standing in the bank that she is paying 1000 off her hire purchase?

You can't. That's minor money (in this context of course), you could ask her to clear the finance first...

bazz26

pokerface92 wrote: »

Just one last question guys wanna get yer opinion on this...


So I rang about this car in NI, the woman explained its history telling me she bought it from a man working in a registered main dealers garage and she bought it on hire purchase. She told me there is 1000 pound owed on the car which she would pay using the money I give her.

Fair enough but if I do a HPI check and I see that there is indeed 1000 outstanding owed on the car, how can I be sure when I give her the money and we are standing in the bank that she is paying 1000 off her hire purchase? Sorry I'm a total newbie with all this stuff. I just moved from buying 1 litre bangers to finally wanting to buy something decent for myself

Go with her to the bank when she is paying it off, then get an official statement/letter from the bank stating the finance is now settled in full and they no longer have an interest in the car.

pokerface92

bazz26 wrote: »

Go with her to the bank when she is paying it off, then get an official statement/letter from the bank stating the finance is now settled in full and they no longer have an interest in the car.

Again, pardon my ignorance really sorry, but can the bank supply her with a statement to say that her finance agreement is settled or is it a thing the company that supplied her with the hire purchase will have to send out a letter that the their financial agreement has ceased? If I get a letter there and then with her in the bank that would be ideal

bazz26

In most cases people get finance from a bank so you should accompany her to the bank where you pay the 1k to them to settle the finance and at which time they should issue a final settlement statement to the effect that the finance agreement is now finished.

I would not be giving her 1k into her hand on the hope that she then goes off to pay off the finance and arranges to meet you later on. For all you know she could wonder off with the 1k and never be seen again. Also is there a reason why she didn't just pay off the 1k finance and be done with it before putting the car up for sale? That would avoid alot of hassle and potentially putting buyers off.

The important thing though is that if you are uncomfortable going ahead with it or she gives some excuses not for both of you to go the bank together then walk away, plenty of other cars out there.

pokerface92

bazz26 wrote: »

In most cases people get finance from a bank so you should accompany her to the bank where you pay the 1k to them to settle the finance and at which time they should issue a final settlement statement to the effect that the finance agreement is now finished.

I would not be giving her 1k into her hand on the hope that she then goes off to pay off the finance and arranges to meet you later on. For all you know she could wonder off with the 1k and never be seen again. Also is there a reason why she didn't just pay off the 1k finance and be done with it before putting the car up for sale? That would avoid alot of hassle and potentially putting buyers off.

The important thing though is that if you are uncomfortable going ahead with it or she gives some excuses not for both of you to go the bank together then walk away, plenty of other cars out there.

Thanks Bazz, she suggested the bank but then I wonder also because I'm from the south was she weary of me also. I told her I would transfer the money online to her account so perhaps she feels she can verify the money I sent there and then.


But I will ask to see her final settlement form, I just never knew you could get HP from the bank I always thought it was something only dealerships did. She told me she was waiting on the money from the sale of the car to pay the remaining sum. Fingers crossed after I drive the 5 hours up that its legitimate

Benny77

Hi guys,

Put a deposit down for a car in the uk. Next step is to fly over and get ferry back in the one day . Not willing to pay the rest til i see the car and check it out myself but my question is what is the best way to pay once I'm over there. I know my bank have a limit of €2500 per day so can't use my visa debit. Does anybody know how long a sterling draft will take to clear for the dealer so I can drive away on the same day?

Thanks in advance

yannakis

Benny77 wrote: »

Hi guys,

Put a deposit down for a car in the uk. Next step is to fly over and get ferry back in the one day . Not willing to pay the rest til i see the car and check it out myself but my question is what is the best way to pay once I'm over there. I know my bank have a limit of €2500 per day so can't use my visa debit. Does anybody know how long a sterling draft will take to clear for the dealer so I can drive away on the same day?

Thanks in advance

I'm following this thread for less than 2 months, and this question has been asked and answered about 15 times.. :mad:

grogi

YanisK wrote: »

I'm following this thread for less than 2 months, and this question has been asked and answered about 15 times.. :mad:

Maybe it is time to have a sticky locked topic with information how people pay in Sterling?!

Mc Love

Benny77 wrote: »

Hi guys,

Put a deposit down for a car in the uk. Next step is to fly over and get ferry back in the one day . Not willing to pay the rest til i see the car and check it out myself but my question is what is the best way to pay once I'm over there. I know my bank have a limit of €2500 per day so can't use my visa debit. Does anybody know how long a sterling draft will take to clear for the dealer so I can drive away on the same day?

Thanks in advance

I paid in sterling draft the last time I did it and was only at the dealer for about 2 hours.

Spires

Hi I'm planning on travelling over to U.K. To bring a car back for my father, he won't travel. Will the dealer be able to put his name on all the documents. If so great .. if not how do I go about changing it into his name. Thanks

darragh o meara

Spires wrote: »

Hi I'm planning on travelling over to U.K. To bring a car back for my father, he won't travel. Will the dealer be able to put his name on all the documents. If so great .. if not how do I go about changing it into his name. Thanks

I wouldn't be too worried whose name is on the documents, The V5 wont be registered too him and the receipt can be made out to you, the VRT crowd wont be too worried whose name is on the receipt once you have one. I'm speaking from experience here and have done similar twice this year alone.

Just make sure he has the rest of the documents Revenue require.

Marcusm

Spires wrote: »

Hi I'm planning on travelling over to U.K. To bring a car back for my father, he won't travel. Will the dealer be able to put his name on all the documents. If so great .. if not how do I go about changing it into his name. Thanks

The only document is the invoice and I doubt that they would have any problem making it out in whatever name you choose. The v5 will be in the former owner's name - make sure they give you all the parts of it that they have.

Pacifico

Which parts of the V5C do i need for the VRT?!

I have this: http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/techieboy_vx/v5c.png

and the green part from this sheet: http://car-from-uk.com/photo/v5c3.jpg

Is that enough?!

darragh o meara

Pacifico wrote: »

Which parts of the V5C do i need for the VRT?!

I have this: http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/techieboy_vx/v5c.png

and the green part from this sheet: http://car-from-uk.com/photo/v5c3.jpg

Is that enough?!

Yep, that'll do.

Isambard

don't forget the pictures of the Roller....

I assume they are example V5Cs? from two different cars.

Marcusm

Pacifico wrote: »

Which parts of the V5C do i need for the VRT?!

I have this: http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/techieboy_vx/v5c.png

and the green part from this sheet: http://car-from-uk.com/photo/v5c3.jpg

Is that enough?!

Assuming that you have the dealer an Irish address, the only part which should have been missing was section 9. If you bought from a private seller then no parts should have been missing.

However, I don't think you will have any problems as you have the principal page.

Pacifico

Isambard wrote: »

don't forget the pictures of the Roller....

I assume they are example V5Cs? from two different cars.

Ha yeah just examples i found online...what we actually got is far less exciting!

wex96

Hi guys bringing in a uk 131 but there's no mot, 3 months warranty with it, should I get mot or just put it through nct myself?
Thanks

bazz26

The MOT has no bearing on the NCT over here so you will still have to do a NCT on the 4th anniversary of it's original registration. However a fresh MOT might through up any issues or defects the car might currently have.

The one issue I would see if it hasn't got a valid MOT is that an ANPR camera will pick it up on the way to the ferry port. I'd imagine the UK police would impound a car without a valid MOT if pulled over.