Bringing a boat back from Guernsey to the Thames

[Tranona]

That's basically obscene and, I suspect, far away from the intent of ther original law which was a tax on value added to something by virtue of a service. I wonder if it has ever been challenged in Court in this sort of circumstance.

What makes you think it is obscene? It has always been so and is the same across the EU. All imported goods are subject to VAT. Why should anybody be excused from it when the rest of us have to pay? There is an exemption here to cover people who leave the EU in their boats and subsequently return. There are also exemptions for people taking up residence in the EU, but they are all very specific. There is also temporary importation for genuine visitors, but again specific and restricteed.

Again you misunderstand the nature of VAT. It is NOT a tax on the boat. It is on the transaction. Nowhere is there a requirement to name the boat on the receipt in a normal purchase in the EU or to keep any permanent record of the transaction as there would be if it is a tax on an asset. However it makes sense for a private importer to keep all the paperwork because smuggling is a criminal offence and the liability follows the boat.

You would get nowhere challenging this in the courts because the law is clear. There are lots of things about VAT that are "grey" but this is not one of them.

 

[Tranona]

Back to the OPs original question.

The objective is to get the boat operational in the Thames at the lowest cost - safely. Pretty sure having thought about it using a truck all the way is the only sensible option. Preparing an unknown quantity boat for a sea journey across one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world at a time of year when suitable weather is less and less likely is an expensive challenge (survey, work additional equipment etc) and possibly difficult to get insurance. Much of the expenditure on equipment will be redundant and the cost of doing this remotely potentially higher than similar work in UK.

So, bite the bullet and spend the money on a truck which will deliver the boat to your location on the Thames within 2 days.

 

[DAKA]

Clear thinking and clear posting as always Tranona, good advice.

Many will be thinking how easy it is to bring a boat back 80 miles but the extra challenge here that only the ones who have done this will realize that the OP is not sat on his boat ready to take advantage of a weather window.

When he spots a potential window he needs to book a flight/ ferry ticket/hire car/taxi/train ticket/time off work and .........CREW
Then get to the boat by which time the weather window has changed which means all wasted expense as he forks out another £100 on Flybe, £80 one way car hire etc to get back home.

Don't be tempted to take a cheap transport option of going through France as you will need to deposit £4000-£5000 with the shipping agent for boarder VAT ( 20% of boat perceived value) which the driver will hand out freely to get home early leaving you with the challenge to get it back .

 

[CameronSnell]

Definately by Road no question!!
Otherwise pay for the survey, and get it professionally delivered. (by me)

Cameron

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

>>>
Again you misunderstand the nature of VAT. It is NOT a tax on the boat. It is on the transaction. Nowhere is there a requirement to name the boat on the receipt in a normal purchase in the EU or to keep any permanent record of the transaction as there would be if it is a tax on an asset. However it makes sense for a private importer to keep all the paperwork because smuggling is a criminal offence and the liability follows the boat.
>>>

"Value Added" suggests nothing about tax on transactions to me and everything about the Marxist defintiion of value

 

[Tranona]

Oh Please! It is a tax on transactions and importing a boat from outside the EU is a transaction. If tax was not applied everybody would do it and avoid tax! That does not sound like anything attributable to Marx.

 

[Ubergeekian]

What makes you think it is obscene? It has always been so and is the same across the EU. All imported goods are subject to VAT. Why should anybody be excused from it when the rest of us have to pay?

Is VAT refunded when a boat is exported?

 

[Tranona]

Is VAT refunded when a boat is exported?

No. Why should it be?

There are mechanisms for avoiding paying VAT as a private person on a new boat that is exported with a period of grace to commission the boat before it leaves the EU.

 

[oldgit]

" That does not sound like anything attributable to Marx."

Groucho rather than Karl