UK members : Anyone dealt with sorting out customs fees on an import (non watch related)

[fraggle42]

I've got a large LiOn battery pack (5KW) and matching charger coming in by sea right now.

 

I need to get the customs duty and VAT sorted out before I can pick it up, which apparently involves completing a C88 form declaring what I'm importing (or doing it online) and paying the fees due.

 

I think...

 

 

I have an importer company sorting out a quote for doing this for me (haven't received it yet), but it occurs to me that if all I'm doing is filling out one form and paying her majesty some wonga, why do I need another company to do that, and charge me extra for the privilage?

 

Has anyone done this themselves before?

 

It's not for a company, it's for me, private individual.

 

 

The fly in the ointment is that I need to have this sorted and paid before I can collect, and it'll be here by Tuesday next week (22nd), and after 2 days I'll start getting storage charges, and i'm off into hospital for a few days on 25th next week. I see that I can send the form in my post but that'll take longer than I need, companies like the one quoting me for doing this have online systems for sending the details in which I think will be the only way I can get it done in time now.

 

So I think I may have to let this lot quote for doing it, use them this time and be ready the next time to do it myself.

 

[Nightwatch]

Hi, usually do it myself and pay 31% of which 23% VAT on item including shipping cost, but I´m not UK. Biggest trouble I had was once getting an electronic compliance certificate to EU norms for an electronics device from the US (nothing to do with the taxes themselves). Good luck. If the value is up to 22 euro You don´t pay as a private.

[fraggle42]

Thanks.

Value is just over $3000, of which $430 is shipping which is why I'm more than a bit annoyed at these "extra" fees.

Here's the itemised quote

Terminal Handling:GBP 65.00

Documentation:GBP 165.00

Customs clearance GBP 85.00

Handover GBP 15.00

Cisf Gbp 40.00

Security Gbp 11.00

Presentation GBP 25.00

Infrastructure Gbp 3.50

I mean, half of those things just sound made up? Presentation? Handover? Infrastructure?

Have left a message with the supplier to get in touch with their shipper to get in touch with the lot who quoted me that to (try to) sort it put, but I have a feeling this will be an expensive lesson, never agree to have something delivered to a port, you think you're saving money but it costs you a whole heap more

[coffindodger]

Thanks.

Value is just over $3000, of which $430 is shipping which is why I'm more than a bit annoyed at these "extra" fees.

Here's the itemised quote

Terminal Handling:GBP 65.00

Documentation:GBP 165.00

Customs clearance GBP 85.00

Handover GBP 15.00

Cisf Gbp 40.00

Security Gbp 11.00

Presentation GBP 25.00

Infrastructure Gbp 3.50

frig me was it worth it?

thats a lot of extras mate

[Nightwatch]

That´s a hefty bill there, customs+excise duty + VAT - strange don´t see the VAT charge there, that alone should make up for some 357,5 GBP

[fraggle42]

The duty and VAT are extra. In total it'll be an extra £875 ish.

 

Have asked some people that know all this stuff and basically I was caught out by the chinese supplier convincing me that the total charges for shipping where what I had initially paid, when the reality was the initial amount PLUS all this lot. The way I should of done it is get the supplier to ship if FOB and use a UK freight forwarding service to get a complete quote up front and control it all from the UK.

 

Hey ho, I learned something and it didn't cost too much

[spooky driver]

man that seems crazy extras...

 

ok im trying to see what the battery does...... so your interests are in Watches, Sports Cars, Motorbikes, Photography, Home Cinema, Good Food, Great Wine.

 

Have you built a bike from a bicycle?

[Nightwatch]

Off-grid Solar system? or do You want to power up a huge flashlight/projector on a Yacht

All-in all, in some 6 months time would be interesting to know if it was worth it altogether.

[fraggle42]

Give Nightwatch half a coconut! It is to do with solar systems, yes.

 

It's a system that uses the solar generated power to charge up the 5KW battery pack, and then when the sun goes down it releases the energy back into the house.

 

As we all work during the day, we can't use most of the generated power, and so we have to pay for the power we use in the evening / night.

 

Time shift the energy and you can reduce your electricity bill to very little - one chap has reduced his bill to €30 one year.

 

You'd think you could use normal lead acid batteries but they cannot be charged fast enough and unless you buy leisure batteries, cannot be discharged a lot either, try to use them and they'll last 3 months or so.

 

LifePO4 batteries can take a huge charge current, provide an even greater discharge current, and should last 5 years until they're at 80% capacity. Unfortunately they cost about 10x what lead acid batteries do!

 

Of course there's a lot of additional stuff to control the variable current charging, discharging, grid-tie inverters, battery health monitoring, etc.