French boat purchase - Evidence of VAT paid for UK customs

adrianfneville

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Hi,

Wondering if forum members may be able to help. I am just back from south of France where I viewed a boat and was hoping to be in a position to put down a deposit. The broker had assured me that all documents were in order. However, there is no evidence of VAT paid. The boat was originally sold in France by Jeanneau to a French citizen and registered in France ("acte de franchisation" in place). At this time, a bill of sale including VAT paid would be been provided to the relevant port custom office. The boat has changed hands twice since then so three owners in total ... owners 2 and 3 were French citizens so all they had to do was update the register with their details. The requirement for a VAT invoice is not important if the next buyer was a French citizen.

I am looking transport the boat from France and register it in the UK. I also intend to finance it and the finance company will need evidence that VAT is not payable.

An email has been sent to Jeanneau with the hull ID in the off-chance that they might be able to identify the original broker who may have a record of the original sale. A bit of a long shot.

The broker is telling me that the only details he can obtain are the current 3rd owner registration details. The 'bureau de douane' has told him that there have been three owners but will not provide any details.

I wonder if anyone here knows whether there is an option for the "bureau de douane" to provide either a copy of the original bill of sale or any kind of document that would satisfy UK custom officials that the boat meets 'union goods' status. Or do I just have to walk away.

Thank you in advance.
 

Roberto

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Hello,
the Douanes will issue a new boat "acte de francisation" to a private individual when they have proof of VAT being paid. This proof is given by the relevant "centre des impôts".
If the boat has always been under French flag, two cases:
1. You have the "old" orange booklet: there you will find the first Douanes bureau the boat was registered into: contact that Bureau and ask who supplied the original VAT paid certificate (in French, "quitus fiscal").
2. You have the new acte de francisation (the one sheet version): ask the Douanes office indicated in the sheet which is the first Douanes office that issued papers. It risks not being easy, as a number of Douanes offices have recently merged in fewer locations, sometimes a number of phone calls to seldom answering phones are required.
 

lucaandrew40

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5 Sep 2020
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Hi,

Wondering if forum members may be able to help. I am just back from south of France where I viewed a boat and was hoping to be in a position to put down a deposit. The broker had assured me that all documents were in order. However, there is no evidence of VAT paid. The boat was originally sold in France by Jeanneau to a French citizen and registered in France ("acte de franchisation" in place). At this time, a bill of sale including VAT paid would be been provided to the relevant port custom office. The boat has changed hands twice since then so three owners in total ... owners 2 and 3 were French citizens so all they had to do was update the register with their details. The requirement for a VAT invoice is not important if the next buyer was a French citizen.

I am looking transport the boat from France and register it in the UK. I also intend to finance it and the finance company will need evidence that VAT is not payable.

An email has been sent to Jeanneau with the hull ID in the off-chance that they might be able to identify the original broker who may have a record of the original sale. A bit of a long shot.

The broker is telling me that the only details he can obtain are the current 3rd owner registration details. The 'bureau de douane' has told him that there have been three owners but will not provide any details.

I wonder if anyone here knows whether there is an option for the "bureau de douane" to provide either a copy of the original bill of sale or any kind of document that would satisfy UK custom officials that the boat meets 'union goods' status. Or do I just have to walk away.

Thank you in advance.
Hi.Did you went ahead with the purchase?
 
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