Buying and Selling models to/from Europe

[Andy Hayter]

5 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

 

 

 

Does this have to be declared in some way?

 

Mike.

 

If you are within the limits then no it does not need to be declared.

[LimboBrit]

9 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

Does this have to be declared in some way?

Good question. I’m guessing that if you’re within the €430 limit there is nothing to declare. I’ll see what happens next time I return home after visiting the UK

[LimboBrit]

7 hours ago, SM42 said:

The keeping of receipts will be necessary methinks.

A good idea just to be on the safe side

[richard.h]

Importing goods into the EU from UK is becoming a minefield at the moment with no-one seeming to know what the exact rules are, a lot of the model shops are refusing to export until things are clearer.

 I ordered one Loco in January, it was held in Spanish Customs for six weeks and I supplied all the paperwork requested which I have done before with items from the US without a problem.

 

Then, when I checked last week it was on its way back to UK, I received no request for payment or further paperwork they just decided to send it back without any notification.

 

Richard

[5944]

Another order received today, third one in a couple of weeks, and again no extra charges. The export slip that was attached to the front of the parcel simply said secondhand model train cars in the description, and very little else. All three have been delivered by Parcel Force, so I don't know if that has any bearing on what is meant to be charged. 

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 08/04/2021 at 17:42, richard.h said:

 

Then, when I checked last week it was on its way back to UK, I received no request for payment or further paperwork they just decided to send it back without any notification.

 

Was that SEUR by any chance?

 

Mike.

[richard.h]

12 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Was that SEUR by any chance?

 

Mike.

No, this package was by Royal Mail + Correos tracked and this is the first problem I have had with them.

 

I switched to Royal Mail after a previous problem with a package from  DPD/Seur  in January which was:-

 Tracking showed that the parcel had arrived at their Spanish Depot but they couldn't find it when asked.

After about a month they asked me to pay 27euros for the parcel to clear customs.

I paid the money then they informed that the parcel had been returned to UK because it had been delayed too long in transit at their Depot.

 

They at least had the decency to refund my money when asked

 

The same parcel arrived in a week when resent by Royal Mail.

 

Richard

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

I've had the SEUR "it's been returned to sender" 3 times. all with different outcomes, the most recent being a couple of weeks ago when they sent me an email saying they had tried to deliver the package but I wasn't in so they'd taken it back and were returning it, which, considering the package, when properly tracked by me, didn't land at Barcelona until 2 days after they'd supposedly delivered it, was quite an achievement.

Regrettably, in my experience, the vast majority of businesses in Spain work on the "GASAMINI" principle; Go Away Stop Annoying Me I'm Not Interested.

 

Mike.

[D9020 Nimbus]

Had an order from Modellbahnshop-Lippe dispatched last Tuesday, arrived Friday: delivered by Parcelforce, before this year DHL Parcel UK handled the UK end. Less than £135; no VAT charged.

 

However, the time from order to dispatch was longer than before — almost a week (but with Easter in between). Looks like the COVID-19 situation in Germany is having an effect.

[andyman7]

18 minutes ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

Had an order from Modellbahnshop-Lippe dispatched last Tuesday, arrived Friday: delivered by Parcelforce, before this year DHL Parcel UK handled the UK end. Less than £135; no VAT charged.

I'm assuming you mean no extra VAT charged to you; Modellbahnshop-Lippe will have included and paid the VAT due on your behalf if the rules are being followed correctly

[Philou]

My experience so far in France is having had three parcels (loco in each plus three coaches in the one), and, so far so good, no additional charges were requested - all having been sent via Royal Mail/La Poste.

 

In sending out printed material from here to the UK (car pron), I send 3 or 4 at a time under printed matter (imprimés) rate and have been charged €3.70 (or thereabouts) all having been received in the UK without additional charges (thinking postal rather than VAT/tarrif tariff). Perhaps MSL could do the same (depending on weight natch)? YMMV of course as to how each country deals with postal rates.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

Edited April 11, 2021 by Philou
Drat - it's tariff!

[Guest WM183]

I wish. My experience in the Netherlands is exactly the opposite. I have to pay a 13 euro fee + VAT on everything over 20 euros from the UK, and the Netherlands never misses a single chance to get their money. A kit that now costs 20 euros or so winds up costing nearly 50 with shipping, VAT, + that customs fee. 

[LimboBrit]

2 hours ago, WM183 said:

I wish. My experience in the Netherlands is exactly the opposite. I have to pay a 13 euro fee + VAT on everything over 20 euros from the UK, and the Netherlands never misses a single chance to get their money. A kit that now costs 20 euros or so winds up costing nearly 50 with shipping, VAT, + that customs fee. 

For small single items it is just no longer interesting, I agree. For this sort of thing I use Hattons trunk service to bundle items and save as much as possible on shipping costs. Hattons and Rails can charge Dutch BTW at source instead of UK VAT so ultimately the damage can be limited.

