jerzy

I'm currently filling in our AQIS customs forms and have arrived at the section covering electrical goods less than 12 months old.

We've got a considerable amount of Hifi equipment (value at new would be around £2,000) which we've only bought 6-12 months ago. I've not got any receipts so can't prove exactly when I bought them.

I don't fancy being hit with import duty on them.

If I do declare them will customs be forced to charge import duty on them or is it at their discretion, ie will they view it as household contents and let them through.
If I don't declare them and customs inspect them and decide that they are subject to import duty will I be in line for a hefty penalty.

Any one any experiences to share ?

JayDeee

Need to know the same, I have a 8 week old computer, I have chucked all the boxes away and am trying to make it as dirty as poss so it looks old as I really dont wanna have to pay duty on it.

It has a 17inch flat screen am I fooling myself and should I just accept that I am gonna get done on it?

Pollyana

Without the flat screen Kala you'dhave no problems, but its more dodgy with it!
My pc was (shhhhh) 3 months old when I shipped it, I didn't declare it, didn't use any original boxes amd got lots of coffee stains on it! It came in by air and was customs inspected, but they didn't question it.
the advice I was gievn was that if its not a top of the range, expensive looking thing you'll probably be all right. what they are after is people buying stuff just to bring with them - hence depriving the Aussie market of profit, (and the govt of GST). If something looks border-line its probably not worth their while asking for proof, also if its a fairly old model you're unlikely to have bought it to re-sell.
Personally, if the stuff looks as if its part of your possessions, and looks used, I'd take the risk and not declare it.
Don't think I've heard of anyone on the forums actually having to pay GST on electrical stuff??? And this question has come up many times.

JayDeee

Hubby's gonna think i'm crazy, been looking after this computer like it is a new born baby, gonna get home and trash it 2night
My dad has a flat screen aswell but his really is 2 years old and looks it, I might swap it with him (for a small fee)
Cheers Pollyanna

donna

I hope we are ok,weve just bought a new laptop but we are going to take it as hand luggage
donna

PaulDClark

I'm just at the point of filling this form in, and it doesn't mention electrical goods, so I asked PSS for advice and just got this:

"we have been advised by customs that all items under 12 months old must be declared.
If there is not sufficient space they should be declared on a separate sheet. Any undeclared items can result in
a penalty"

Which I guess is the official line. Trouble is we mere mortals live in the real world and I wouldn't have the faintest idea what is newer than 12 months, I mean we go in two weeks and today my wife bought a book, I had new glasses last month, bought a DVD the week before that, the kids came home with a couple of new toys last week and had birthdays and Christmas etc etc etc.

So what did those of you who have been through the process put down?

Pollyana

They aren't interested in the small stuff, you don't have to declre all the things like clothes and books which are all personal things. its high value, mainly electrical stuff they are looking for - especially people importing to sell.
I didn't declare anything at all (and one of the boxes they examined was full of jeans, still with labels and stuff on!)

gedge

We did declare a few items and 'forgot' some others.
Theory being it looked like we were being honest.
TV and printer still went in original boxes. No questions asked. No tax paid!

darrio

I moved recently and couldn't remember what I'd bought in the last 12 months and what was older. I didn't declare anything and it went through fine. Honestly, who's going to remember that stuff just in case they move overseas!

joh117

We brought out a new Sony DVD player in a different box and also bought a new laptop on our way in Singapore and we didn't get stopped or asked. We may have done at customs (it was early hours and we were tired so can't remember) if we did we said no we didn't have anything. There was screening going on when we picked up our luggage at Melbourne. Panicked a little but it was checking for food nothing else

I guess it will depend on the customs person checking on the day. How many people have take cigs and drink into the UK that they should declare but don't. It will depend on whether you get pulled by customs.

In our case it was worth the risk

Jo

walla

We've declared nothing on our forms even thou we have bought little bits and bobs. We bought a new pc about last November with a flat screen but estimate our stuff won't be there till November anyway. We also have new laptop digi camera and camcorder which are all going hand luggage so will ensure they looked well used.

On the selling front we are taking an extra piano to flog as apparently they are expensive to buy in Oz!! BTW are antiques taxable??

Like Pollyanna I aint seen a thread where someone has been "caught out" at customs.

Walla

rudo1ph

We had quite a lot of new electrical stuff and being as it was a brand new model we thought we had better declare it. We packed it in original boxes, but never got charged tax on it.

We also had a heap of new teak furniture. We did not declare this as new but we did declare it in the wooden goods section........we didn't end up being fumigated either.

Hope that helps

Rudi

ssinnige

Thanks. I've just declared a few items and am now confident that I have a good chance that I will not be taxed. I think they only want to prevent you taking in new items into the country for the sole purpose of selling it on the private market (such that the Australian Tax might loose GST on those items that people would have bought in the shops otherwise).

Stefan

PaulDClark

Thanks all, it confirms what I thought, I am going to declare a couple of items, namely a 19" flat panel monitor and a DVD surround sound system neither of which I am prepared to pack in other boxes.

rudo1ph

Well because I've been so helpful please can I have some good Karma