I bet someone here knows the answer to this.

Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something from
Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?

Do I pay the German VAT (16%), or do they charge me ex-vat and I pay UK VAT?
I'm not registered, so it's not a question of whether or not I can claim it.
However, I've no great desire to pay German (or any) VAT if I don't have to.

Some of the things I sell I can get cheaper, retail, from a supplier in
Germany than I can get trade from the supplier in this country, and I'm fed
up with it. It does nothing to improve sales, either. For example, an item
which I have to pay 100 quid or so plus vat from my UK supplier I can get
for about 146 euro (the equivalent of 96 quid) *including* VAT. and it's
about 10 euros to post it, or some such amount. 's no wonder people are
emigrating.

If I get this thing from Germany instead, I can either make more mark-up on
it or offer it at a better price than the UK RRP. Both are, IMHO, good
things.

What I've not established is whether the UK importer is ripping us off or
whether they#re being ripped off in their turn. The items are made in
Germany, but sell for similar money in the US as they do in Germany, so it's
not a shipping issue.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio" (it is when I struggle to be
brief that I become obscure) Horace (65 - 8 BC) Ars Poetica, 25

Austin Shackles wrote:
> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
>
> Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something
> from Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?
>
> Do I pay the German VAT (16%), or do they charge me ex-vat and I
> pay UK VAT? I'm not registered, so it's not a question of whether
> or not I can claim it. However, I've no great desire to pay German
> (or any) VAT if I don't have to.
>
> Some of the things I sell I can get cheaper, retail, from a
> supplier in Germany than I can get trade from the supplier in this
> country, and I'm fed up with it. It does nothing to improve sales,
> either. For example, an item which I have to pay 100 quid or so
> plus vat from my UK supplier I can get for about 146 euro (the
> equivalent of 96 quid) *including* VAT. and it's about 10 euros to
> post it, or some such amount. 's no wonder people are emigrating.
>
> If I get this thing from Germany instead, I can either make more
> mark-up on it or offer it at a better price than the UK RRP. Both
> are, IMHO, good things.
>
> What I've not established is whether the UK importer is ripping us
> off or whether they#re being ripped off in their turn. The items
> are made in Germany, but sell for similar money in the US as they
> do in Germany, so it's not a shipping issue.

It's a minefield & it all depends on what you are importing? Toys are VAT free etc, so are 'gifts'

Minefield!


--
Ta!

Nige

Subaru WRX (54)
Land Rover Turbo Diesel 110 (G)
KTM 520 SX (2001)
Kawasaki ZZR 1100 (1995)

"Nige" <nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:H9udnQA4wIxoG9bYRVnyrA@pipex.net...
> Austin Shackles wrote:
> > I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
> >
> > Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something
> > from Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?
> >
> > Do I pay the German VAT (16%), or do they charge me ex-vat and I
> > pay UK VAT? I'm not registered, so it's not a question of whether
> > or not I can claim it. However, I've no great desire to pay German
> > (or any) VAT if I don't have to.
> >
> > Some of the things I sell I can get cheaper, retail, from a
> > supplier in Germany than I can get trade from the supplier in this
> > country, and I'm fed up with it. It does nothing to improve sales,
> > either. For example, an item which I have to pay 100 quid or so
> > plus vat from my UK supplier I can get for about 146 euro (the
> > equivalent of 96 quid) *including* VAT. and it's about 10 euros to
> > post it, or some such amount. 's no wonder people are emigrating.
> >
> > If I get this thing from Germany instead, I can either make more
> > mark-up on it or offer it at a better price than the UK RRP. Both
> > are, IMHO, good things.
> >
> > What I've not established is whether the UK importer is ripping us
> > off or whether they#re being ripped off in their turn. The items
> > are made in Germany, but sell for similar money in the US as they
> > do in Germany, so it's not a shipping issue.
>
> It's a minefield & it all depends on what you are importing? Toys are VAT
free etc, so are 'gifts'
>
> Minefield!
>
>
I thought if you bought something here for export immediately then you
didn't pay v.a.t, if so then you probably wouldn't pay it in Germany, just
import/vat when you brought it in. BICBVW

Martin

Oily wrote:
> "Nige" <nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote in message
> news:H9udnQA4wIxoG9bYRVnyrA@pipex.net...
>> Austin Shackles wrote:
>>> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
>>>
>>> Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something
>>> from Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?
>>>
>>> Do I pay the German VAT (16%), or do they charge me ex-vat and I
>>> pay UK VAT? I'm not registered, so it's not a question of whether
>>> or not I can claim it. However, I've no great desire to pay German
>>> (or any) VAT if I don't have to.
>>>
>>> Some of the things I sell I can get cheaper, retail, from a
>>> supplier in Germany than I can get trade from the supplier in this
>>> country, and I'm fed up with it. It does nothing to improve
>>> sales, either. For example, an item which I have to pay 100 quid
>>> or so plus vat from my UK supplier I can get for about 146 euro
>>> (the equivalent of 96 quid) *including* VAT. and it's about 10
>>> euros to post it, or some such amount. 's no wonder people are
>>> emigrating.
>>>
>>> If I get this thing from Germany instead, I can either make more
>>> mark-up on it or offer it at a better price than the UK RRP. Both
>>> are, IMHO, good things.
>>>
>>> What I've not established is whether the UK importer is ripping us
>>> off or whether they#re being ripped off in their turn. The items
>>> are made in Germany, but sell for similar money in the US as they
>>> do in Germany, so it's not a shipping issue.
>>
>> It's a minefield & it all depends on what you are importing? Toys
>> are VAT free etc, so are 'gifts'
>>
>> Minefield!
>>
>>
> I thought if you bought something here for export immediately then
> you didn't pay v.a.t, if so then you probably wouldn't pay it in
> Germany, just import/vat when you brought it in. BICBVW
>
> Martin