[Guest WM183]

2 hours ago, LimboBrit said:

For small single items it is just no longer interesting, I agree. For this sort of thing I use Hattons trunk service to bundle items and save as much as possible on shipping costs. Hattons and Rails can charge Dutch BTW at source instead of UK VAT so ultimately the damage can be limited.

 

That is good to know. Sadly, neither of them sell much in the way of kits or parts, which is the bulk of what I need. Hell, Eileen's won't even ship outside the UK anymore. 

[Vinedusk]

I am confused.

 

What does this discussion have to do with German Railways?

 

 

[Oldddudders]

2 hours ago, Vinedusk said:

I am confused.

 

What does this discussion have to do with German Railways?

 

 

It is in the Modelling Zone, under the Continental & Overseas heading, and the entire discussion is extremely relevant to anyone in the UK purchasing models of European prototype from Europe, or modellers in the EU purchasing models of UK prototype from the UK. A seismic change has taken place since 1.1.21, as I'm sure you are aware. 

 

If the thread doesn't interest you, then ignore it. 

[5944]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

It is in the Modelling Zone, under the Continental & Overseas heading, and the entire discussion is extremely relevant to anyone in the UK purchasing models of European prototype from Europe, or modellers in the EU purchasing models of UK prototype from the UK. A seismic change has taken place since 1.1.21, as I'm sure you are aware. 

 

If the thread doesn't interest you, then ignore it. 

I think Vinedusk means why is it in the German section, rather than the general overseas modelling section. 

[Oldddudders]

1 hour ago, 5944 said:

I think Vinedusk means why is it in the German section, rather than the general overseas modelling section. 

Because the OP posted it there! If no-one asks the mods to move it then it will stay there until the Earth goes bang. And there may just be a clue in that the OP specifically mentions a Roco 012, which is a model of a German steam loco, so he is interested in German models. The fact that the tenet of the thread has moved to a discussion of post-Brexit issues and taxation, dues and rip-offs is what is known Internet-wide as thread-drift. 

[bbishop]

4 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Because the OP posted it there! If no-one asks the mods to move it then it will stay there until the Earth goes bang. And there may just be a clue in that the OP specifically mentions a Roco 012, which is a model of a German steam loco, so he is interested in German models. The fact that the tenet of the thread has moved to a discussion of post-Brexit issues and taxation, dues and rip-offs is what is known Internet-wide as thread-drift. 

I did ask, nothing happened!  It matters little.  Bill

[Vinedusk]

8 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

It is in the Modelling Zone, under the Continental & Overseas heading, and the entire discussion is extremely relevant to anyone in the UK purchasing models of European prototype from Europe, or modellers in the EU purchasing models of UK prototype from the UK. A seismic change has taken place since 1.1.21, as I'm sure you are aware. 

 

If the thread doesn't interest you, then ignore it. 

Well, based on the title, the discussion might have beeen interesting. Perhaps the title should have been “how brexit will affect trade between uk and europe”?

 

I would not then have bothered reading it, as I am thourougly tired of most discussions in any MRR forum being relentlessly diverted to this one issue.

 

I am not a UK resident, however I am interested in German Railways and Brexit has nothing to do with either me or German Railways.

[Bernard Lamb]

12 minutes ago, Vinedusk said:

Well, based on the title, the discussion might have beeen interesting. Perhaps the title should have been “how brexit will affect trade between uk and europe”?

 

I would not then have bothered reading it, as I am thourougly tired of most discussions in any MRR forum being relentlessly diverted to this one issue.

 

I am not a UK resident, however I am interested in German Railways and Brexit has nothing to do with either me or German Railways.

Unfortunately for many of us it has a very big effect.

As Germany is the biggest country in the EU and has a large railway system and a good many companies selling model trains and a large number of folk in the UK who are interested in the subject it seems to be a logical place to discuss the current situation. 

Bernard

[Andy Hayter]

You left out one item Bernard,

Germany has probably the highest per capita number of railway modellers (of all types) and consequently is very well served by the manufacturers.  

[Allegheny1600]

11 hours ago, bbishop said:

I did ask, nothing happened!  It matters little.  Bill

Sorry Bill, it would need a superior mod or admin to do such a move, not that I received your request!

As Bernard points out though this is as good a place as any and as it is a British forum, the title should be sufficient.

Sorry @Vinedusk, it’s just one of those things.

Cheers all,

John

[Neils WRX]

Had an arrival from a German Modelshop yesterday that I purchased via Ebay, paid by Paypal.

 

Box had all the customs documents on it (showing value, more than £135), yet no demands to pay anything from Parcel Force.

 

Just one question does Ebay do all the VAT stuff for you when you purchase ?

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

[Andy Hayter]

It depends.

If goods are shipped with the Global Shipping program, then all import costs are covered (with a healthy margin for the shipping company).

If the seller does his own shipping then normally the import costs are not covered.

 

I have read somewhere that UK customs are taking a light touch to import costs for private purchases until 1.7.2021 - also know as "we don't have the resources to do it properly".