Heads Up! Ordering from Germany.

[ToughButterCup]

I had to return an order to a German company (reuter.de) today.  This is how the order arrived.

 

If at the time of refusing the delivery,  I'd have known what I know now, I would not have sent it back.

Why? read on....

 

Megabad stopped delivering to the UK last year sometime.  Reuter.de were cheaper than Megabad sometimes, so I ordered from them because they continued to deliver to the UK.

Chatting to the guy in the Returns Department I find out that reuter.de is no longer shipping to the UK from the end of this month

So bang goes that way of saving 20% then (with a further 20%off by reclaiming the VAT).... 

I have some other things on order - washbasins - there's a 3 week wait for them: not sure whether they're going to be delivered..... bit cross about that because if thats the case I should not have been able to purchase them.

 

Worse things happen at sea eh?

 

 

[JFDIY]

But surely the responsibility lies with them to supply the goods as per the purchase agreement, if give you the money back?

[Oz07]

Usually If you get something big and bulky delivered damaged they deliver a new one or refund and leave damaged with you. Not a bad score if you can source spares

[NSS]

I've just ordered an item of furniture from Germany. They won't deliver it, but it's still significantly cheaper for me to hire a van, drive to Dover, get a ferry over to Calais, drive to Germany to collect it and then drive back than it would be to purchase exactly the same piece of furniture from a UK retailer.

Edited January 9, 2020 by NSS

[Pocster]

1 hour ago, NSS said:

I've just ordered an item of furniture from Germany. They won't deliver it, but it's still significantly cheaper for me to hire a van, drive to Dover, get a ferry over to Calais, drive to Germany to collect it and then drive back than it would be to purchase exactly the same piece of furniture from a UK retailer.

Grab me some proper German ? whilst you are there !

[Carrerahill]

1 hour ago, NSS said:

I've just ordered an item of furniture from Germany. They won't deliver it, but it's still significantly cheaper for me to hire a van, drive to Dover, get a ferry over to Calais, drive to Germany to collect it and then drive back than it would be to purchase exactly the same piece of furniture from a UK retailer.

Mad eh?  

 

Good on you, got me thinking about my kitchen appliances now! If it is worth myself and some friends driving about a 1000mile round trip to get some wine occasionally from France, then I suspect bigger ticket items would be the same! 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Carrerahill

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, NSS said:

I've just ordered an item of furniture from Germany. They won't deliver it, but it's still significantly cheaper for me to hire a van, drive to Dover, get a ferry over to Calais, drive to Germany to collect it and then drive back than it would be to purchase exactly the same piece of furniture from a UK retailer.

 

I dunno what to say: maybe - What's new? 

German by birth, but far more loyal to the UK than ze Vaterland - posts like yours only add to my  cynicism.  

[NSS]

Literally, the cheapest I can buy the item here (even after negotiating an extra 10% off of the New Year Sale price) is £2,100. I've ordered it for pick up in Germany for 1,529 euros (circa £1,365). Mad is the right word!

[Onoff]

1 hour ago, pocster said:

Grab me some proper German ? whilst you are there !

 

...

und eine große Wurst?

[Pocster]

Just now, Onoff said:

 

...

und eine große Wurst?

Laters 

[iSelfBuild]

3 hours ago, AnonymousBosch said:

I had to return an order to a German company (reuter.de) today.  This is how the order arrived.

 

If at the time of refusing the delivery,  I'd have known what I know now, I would not have sent it back.

Why? read on....

 

Megabad stopped delivering to the UK last year sometime.  Reuter.de were cheaper than Megabad sometimes, so I ordered from them because they continued to deliver to the UK.

Chatting to the guy in the Returns Department I find out that reuter.de is no longer shipping to the UK from the end of this month

So bang goes that way of saving 20% then (with a further 20%off by reclaiming the VAT).... 

I have some other things on order - washbasins - there's a 3 week wait for them: not sure whether they're going to be delivered..... bit cross about that because if thats the case I should not have been able to purchase them.

 

Worse things happen at sea eh?

 

 

 

 

Ian how are you intending to claim the VAT back from a German company?

 

As a VAT registered business my goods are always supplied 0 rated. However if I ever pay VAT in their home country or say order something online on eBay from a VAT registered company in Germany I'm charged the VAT as they don't know better, pretty sure I have to file a separate claim for VAT paid in error or in the EU country when on business too.

