Buying a yacht in Netherlands and registering in UK post January 2021

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Deltaromeopapa

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Does anyone really understand where we will be after January 2021
I am interested in buying a used yacht (1995vintage) currently located and registered in Netherlands. I would not be bringing it to UK until Spring 2021 after UK EU transition period has ended and it now appears there will be a no deal brexit.
What taxes will I have to pay in UK, VAT? Can I reclaim some VAT in Netherlands or will I be be caught with paying tax in UK on an item for which tax in has already been paid elsewhere
What other hidden pitfalls might I face?
I am assuming I would just sail across the North Sea fluttering a Dutch flag and tie it up on my mooring then start trying to get UK registration.
How much I search the net I am still confused so any help and guidance would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks
 
if you buy it now and send docs to UK registrar before 31 Dec 2020 then you should be able to avoid UK VAT; for bringing boat back deadline, please check with RYA but I think you have time until 2022
 
I don't agree. In order for a boat to escape vat after 1/1/2021 it would have to be returning under the same ownership as it departed. Technically, this boat will never have departed so will deemed to be an import. The fact that it is UK registered is irrelevant.
You could get it registered and then keep quiet after importing it (since I can't see how anyone might know) but you wouldn't be able to sell it...
But I have much sympathy with the OP. The whole area of VAT and RGR is a mess.
 
One thing for sure is that as this mess works it way through the treasury will be depleted and there will be little sympathy for a yacht owner hoping to import yacht from the EU. I suspect vat and duty will become the order of the day...

Op might be better off doing the deal now and getting the boat delivered into uk before 1/1/21....
 
Deal or no deal makes no difference - if you bring it in next year you will have to pay VAT. The deal/no deal scenario does not affect whether you will have to pay VAT. If possible, try to find a way to get it somewhere in the UK before the end of the year, be it sail it yourself, pay a delivery skipper, or a truck.

If you do that make sure you have a 'VAT paid in the EU' document amongst the paperwork and a receipt for a berth or mooring in the UK at the moment of transition. Then you will have 'deemed VAT paid' status in the UK.

And don't hang about, there's not long left.
 
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jrudge said:
You will pay vat on its current value
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Sadly it sounds like that will be true. Thank you Brexiters
See the RYA site for more info Brexit - what happens next? | Current Affairs | Knowledge & Advice | RYA - Royal Yachting Association

Regarding registration, it is easy to do online for Small Ships Register (SSR). When we bought our boat in France we registered on SSR before bringing back to the U.K.

One tiny detail, if it has a DSC VHF radio or AIT transmitter you are suppose to change the MMSI, as the country code is embedded in the MMSI number (which was bad design of the standard). Depending on the type of kit, it may need to go back to manufacturer dealer to reprogramme.
 
If the boat is an AWB of 1995 vintage it might only be worth £20k or so. Cost of trucking it back to UK could be half that, so not viable. And if it is south of Biscay it is probably already too late to sail it back.

[Edit - just seen the boat is in Netherlands]

However for the OP, there is nothing to stop you registering it in UK. The UK SSR does not require proof of ownership so as long as it's not already registered you can (technically) do this even before you buy it. You'll probably need the HIN number and so on. So you can sail it back with a red duster flying. What is the sale price as this is what vat will be assessed on?
 
AngusMcDoon said:
It's in the Netherlands. It might be too late to come by sea even on that short trip as the North Sea can be miserable for weeks at this time of year. Thursday/Friday might be possible, if not pleasant.
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He hasn't even bought it yet, so completing the sale in time to prepare for the crossing and meet that weather window seems unlikely. And I don't know where the mention of "returned goods" in other posts is coming from - it's not returned, it's a straightforward import and we're all going to have to get used to paying VAT, duty, and customs handling fees on everything from now on.

Pete
 
Daydream believer said:
But none of the above can be confirmed & is only conjecture of course :unsure:
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Which bit is conjecture?
We know how third country persons and boats are treated by EU law and can learn how to make the best of the limitations from USA and Australians - see noonsite for details.
UK government has now confirmed how RGR will apply so we know that returning any boat back into UK after 2021 will incur VAT - see rya for details.
Other than the RGR which was clarified recently,this was all known at the time of the referendum. UK citizens voted for it.
 
Deltaromeopapa said:
Does anyone really understand where we will be after January 2021
I am interested in buying a used yacht (1995vintage) currently located and registered in Netherlands. I would not be bringing it to UK until Spring 2021 after UK EU transition period has ended and it now appears there will be a no deal brexit.
What taxes will I have to pay in UK, VAT? Can I reclaim some VAT in Netherlands or will I be be caught with paying tax in UK on an item for which tax in has already been paid elsewhere
What other hidden pitfalls might I face?
I am assuming I would just sail across the North Sea fluttering a Dutch flag and tie it up on my mooring then start trying to get UK registration.
How much I search the net I am still confused so any help and guidance would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks
Click to expand...
You need to contact HMRC pronto and once getting instructions from them in writing decide what to do.
 
Sandy said:
You need to contact HMRC pronto and once getting instructions from them in writing decide what to do.
Click to expand...

jrudge (and others) have given the same answer that HMRC would give when they got round to replying sometime late next year.

Better to buy it asap if possible and get to the airport with all your woolies and oilies.

Or give up on it and find a UK based alternative. I think that's what I would do for an AWB given that there are only 2 weeks to go, and it's mid winter.
 
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