Do you pay Import Duty Buying from SLR Hut? How Much Are Customs Taxes with SLRHut? |
Despite the .co.uk domain name SLR Hut is based in the USA so any goods ordered from them are liable for import duty consisting of VAT at 20% plus Customs duty. It has been reported that SLR Hut illegally declare extremely low values for goods they send to the UK in order to evade UK taxes and duties.
If you are caught with packages that have been declared of low value but are actually worth more then you could be liable for the additional VAT and duty that has been underpaid. Even if the value is declared low then you are still obliged to pay the duty and handling fee for the goods before you can receive them.
As an example we ordered some equipment costing £160 from Hong Kong and the duty including the shipping agents charge was £35 on top of the cost of the goods. It also appears that SLR Hut will sell you overpriced accessories and warranties which make their prices no cheaper than the goods you can buy in the UK without the same pressure selling techniques or hassle of ordering from abroad.