Imports mate, keep up at the back!!!


--
Ta!

Nige

Subaru WRX (54)
Land Rover Turbo Diesel 110 (G)
KTM 520 SX (2001)
Kawasaki ZZR 1100 (1995)

"Nige" <nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:BMmdna3duNcAFtbYRVnytw@pipex.net...
> Oily wrote:
>> "Nige" <nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote in message
>> news:H9udnQA4wIxoG9bYRVnyrA@pipex.net...
>>> Austin Shackles wrote:
>>>> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
>>>>
>>>> Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something
>>>> from Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?
>>>>
>>>> Do I pay the German VAT (16%), or do they charge me ex-vat and I
>>>> pay UK VAT? I'm not registered, so it's not a question of whether
>>>> or not I can claim it. However, I've no great desire to pay German
>
>
>> I thought if you bought something here for export immediately then
>> you didn't pay v.a.t, if so then you probably wouldn't pay it in
>> Germany, just import/vat when you brought it in. BICBVW
>>
>> Martin
>
> Imports mate, keep up at the back!!!
>

No, he's quite right, it works both ways.

When you buy something in the EC, a Disco in my case, which you wish to
import to this country, the purchase does not include tax in that country,
but the VAT man will certainly expect his full whack as soon as you import
it. You have to way up the purchase cost plus transport cost plus VAT. I
saved about £6000 but the difference isn't as much now.

Bill

"bill" <bill@fabmorton.plus.com> wrote in message
news:454b90fb$0$8750$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
>
> "Nige" <nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote in message
> news:BMmdna3duNcAFtbYRVnytw@pipex.net...
> > Oily wrote:
> >> "Nige" <nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote in message
> >> news:H9udnQA4wIxoG9bYRVnyrA@pipex.net...
> >>> Austin Shackles wrote:
> >>>> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
> >>>>
> >>>> Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something
> >>>> from Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?
> >>>>
> >>>> Do I pay the German VAT (16%), or do they charge me ex-vat and I
> >>>> pay UK VAT? I'm not registered, so it's not a question of whether
> >>>> or not I can claim it. However, I've no great desire to pay German
> >
> >
> >> I thought if you bought something here for export immediately then
> >> you didn't pay v.a.t, if so then you probably wouldn't pay it in
> >> Germany, just import/vat when you brought it in. BICBVW
> >>
> >> Martin
> >
> > Imports mate, keep up at the back!!!
> >

Never mind the rivets, get on with that sig change! ;-)

Martin

>
> No, he's quite right, it works both ways.
>
> When you buy something in the EC, a Disco in my case, which you wish to
> import to this country, the purchase does not include tax in that country,
> but the VAT man will certainly expect his full whack as soon as you import
> it. You have to way up the purchase cost plus transport cost plus VAT. I
> saved about £6000 but the difference isn't as much now.
>
> Bill
>
>

On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 17:42:13 +0000, Austin Shackles wrote
(in article <cbvmk2pv6kitah7omiji2jtl35d65oltec@4ax.com>):

>
> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
>
> Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something from
> Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?
>
> Do I pay the German VAT (16%), or do they charge me ex-vat and I pay UK VAT?
> I'm not registered, so it's not a question of whether or not I can claim it.
> However, I've no great desire to pay German (or any) VAT if I don't have to.
>
> Some of the things I sell I can get cheaper, retail, from a supplier in
> Germany than I can get trade from the supplier in this country, and I'm fed
> up with it. It does nothing to improve sales, either. For example, an item
> which I have to pay 100 quid or so plus vat from my UK supplier I can get
> for about 146 euro (the equivalent of 96 quid) *including* VAT. and it's
> about 10 euros to post it, or some such amount. 's no wonder people are
> emigrating.
>
> If I get this thing from Germany instead, I can either make more mark-up on
> it or offer it at a better price than the UK RRP. Both are, IMHO, good
> things.
>
> What I've not established is whether the UK importer is ripping us off or
> whether they#re being ripped off in their turn. The items are made in
> Germany, but sell for similar money in the US as they do in Germany, so it's
> not a shipping issue.
>

If you are not registered for VAT and the vendor is based in the EU, you pay
the VAT on the purchase at the prevailing rate in the vendor's country.

