Customs wait for antique arriving in UK

[shanegt]

Hi all

 

I have bought a papered NTHK Nihonto from the United States. 
 

Does anyone have experience of the process when the sword arrives at the border - assuming they will ring me to pay the customs charge and will release it to me, but whats the wait time from when it arrives to roughly arriving to me?

 

Thanks!

[b.hennick]

If the sword is over 100 years old, you may be able to get it without duty if you have the proper custom's code. 

[Shugyosha]

That doesn’t work in the UK - VAT (sales tax) is 5% of the purchase price on antiques but the item needs to be correctly described in the paperwork. 
 

You’ll get a letter with details of how to pay this when the parcel arrives at the depot in the UK (it can be done on line). Do that and the parcel is normally released for delivery.

[shanegt]

  On 3/21/2021 at 7:44 PM, Shugyosha said:

That doesn’t work in the UK - VAT (sales tax) is 5% of the purchase price on antiques but the item needs to be correctly described in the paperwork. 
 

You’ll get a letter with details of how to pay this when the parcel arrives at the depot in the UK (it can be done on line). Do that and the parcel is normally released for delivery.

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Thanks guys! Is it usually processed quickly by customs?

[Shugyosha]

If I remember rightly the letter is usually sent within 48 hours of the parcel hitting the UK depot. Once you’ve paid up the parcel is usually sent out in the following day’s post. 
 

I’m talking about pre-Covid times though, so there may be more of a delay at the moment. 

[kissakai]

Do you have a tracking number

I'd expect you to get a letter about a week after it arrives in the UK

I bet it is a nice sword

 

 

[shanegt]

  On 3/21/2021 at 8:43 PM, kissakai said:

Do you have a tracking number

I'd expect you to get a letter about a week after it arrives in the UK

I bet it is a nice sword

 

 

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Thank you. I will post pictures soon. I’m so excited at the prospect of a possible meet up with everyone when possible

[Gakusee]

I have recently been through this. With two swords (one coming from the US and one from Japan) and a fuchi-kashira set. 
with the tracking number you should be able to see where exactly it is (in the UK or not, in customs, in the Parcelforce distribution center or the local distribution depot).

if you notice that it has been in customs for more than 5-6 days, call Parcelforce. It sometimes happens, though rarely, that they send the card or letter with import VAT charge to the wrong address. Until you clear that, you will not receive the item. So, you can call them, they ask for reference number, your name, the sender’s name, your address per the sent items paperwork. If it all checks out, they tell you on the phone what the charge is and you can pay by phone or on the web. While on the phone with them, make sure to obtain the UK Parcelforce reference number (and not the UPSS or EMS reference number). 

[Markdd]

Hi,

I'm in the same boat my sword has been in customs for 5 weeks now sent countless e-mails which don't seem to work phoned them today hopefully I'll hear from them soon it's a rather strenuous thing importing swords has any body ever lost one?

Mark

[Gakusee]

What they did with me is they sent the letter to another address and in the wrong name. Not the item itself but the customs charges letter, which unlocks the process. 

[shanegt]

  On 3/22/2021 at 2:29 PM, Markdd said:

Hi,

I'm in the same boat my sword has been in customs for 5 weeks now sent countless e-mails which don't seem to work phoned them today hopefully I'll hear from them soon it's a rather strenuous thing importing swords has any body ever lost one?

Mark

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I hope that doesnt happen! Best of luck - let us know the outcome

[shanegt]

  On 3/22/2021 at 3:45 PM, Gakusee said:

What they did with me is they sent the letter to another address and in the wrong name. Not the item itself but the customs charges letter, which unlocks the process. 

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thats really helpful - i will follow to the letter.

 

you’d think they’d send the customs letter to the address of the parcel!

 

mine is coming from the US so hopefully gets here without undue delay. Will keep everyone ‘posted’, as this may be a question that gets asked again

[Gakusee]

Well, you would not believe it but the issues I had in the past with them were:

- once they registered the parcel on their systems in the name of the sender and not mine. So the recipient was the sender according to them (data input error) 

- once they sent the letter to the wrong address to some neighbours who do not know me (so imagine the poor people receiving some letter about something they don’t know about related to a person they don’t know and with the wrong surname - all they had was Michael but still that did not help). Again data input error - my surname was wrong and the house number was wrong. 
 

In both these cases the senders had done an immaculate job including my correct data (names, address, mobile etc) and describing the contents beautifully and including the correct codes - however, of course, Customs or Parcelforce never call you or email you in the first instance. The first comms are always the letters. If the letters end up in the wrong place then you could wait many weeks. 
 

