Contesting Customs Duty Values

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#2217234 15-Apr-2019 09:41

Quick update :

Phoned customs this morning and spoke to a very helpful gentleman. Explained my situation to which he asked a few questions around how much I paid, how I paid and could there have been any other charges.

Being satisfied that there weren't, he gave me an email address and told me to provide it with some identification, proof of purchase, and a description of the goods including the category they fell under. His expectation was that customs would then inform NZ Post to deliver my item with no further charges.

Email has been sent, and back to waiting again.

Here's hoping!

freitasm

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#2217235 15-Apr-2019 09:46

Great result so far.

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SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2217239 15-Apr-2019 09:51

Ge0rge: Phoned customs this morning and spoke to a very helpful gentleman. Explained my situation to which he asked a few questions around how much I paid, how I paid and could there have been any other charges.

What sort of 'other charges' were they asking about?

Obviously an agreement to make further payments would be taxable, but I'm curious if they were asking about other things such as bank fees. Those would have tax charged locally, so it would be a bit of a stretch to claim they should be included in the cost.

trig42

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#2217242 15-Apr-2019 09:53

Great result - nice to get hold of someone who is willing to help.

tehgerbil

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#2217265 15-Apr-2019 10:25

Woah. This thread has made me nervous - I'm importing a drone worth $130 NZD, should be ok?

freitasm

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#2217269 15-Apr-2019 10:28

tehgerbil:

Woah. This thread has made me nervous - I'm importing a drone worth $130 NZD, should be ok?

Yes, if the value is correctly declared.

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Coil

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#2217364 15-Apr-2019 13:03

freitasm:

Coil:

When I had an iPhone GIFTED to me from my Mother in Australia, Customs stopped it as it had a value of $800 AUD or so.
We learnt that the threshold was under $100 for GST. Don't be surprised that our country will take every last cent you got at every turn. Thanks to the taxing red party for this!

Why would you blame "the taxing red party" when the Customs thresholds have been set many years ago? Why bring politics into this? Better stop the trolling.

I recall when going through the motions of that speaking with customs and questioning why I had been charged now and not in many previous gifts over the years, It was portrayed the gifts part of that law was recently amended under said new government. That is/was my understanding but who knows if that was right or wrong, don't have the time today to scroll through the gazette... Sucks that they do anyway...

premiumtouring

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#2217412 15-Apr-2019 13:28

Ge0rge: Quick update :

Phoned customs this morning and spoke to a very helpful gentleman. Explained my situation to which he asked a few questions around how much I paid, how I paid and could there have been any other charges.

Being satisfied that there weren't, he gave me an email address and told me to provide it with some identification, proof of purchase, and a description of the goods including the category they fell under. His expectation was that customs would then inform NZ Post to deliver my item with no further charges.

Email has been sent, and back to waiting again.

Here's hoping!

Late to the party, but I had a similar situation. It comes down to who you end up speaking with, but for the most part the custom's team are an evidence based system so if you provide them with evidence and it doesn't look suspicious you will get a fair result.

geoffwnz

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#2217420 15-Apr-2019 13:45

SirHumphreyAppleby:
Ge0rge: Phoned customs this morning and spoke to a very helpful gentleman. Explained my situation to which he asked a few questions around how much I paid, how I paid and could there have been any other charges.
What sort of 'other charges' were they asking about? Obviously an agreement to make further payments would be taxable, but I'm curious if they were asking about other things such as bank fees. Those would have tax charged locally, so it would be a bit of a stretch to claim they should be included in the cost.

Other charges can include Freight and Insurance.

MotorDrive Rallying

surfisup1000

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#2217448 15-Apr-2019 14:21

trig42:

It was my understanding that the $400 limit is not a concrete limit, but more a 'suggestion' based on the fact that if the item is below that, it wasn't worth their effort.

This was my understanding too. They could apply the charges to a $10 import, if they wished.

I've had the reverse too, where goods with a declared value of more than $400 were not charged gst/import fees.

loceff13

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#2219968 17-Apr-2019 15:13

Coil:

When I had an iPhone GIFTED to me from my Mother in Australia, Customs stopped it as it had a value of $800 AUD or so.
We learnt that the threshold was under $100 for GST. Don't be surprised that our country will take every last cent you got at every turn. Thanks to the taxing red party for this!

Other people have already shut you down on this but most of the customs values changes etc coming in under Labour were proposed and researched by National and were going to happen with either government.

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Toolwarehouse

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#2226738 28-Apr-2019 12:48

Im finding if spare parts are put in a consignment from overseas and listed as $0, than customs are charging GST on what ever they deam the value to be. If you list them at $1, they accept is and all is sweet

freitasm

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#2226739 28-Apr-2019 12:50

Toolwarehouse: Im fining if spare parts are put in a consignment and listed as $0, than customs are charging GST on what ever they deam the value to be. If you list them at $1, they accept is and all is sweet

By intentionally listing the wrong value in the Customs declaration is breaking the law. Customs can, and will, use discretion by a) opening the box and checking content, b) charging the amount they find from the retailer's website or their own listings and c) possibly fining you.

Obviously it's up to you if you think the risk is "sweet".

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Toolwarehouse

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#2226740 28-Apr-2019 12:50

I did once have customs change things when the customs broker mis classified goods, which meant they had a huge duty on them, instead of the correct classification which had little or no duty

sqishy

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#2226741 28-Apr-2019 12:53

I think your screwed, AU$385 attracts duty. Can you post the trademe link? Was there any update here, did the duty go away?

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