Customs charges, grrr

Bought an $80 item from the states, which has arrived at the local post office. I got a nice letter through the door to let me know, with a demand for £14 customs charge.

How the hell can I be charged 35% of the value of the item? Incorrectly marked, or is extortion standard practice for importing good?

I would imagine that is a combination of duty and VAT on the value of the goods. It's the same as a regular importer would have to pay if they were importing goods; through the post it sometimes gets picked up and sometimes not.

Import duty & VAT generally amounts to around 1/3 value of the original purchase.

It's such a rip off. Customs duty stinks. More money for doing nothing whatsoever. I want to know where all this stealth tax is going. I don't see any of it that's for sure. I just collect piles of £££ for the government for no payment back, and if I'm a day late I get clobbered with a £100 fine. I hate them.

Edit - just read Baph's reply. Uncharacteristically tame!

Originally Posted by Ed

Edit - just read Baph's reply. Uncharacteristically tame!

There's an argument between two of the guys in the office here at the moment (religion, law, order, hitler, NHS, tax system etc etc).

I'm trying to stop myself laughing at them at the moment.

I'll be back to my usual self later

EDIT: Now it's moved on to immigrants and I quote "F*ing Hitler did some good things, even though he was the anti-christ."

[Stu]

I though there was no duty on less than £50. Would be worth looking into.

[Viney]

Quit yah whinging and pay the money before Lyn comes and gives you a long explination

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

is extortion standard practice for importing good?

Correct. I was charged about 50% duty for something I imported a couple of years ago, so consider yourself lucky that you were only charged 35%.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Viney

Quit yah whinging and pay the money before Lyn comes and gives you a long explination

Yeah Lyn posted a link in another thread a while ago (can't be bothered to search ). You pay the duty of 3% (IIRC) then VAT on the total like with petrol. Bad luck getting noticed, often you get away with it.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Baph

EDIT: Now it's moved on to immigrants and I quote "F*ing Hitler did some good things, even though he was the anti-christ."

Class!