Once you have tracked to where exactly in the chain the parcel is, then you can call various people and exchange emails from that point onwards. 
This is an email that works for valuable items: 

pfw-ccb@parcelforce.co.uk

 

Good luck. 

[Markdd]

Hi,

Michael that is the email I have been using 5 days for a reply  with little or no information? only took 4 days from Japan  woman I talked to today says it can take up to 21 days then I told her it had already been 5 weeks hopefully I'll get some information tomorrow.

Mark

[Bryan B]

  On 3/22/2021 at 6:06 PM, Markdd said:

Hi,

Michael that is the email I have been using 5 days for a reply  with little or no information? only took 4 days from Japan  woman I talked to today says it can take up to 21 days then I told her it had already been 5 weeks hopefully I'll get some information tomorrow.

Mark

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Hi 

I am in the exact same position my sword landed in the uk on the 25/2/21 and I have rang sent emails to the same address only to be told it is with the clearance agent .And I know all the paperwork is very accurately set out .

Bryan 

[Markdd]

Bryan you never know they my get them mixed up as we are from the same area of the country ? wonder who gets theres first?

Mark

[shanegt]

I am in the west midlands, near warwickshire, so lets see if that makes a difference. 

 

[Bryan B]

  On 3/23/2021 at 3:37 PM, Markdd said:

Bryan you never know they my get them mixed up as we are from the same area of the country ? wonder who gets theres first?

Mark

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Hi Mark.

that would not surprise me ! . I called them this morning and was told that they could keep it for up to 21 days (and they are working days not weekends?) before I could start to make enquiries. So they have till this Friday.

Bryan 

[shanegt]

Currently the sword status on USPS is at Heathrow. Although Parcelforce still stays ‘exported from country of origin’. 
 

 

[paulb]

from past experience Parcelforce don't update status until the parcel has left the customs hall and on site in their hub (usually Coventry)

[shanegt]

  On 3/29/2021 at 9:36 AM, paulb said:

from past experience Parcelforce don't update status until the parcel has left the customs hall and on site in their hub (usually Coventry)

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Would I have usually paid before that occurs?

[paulb]

I am a bit out of date so it may have changed but normally in the past customs pass the item to the carrier with the charges and the carrier asked for payment before scheduling delivery.

 

[Shugyosha]

  On 3/29/2021 at 10:42 AM, shanegt said:

Would I have usually paid before that occurs?

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Yes you would. 

[Markdd]

Hi,

I paid the charge at my local depot not at the coventry hub they sent it to them before I knew about the charge.

Mark

[Paz]

Sorry to bump this old thread. But can you actually go to Heathrow or standstead (depending where your antique arrives).

And pick the item up in person rather than paying parcelforce ? 

[mas4t0]

  On 1/9/2022 at 8:29 PM, Paz said:

Sorry to bump this old thread. But can you actually go to Heathrow or standstead (depending where your antique arrives).

And pick the item up in person rather than paying parcelforce ? 

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The ParcelForce charge is a handling charge on account of them precessing the item though customs for you.

 

It's not a delivery charge, delivery to your door is already covered in the shipping fee you've paid.

[Paz]

  On 1/9/2022 at 8:47 PM, mas4t0 said:

 

The ParcelForce charge is a handling charge in account of them precessing the item though customs for you.

 

It's not a delivery charge, delivery to your door is already covered in the shipping fee you've paid.

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Cheers Mark.

 

So I'm guessing swords from Japan with correct paperwork go through EMS, then they land in conventry parcelforce international hub . Where you then pay the VAT tax, and they deliver as soon as ? 

 

Thanks 

[mas4t0]

I don't remember the exact details of the stages and locations, but it is along those lines.

 

Regarding the Customs Clearance fee:

 

This is an additional fee we charge in order to clear your parcel through Customs quickly and pay the customs duty, excise duty and import VAT on your behalf. This allows us to cover the cost of handling the parcel, administration, collection of monies and provision of facilities for Customs clearance.

 

There's full info on the ParcelForce site.

[Lareon]

It once took parcelforce two months to clear a sword for me. Even with the right papers and codes. I refused to pay the charge and they accepted that.

[Paz]

  On 1/9/2022 at 10:05 PM, Lareon said:

It once took parcelforce two months to clear a sword for me. Even with the right papers and codes. I refused to pay the charge and they accepted that.

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2 months ??? Where was the sword from. Did you track it as soon as it arrived in the UK. 

 

Thanks