FC-Moto experience post-Brexit

FC-Moto experience post-Brexit

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Discussion

Salted_Peanut

Original Poster:

1,544 posts

61 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
Has anyone bought stuff from FC-Moto recently? What's shipping like from Germany to the UK post-Brexit?

Iminquarantine

2,168 posts

51 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
Not FC-Moto, but I have had stuff sent from Germany, under £135 if that makes a difference to you.

I didn’t have to pay UK VAT or courier fees. The German seller had not registered with HMRC and did correctly declare the value of the goods on the customs form. Your mileage might vary, I know other people who have had to pay UK VAT and courier clearance fees. Personally I now avoid EU stores and I have no doubt EU customers avoid buying from the UK.

mike-v2tmf

795 posts

86 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
I recently bought a pair of Daytona boots off E Bay......from a shop in Germany and got stung for import duty and VAT to the tune of £147 ............never again

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

219 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
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mike-v2tmf said:
I recently bought a pair of Daytona boots off E Bay......from a shop in Germany and got stung for import duty and VAT to the tune of £147 ............never again
Did you have to pay German sales tax too?

Drabbesttunic

1,340 posts

47 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
Salted_Peanut said:
Has anyone bought stuff from FC-Moto recently? What's shipping like from Germany to the UK post-Brexit?
Shocking but then fc moto weren't great anyway.

mike-v2tmf

795 posts

86 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
Did you have to pay German sales tax too?
No idea ,

Iminquarantine

2,168 posts

51 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
Did you have to pay German sales tax too?
The vendor should not be charging German tax. AFAIK FC-Moto sell ex-tax to the U.K. Overseas companies are supposed to register with HMRC and collect U.K. VAT at the point of sale, keep records and remit the collected tax to the U.K. From what I’ve seen so far, some companies do this, some decide that is too difficult and refuse orders from the UK, some just don’t do it and keep selling to the UK anyway (sometimes with, sometimes without local tax).

Depending on how organised UK Customs and your courier are, you might get lumped with VAT and any duty plus a service charge (no. 3 post in this thread) or like me you might get lucky and you won’t need to pay.

It’s certainly not as easy as previously and there is scope for extra costs.

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

219 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
mike-v2tmf said:
CaptainSlow said:
Did you have to pay German sales tax too?
No idea ,
I suspect you didn't, which is why you paid UK VAT. How did you pay import duty when there is an fta with the EU?

Iminquarantine

2,168 posts

51 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
I suspect you didn't, which is why you paid UK VAT. How did you pay import duty when there is an fta with the EU?
If the product does not have a significant EU value added component (eg it’s made in China, exported to the EU, then re-exported) then it’s not exempt from tariffs. The same works the other way too, a UK seller selling a China sourced item to an EU customer would mean the customer is liable for tariffs/duty, despite the FTA.

Paying EU VAT doesn’t exempt you from UK VAT, the seller is just being lazy by not selling it ex-local VAT. Prior to 2021, once VAT in any EU country was paid, there was no additional U.K. VAT liability. That is no longer the case.

Plus if the courier fixes it, they will charge you for it.

Edited by Iminquarantine on Thursday 13th May 21:45

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

219 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
quotequote all
Daytona boots are made in Germany.

gareth_r

5,971 posts

244 months

Friday 14th May 2021
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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes...

The UK Government said:
For imports of goods from outside the UK in consignments not exceeding £135 in value (which aligns with the threshold for customs duty liability), we will be moving the point at which VAT is collected from the point of importation to the point of sale. This will mean that UK supply VAT, rather than import VAT, will be due on these consignments.
The new arrangements will also involve the abolition of Low Value Consignment Relief, which relieves import VAT on consignments of goods valued at £15 or less.
Online marketplaces (OMPs), where they are involved in facilitating the sale, will be responsible for collecting and accounting for the VAT.
For goods sent from overseas and sold directly to UK consumers without OMP involvement, the overseas seller will be required to register and account for the VAT to HMRC.
Summary
If the total value of the order is less than £135, then FC-Moto must be registered for VAT with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and must charge you UK VAT.
If the value of the order is greater than £135, then it's the same as buying goods from, say, the USA. You are responsible for paying VAT and import duty, and there will no doubt be a handling charge from whichever company delivers it.

Edited by gareth_r on Friday 14th May 00:23

alan36

444 posts

191 months

Friday 14th May 2021
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Is it VAT on whatever is over £135 or VAT on the full value?

Iminquarantine

2,168 posts

51 months

Friday 14th May 2021
quotequote all
Full value.

Under £135, there are still many overseas companies who have not registered with HMRC and maybe never will, but are still sending to the U.K.

Going back to FC-Moto, they might or might not have registered with HMRC. HMRC charges a subscription fee for this, plus it’s overhead and additional reporting, to sell to limited numbers of customers.

Edited by Iminquarantine on Friday 14th May 08:15

gareth_r

5,971 posts

244 months

Friday 14th May 2021
quotequote all
Iminquarantine said:
...Under £135, there are still many overseas companies who have not registered with HMRC and maybe never will, but are still sending to the U.K...
I wondered about that. The gov.uk page doesn't mention what happens if the rules are ignored.

Dog Star

16,490 posts

175 months

Friday 14th May 2021
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I’m just very careful and double check. A few weeks ago I bought a £5k mountain bike direct from Germany and it was totally painless. No extra costs, no paperwork (that I had to deal with). I obviously did check first; it could have been bad.

Drawweight

3,104 posts

123 months

Friday 14th May 2021
quotequote all

I suppose you just need to do your homework.

FC-Moto prices versus a U.K. shop.

Daytona Evo Voltex GTX £430.49 v £779.99 from Helmet City.

Even an extra £150 in duty / fees you’re still paying less.


catso

14,853 posts

274 months

Friday 14th May 2021
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Iminquarantine said:
Full value.
Including any shipping costs if shown on the paperwork...

Prof Prolapse

16,160 posts

197 months

Friday 14th May 2021
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I can't wait for the channel to open again so we can start smuggling motorcycle gear.



Patrick Star

187 posts

70 months

Friday 14th May 2021
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Recently bought a new lid from Chromeburner (based in NL).

Delivered in 4 days with nothing extra to pay on top of the advertised price.

catso

14,853 posts

274 months

Friday 14th May 2021
quotequote all
Patrick Star said:
Recently bought a new lid from Chromeburner (based in NL).

Delivered in 4 days with nothing extra to pay on top of the advertised price.
Not everyone gets picked up so you were lucky but, it's not unheard of for the courier to deliver and then send you an invoice for the VAT + their handling fee at a later date.