 

Just wondering how this works for self-builders as the VAT liability from Germany is separate to claiming back the VAT back in the UK... I'm guessing?

[joe90]

I seem to remember @Jeremy Harris bought his MVHR from Euroland and claimed the VAT back ok!, @iSelfBuild perhaps it’s because you are a VAT Reg business? Us buildhubbers don’t tend to be.

Edited January 9, 2020 by joe90

[iSelfBuild]

Just now, joe90 said:

I seem to remember @Jeremy Harris bought his MVHR from Euroland and claimed the VAT back ok!, @iSelfBuild perhaps it’s because you are a VAT Reg business?

 

Hmm not sure how it works. I know they don't make it easy for me. I have about £100 in Polish and Estonian VAT from a business trip but never get round to it / If I give it to my accountant he'll only charge the same ?

[ToughButterCup]

1 minute ago, iSelfBuild said:

Hmm not sure how it works....

 

I just follow the guidance on this site

The invoice always separates out the VAT (Mehrwertsteuer) , convert the value to quids and claim that.

[Jeremy Harris]

7 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I seem to remember @Jeremy Harris bought his MVHR from Euroland and claimed the VAT back ok!, @iSelfBuild perhaps it’s because you are a VAT Reg business? Us buildhubbers don’t tend to be.

 

 

Yes, no problem at all.  I got guidance from HMRC before buying the unit and they assured me that I could reclaim the full Danish VAT (25%) as long as I provided proof of the exchange rate on the date of purchase.  I believe that @PeterStarck did much the same, as he bought his unit from the same Danish supplier.

[iSelfBuild]

That's good to know! Wonder if anything will change with leaving the EU?

[Gone West]

2 minutes ago, Jeremy Harris said:

I believe that @PeterStarck did much the same, as he bought his unit from the same Danish supplier.

Yup, no problem as Jeremy says. Does this remain the same after the 31st.

[HerbJ]

2 minutes ago, Jeremy Harris said:

Yes, no problem at all. 

Agree- we bought fittings from all over Europe  - Ireland, Germany Poland, Italy, Austria - and did exactly as outlined by others above. No problem claiming the applicable VAT on our HMRC Claim

[Oz07]

On your return you just fill in the box for vat reclaimed from other eu member states. (For vat registered entities)

[newhome]

7 hours ago, AnonymousBosch said:

So bang goes ...  (with a further 20%off by reclaiming the VAT)

 

But you've got the invoice ain't ya? ?

[ToughButterCup]

Naturlich! 

The cat now uses the ever increasing pile of invoices as his preferred spot to sunbathe.

 

Not looking forward to the booing and hissing when he's moved into a house with no catflap.

[Patrick]

28 minutes ago, AnonymousBosch said:

Not looking forward to the booing and hissing when he's moved into a house with no catflap.

You always can use your VAT return to buy him a Passivhaus Catflap.

Won't be much left of your VAT return after that  but you sure got the poshest catflap up and down the country.

Edited January 10, 2020 by Patrick

[Pete]

On 09/01/2020 at 12:17, AnonymousBosch said:

I had to return an order to a German company (reuter.de) today.  This is how the order arrived.

 

If at the time of refusing the delivery,  I'd have known what I know now, I would not have sent it back.

Why? read on....

 

Megabad stopped delivering to the UK last year sometime.  Reuter.de were cheaper than Megabad sometimes, so I ordered from them because they continued to deliver to the UK.

Chatting to the guy in the Returns Department I find out that reuter.de is no longer shipping to the UK from the end of this month

So bang goes that way of saving 20% then (with a further 20%off by reclaiming the VAT).... 

I have some other things on order - washbasins - there's a 3 week wait for them: not sure whether they're going to be delivered..... bit cross about that because if thats the case I should not have been able to purchase them.

 

Worse things happen at sea eh?

 

 

We are just compiling our order with Reuter.de but with this news not sure it is going to happen. We like some furniture in Spain so not a bad idea about hiring a van and doing a round trip if I can find the time!!

[ToughButterCup]

@Pete, you'll be okay if it's in stock....

[Temp]

On 09/01/2020 at 15:42, iSelfBuild said:

Ian how are you intending to claim the VAT back from a German company?

 

I claimed 21% Belgian VAT when VAT here was 17.5%.  Think I just converted the VAT paid from Euro to £ and wrote it on the self build reclaim form. 

 

Presumably this will still be allowed after 31st January?