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Customs charge...where do we stand?

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  • 03-12-2008 4:59pm
    #1
    Spider_Baby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 206 ✭✭


    Hi,

    Just wondering if anyone knows anything about custom charges from the US.
    My mum recently received an ipod as a present from a relation in the states.

    About a week later she received a letter from fed-ex saying my Mum owes them €65 for customs and taxes.
    Does this sound right...and does she have any rights, or does she have to pay up?

    Thanks :)


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    #2
    lynchie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,996 ✭✭✭lynchie


    Should be covered by this thread

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055178893


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    #3
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,316 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    Spider_Baby wrote: »
    Hi,

    Just wondering if anyone knows anything about custom charges from the US.
    My mum recently received an ipod as a present from a relation in the states.

    About a week later she received a letter from fed-ex saying my Mum owes them €65 for customs and taxes.
    Does this sound right...and does she have any rights, or does she have to pay up?

    Thanks :)
    Sounds right, her rights are to follow the law(even though not intentionally breaking them) and yes she will have to pay.


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    #4
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    Any gift over 45 euro in value (including delivery) is subject to duty and VAT. Her choice is to pay, or send back the gift.


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    #5
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    When is the higher limit coming into effect?
    I thought I saw somewhere that there's a new limit of ~100 Euro or so via some EU directive?


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    #6
    tony1kenobi
    Registered Users Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭tony1kenobi


    jor el wrote: »
    Any gift over 45 euro in value (including delivery) is subject to duty and VAT. Her choice is to pay, or send back the gift.

    Could she send back the box and say that was the gift?


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    #7
    boopolo
    Registered Users Posts: 578 ✭✭✭boopolo


    Ste.phen wrote: »
    When is the higher limit coming into effect?
    I thought I saw somewhere that there's a new limit of ~100 Euro or so via some EU directive?
    €150 since Monday on IMPORTS (online shopping etc). This applies to duty only. You would still be liable for VAT.

    I rang customs for another OP and was told they are fully implimenting the new EU regulation since the 1st Dec. If you do happen to get charged duty on an item under €150 you can claim it back.

    Boo


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    #8
    Ste.phen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,808 ✭✭✭Ste.phen


    Ah, but the VAT is the kicker, the duty itself isn't that important really.
    Damn, was hoping VAT would be gone too


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    #9
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    tony1kenobi wrote: »
    Could she send back the box and say that was the gift?

    That wouldn't work. You'd need to contact the courier, and get them to send it back to the sender. They would also know what was in it, as they valued it for VAT in the first place. There's no way to around this, unless you don't get assessed for the charges in the first place.
    boopolo wrote: »
    €150 since Monday on IMPORTS (online shopping etc). This applies to duty only. You would still be liable for VAT.

    It's rare you would ever see the duty even applied.


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    #10
    boopolo
    Registered Users Posts: 578 ✭✭✭boopolo


    Ste.phen wrote: »
    Ah, but the VAT is the kicker, the duty itself isn't that important really.
    Damn, was hoping VAT would be gone too
    Yes me too. But I rang customs on Tuesday to be told that VAT will be still applied to goods of over 20 odd Euro (22? 25?). Yes the VAT is bigger, but remember they used to put the VAT on the customs as well.

    So it used to be say €100+12% Duty = €112+21.5% VAT = €136.08

    Now is €100+21% VAT = €121.50 (saving 14.58%)
    The OP said they were charged duty & VAT. If this is the case they can claim the duty back (+VAT on duty) if it entered Ireland on Monday or after Monday

    Boo


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    #11
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,316 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    boopolo wrote: »
    The OP said they were charged duty & VAT. If this is the case they can claim the duty back (+VAT on duty) if it entered Ireland on Monday or after Monday

    Boo
    Only if the Ipod AND shipping cost less then 150 Euro.


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    #12
    Spider_Baby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 206 ✭✭Spider_Baby


    THanks for all your replies.
    I knew there was an exception for gifts, I didnt realise the limit was so low though! :eek:
    My poor Mum now has to pay €65 in charges...for an ipod she didn't want...and isn't able to use.
    Sending it back isn't an option either, as she doesn't really want to insult the people who gave it to her.

    Thanks for all your help :)


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    #13
    boopolo
    Registered Users Posts: 578 ✭✭✭boopolo


    Nody wrote: »
    Only if the Ipod AND shipping cost less then 150 Euro.
    Yes sure. I should have added that to the post.

    Boo


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