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The phones at Jersey Customs haven't stopped ringing since the Goods and Services tax came in. The department were already struggling to man the island's ports because of a lack of staff.

Now they're doing the best they can to cope with the influx of GST queries. It's feared more drugs and other illegal goods could be getting into the island because of staffing pressures at Jersey Customs.

Now they have GST to contend with too and even though the department knew it was going to be busy - it's even worse than they feared.

The department are doing the best they can to deal with the flood of calls. They say most problems importers have contacted them with have been sorted out.

Customs chief Mike Robinson told us: "What we think is that we're encountering a very busy hump at the beginning of the tax and we expect and hope that will plateau out and eventually things will sort themselves out".

Customs are trying not to delay any goods being delivered to Jersey and say that at the moment 98% of consignments are coming straight in.

goody

Has anyone run the gauntlet of Customs at the harbour since the implementation of GST. The reason I ask is we have a family holilday booked to the UK and as a we do go little mad on the shopping front, usually with my kids buying half of Primark and New Look. So I was wondering what happens now, do you have to declare all of your purchases and do Customs verify what you say bought is correct or do they just wave you through as normal.

I understand there is a £400.00 limit before GST is applied on imports, so the kids would be going some to spend £400.00 each in Primark. I just don't want to get to Customs, have to empty the car and account for all of our purchases.

Also, on the point of the £400.00 limit before GST is applied, my wife buys odd bits from "catalogues". Today, she recieved a letter from one such catalogue, informing her they require detailed information about her for Jersey Customs and they implied they will adding 3% to all purchases - does that sound correct to everyone ?

I'd like to hear anyone's experiences.

Thanks

Bundy

Catalogues like Great Universal will deduct 17.5% tax (i think thats the rate) and then add 3% so that your problems are solved with GST. As for travelling, nothing much has changed, they are looking for the piss takers who try and bring in van loads rather than ordinary punters, take the labels off everything just in case then they won't know any different

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THE SHIRT DOESN'T SHRINK TO FIT INFERIOR PLAYERS

Bundy

Goody! Thats not short for Goods and services tax is it! Have i just given everyone's tricks to the authorities!...LOL

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THE SHIRT DOESN'T SHRINK TO FIT INFERIOR PLAYERS

ascottboy

with regard to the catalogues charging 3% gst, as far as i understand it,they should not charge GST on anything under £400.00! also by ordering with a company that use couriers you could have to give more details and there may be delays.

Bundy

Apparently if the catalogue companies earn 300,000 or more from the island they are liable for GST and thats why they are passing on the 3% to the consumer. So there you have it, the catalogue companies are now tax collectors for Jersey.

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THE SHIRT DOESN'T SHRINK TO FIT INFERIOR PLAYERS

ascottboy

Here is the answer to the gst on internet goods hope it helps, quite clearly 3% should not be charged on goods under £400.

A quick guide as to gst on imported good for private use, states "As a guide, if you recieve goods, (either by mail order, internet shopping, or a gift) from the EU and they are worth £400.00 or less, the customs charge will be under £12 and so you will not have to pay any GST on those goods.*

*note there are exeptions to this, and customs do have the right to ask you to pay custom charges, including GST, even if this charge is less then £12.

http://www.gov.je/NR/rdonlyres/2ECC0...STMailout4.pdf

goody

LOL - no, if I was anything with to do with GST, I would be called "Deaf Muppet", "Blinkered Tosser" or just plain "Old W@nker" or something of the like !

en830

They didn't stop us coming through check point Charlie last month, a week after the introduction of GST.