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Importing Pinball to UK from Europe

G

geojowett

Registered
Joined
Mar 29, 2022
Messages
15
Location
Brackley
Im looking to buy a pinball machine from Italy and wondered if anyone had any experience with UK Customs and Excise when importing a machine?
Do they charge excessive amounts to import and is there any VAT that needs to be paid?
Any help whatsoever on this would be very much appreciated!

Also any recommendations for shipping companies that people have used to ship from Italy to UK?

Many thanks
 
I doubt you’ll get duty but how they apply that doesn’t seem to make sense.


are you sure the place you are buying from is legit?
 
If there's duty ot is applied to the total before vat so you're paying tax on the tax. Unless it's rare or stupidly cheap probably not worth the hassle.
 

Commodity code 9504302000: Other games - UK Integrated Online Tariff - GOV.UK

Other games
www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk
You will be charged 20% vat and no duty plus usually a service fee to the shipper to deal with the customs paperwork. It is charged on cost of goods plus cost of shipping plus cost of insurance. Above link allows you to calculate what you should pay and 9504302000 commodity code is for pinball machines and 9504309000 is for pinball machine parts. The supplier should not charge you any vat locally.
 
I made some enquiries with an Italian company too and they said they would only be able to dispatch to a company address, not private.
 
Take care buying from Italy most machines are trashed and if buying from a op or trader then it’s been known that machines turn up here with parts missing from them.
Not worth the hassle for what it could cost.
 
AlanJ said:
My advice - unless it's an absolute bargain (and there isn't many of those around) or a super rare machine, don't bother. buy one in UK.
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Its £6500 plus £270 shipping for a TAF in decent condition - I didnt think this was too bad?
 
DanSeldon said:
I made some enquiries with an Italian company too and they said they would only be able to dispatch to a company address, not private.
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This is probably the same supplier to be fair - I have a friend who will put it through his business for me.
 
Only way to get the VAT back is if your VAT registered business is buying the machine (and its a bona fide business purchase, of course - wink wink ).
 
AlanJ said:
Only way to get the VAT back is if your VAT registered business is buying the machine (and its a bona fide business purchase, of course - wink wink ).
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Ha thats the idea! Which begs the question is £6700 a good price for a decent Addams Family Pin?
 
geojowett said:
Ha thats the idea! Which begs the question is £6700 a good price for a decent Addams Family Pin?
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Not one you have not seen in person!
This is not a bargain price for importing a pin id avoid it myself and wait for a local one to come up. Just far to many things to go wrong in todays world :(

Only way the company who's receiving it can claim back the VAT is if they say it's a company expense and it would all need to be on there books.

Seems like a lot of work for not a cheap game.
 
To be honest, I wouldn't want the hassle. I certainly wouldn't part company with £6700 for a game I've not seen in person. Fair enough if it was from a trusted member but not from some random in Italy.
 
I was looking at a couple of machines from Expand and they were very helpful but the one I wanted was reserved before I'd made my mind up and calculated all the costs. I was secretly pleased it was taken off the table so I could use that as an excuse to walk away 😊
Seemed legit but I would have been taking a risk for just being inpatient.
 
geojowett said:
Thank you for all your advice. Have given up on the import idea and posted in the Wanted forum instead. Fingers crossed i can get one in the UK.
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U will, it just takes time. Sadly with way market is right now not much is up for sale and prices are mostly higher then usual :(
 
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