If you are registered for VAT and the bought item is a business supply on
which you would reclaim the VAT in the UK, you should be able to give the
vendor your VAT number and they will sell you the product at the pre-VAT
price. If they don't, you can claim back the VAT at the rate at which you
have been charged it through your normal UK VAT return. Since about three
years ago, you have to fill in an extra form every time you do a return which
gives details of transactions done with companies in other EU countries and
(in theory at least) the money eventually ends up going back to the country
in which the vendor is located.

However, the VAT rules on cars and vans are significantly more complex than
for most other products. You cannot reclaim the VAT on the purchase price of
a vehicle unless it is used wholly and exclusively in the course of a
business - if there is any personal use of the vehicle at all then the VAT
cannot be reclaimed even if you are VAT registered. Running costs, repairs
etc. are either treated in the same way as normal purchases and then you pay
the monthly 'scale charge' or you can apportion them according to the
personal business milage you do, but be prepared to show credible records of
your milage if you do this.

It's a PIA!

Nick.

"Austin Shackles" <austinNOSPAM@ddol-las.net> wrote in message
news:cbvmk2pv6kitah7omiji2jtl35d65oltec@4ax.com...
>
> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
>
> Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something from
> Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?

I'm no VAT expert but it's my understanding that you will pay the German
rate, though frankly the 1.5% difference is not going to make you rich. What
you can't legally do is avoid both German and UK VAT.

Greg

On or around Fri, 3 Nov 2006 21:02:05 +0000, Nick Williams
<nick.williams@conformance.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>On Fri, 3 Nov 2006 17:42:13 +0000, Austin Shackles wrote
>(in article <cbvmk2pv6kitah7omiji2jtl35d65oltec@4ax.com>):
>
>>
>> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
>>

See? AFL, along with the shedde, is the fount of all knowledge.
>
>If you are not registered for VAT and the vendor is based in the EU, you pay
>the VAT on the purchase at the prevailing rate in the vendor's country.

OK, ta. That answers the main question
>
>If you are registered for VAT and the bought item is a business supply on
>which you would reclaim the VAT in the UK, you should be able to give the
>vendor your VAT number and they will sell you the product at the pre-VAT
>price. If they don't, you can claim back the VAT at the rate at which you
>have been charged it through your normal UK VAT return. Since about three
>years ago, you have to fill in an extra form every time you do a return which
>gives details of transactions done with companies in other EU countries and
>(in theory at least) the money eventually ends up going back to the country
>in which the vendor is located.

[cars]

>It's a PIA!

sounds it.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"There is plenty of time to win this game, and to thrash the Spaniards
too" Sir Francis Drake (1540? - 1596) Attr. saying when the Armarda was
sighted, 20th July 1588

On or around Fri, 3 Nov 2006 23:45:36 -0000, "Greg"
<news@SPAM123voyager2.nildram.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:

>"Austin Shackles" <austinNOSPAM@ddol-las.net> wrote in message
>news:cbvmk2pv6kitah7omiji2jtl35d65oltec@4ax.com...
>>
>> I bet someone here knows the answer to this.
>>
>> Now we're all a big happy European family... If I import something from
>> Germany, what if any VAT gets paid?
>
>I'm no VAT expert but it's my understanding that you will pay the German
>rate, though frankly the 1.5% difference is not going to make you rich. What
>you can't legally do is avoid both German and UK VAT.

bummer...

actually, I've no desire to tangle with HMC&E, they make the Spanish
Inquisition look like a nun's picnic. The only thing I wanted to avoid was
paying 2 lots of VAT.

The things I'm after are neither toys, cars nor gifts, and as such it looks
like I just pay the German VAT on them and end of story, and since I'm not
registered I don't have to arse around trying to claim it back.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"There is plenty of time to win this game, and to thrash the Spaniards
too" Sir Francis Drake (1540? - 1596) Attr. saying when the Armarda was
sighted, 20th July 1588

Austin Shackles <austinNOSPAM@ddol-las.net> uttered summat worrerz
funny about:
> The things I'm after are neither toys, cars nor gifts, and as such it
> looks like I just pay the German VAT on them and end of story, and
> since I'm not registered I don't have to arse around trying to claim
> it back.

Saussages ?


;-)

Let me help you out, I know some German, ahem....

"Varee ar zee papers" and "Vot is ure name"

Might come in useful you never know, if they dont work immediately shouting
them louder seems to be the norm

Lee D

Lee_D wrote:

|| Let me help you out, I know some German, ahem....
||
|| "Varee ar zee papers" and "Vot is ure name"

Anyone recognise:

"Sign ze peppers, Olt Man!"
Cigarette noise.
Ah, you vill not sign ze peppers? Zen try zis!"
Pssssssssssssssssst.
"He stuck it in his eye man."

--
Rich
==============================

2001 Disco II ES auto
1971 S2a 88" petrol
1991 Transit Camper

Take out the obvious to email me.