U.K. Import V.A.T. on a 1907 O.A. Bayonet import into the U.K. from the U.S.

[browningautorifle]

More than once I've shipped tools...machine parts.

[Flying10uk]

A few years ago I purchased a bayonet on e-Bay from a U.K. vendor which was duly delivered by the Post Office. When I opened the package I found that the bayonet was not in as good a condition as described and so I contacted the vendor. I was very careful to keep all my messages pleasant and polite but the vendor's were completely the opposite. After much tooing and frowing the vendor reported the matter to the resolution centre, expecting the case to go in their favour. E-Bay read through all the messages and found in my favour and the vendor also had to pay the return postage. I was provided with a Post Office postage label which I had to print out. When I handed over the package at the Post Office counter I was asked what it's contents were. This was before I knew that they had an edge weapon/knife ban and so, thinking on my feet, I replied quietly it's a collector's item. No further questions were asked as to the contents of the package.

A dealer did tell me that some years ago that he had a package opened by the Post Office, containing rare and valuable bayonets, which was then duly destroyed without him being informed and this was just after the ban was introduced.

[CINDERS]

There ya go the bureaucracy gone mad all collectors of military gear are hell bent on creating mayhem and carnage and once these gems have been destroyed they are not ever available again.
Bit like I took my brand new Parker Hale 22/250 to be added to my license the constable(I would like to put a U in there as a substitute letter but wont) after I handed him the weapon minus the bolt he asked if I could place the bolt in the rifle which I did handed it back open bolt then........
He cocked the weapon placed the safety on an proceeded to bash (I mean bash in heavy terms) the butt on the ground I straight away asked "What the heck are you doing" reply "Checking if the safety holds" I replied"Of course it will it is a brand new rifle and scope it has not even had a patch out" Crikey I left there angry as thankfully he did not damage the heel of the stock.
Then again he was just a product of their training at the time but still these bureaucratic neon suntanned air thieves make the true collectors life a right misery with draconian laws that would make King Arthur turn in his crypt.

[30Three]

It's not just in the UK where you can get "had" on delivery!
I ordered some items from a US surplus dealer (a sling and USMC vest) for a total of about 100 US dollars including delivery by UPS. When UPS delivered the stuff I had to pay 49 Euro's for custom's fees. For a packet the size of a shoe box. Consider the fact that at that time the dollar was around 1,40 to 1 Euro, so nearly 50 Euros charge for 71 Euros of stuff. If you don't pay it, it goes back! it's robbery.

[Vincent]

Is there any talk of changing the import V.A.T. rates after England leaves the EU?

[Flying10uk]

It's too early to say but personally I would say it's unlikely unless, off course, the VAT rate is increased which isn't controlled by the E.U.(?), however, I am an Engineer not a Tax expert.

[Peter Laidler]

I looked at the legal nicities of the Post Office/Royal Mail obligation regarding the opening and further eventas following the opening of suspicious parcels and the PO do not have any authority to destroy or indeed, dispose of ANYTHING (Thread 12). Anything found concerning suspect criminality, such as, say, bullets, must be dealt with in a lawful way. (After all, the bullets may well be drill or dummy, inert and quite innocuous and legal...) Anything contrary to their own rules and regulations - which are NOT enshrined in law I hasten to add - must be dealt with in a manner complying with their code of conduct with representation between.......... and on it goes on and on...... They are DUTY BOUND and legally required to deliver. Albeit after communication and discussion etc etc

You should have told the dealer to stop talking twaddle

[Flying10uk]

Peter, if you look on the Royal Mail website under Personal Customer Help Centre- Prohibitive Goods it states near the bottom of the page and I quote, "If you send dangerous goods and do not comply with the applicable terms and conditions and legal requirements then we may deal with goods as we see fit including destroying or disposing of the relevant goods." I believe that Royal Mail changed it's policy in recent years in what can an can't be carried but oddly some things that Royal Mail don't deal with Parcel Force will even though the two companies have the same owners.

[bigduke6]

Peter, if you look on the Royal Mail website under Personal Customer Help Centre- Prohibitive Goods it states near the bottom of the page and I quote, "If you send dangerous goods and do not comply with the applicable terms and conditions and legal requirements then we may deal with goods as we see fit including destroying or disposing of the relevant goods." I believe that Royal Mail changed it's policy in recent years in what can an can't be carried but oddly some things that Royal Mail don't deal with Parcel Force will even though the two companies have the same owners.

Parcel Force will now ship firearms (not sure on bayonets though), although at first it was a bit hit and miss, I don't have an account but a dealer in Northern Ireland arranged a pick up through them, must admit handing over a parcel (of which I know the contents) and asking for a receipt and paper work etc, the reply was "I'll have to come back monday" but was offered a the barcode and tracking number etc, so off it went.... arrived safely with no hiccups and the buyer was over the moon...... every one happy, in fact I sent a few ££ to the guy I bought it from as it only seemed fair as I,d made a decent profit even after my travel time and fuel to pick it up.

[Flying10uk]

Parcel Force is fine with de-acs, knives and bayonets etc but where there could (?) be a theoretical problem is with Royal Mail although they have sent, inadvertently, in the past bayonets to me.