Apologies I realised I posted a similar thread recently about whether it's best to buy in the UK or not. I'm more concerned about the import costs and whether it's hassle. Thanks a lot.

Now there is ofcourse an official way - and just doing it... We just bought a washing machine in Dubai - And just stuck it into the container without it's orginal packaging when we moved back. Never had any problem. Now having said that... we might have just been lucky... However I wonder if they every really care weather it's new or used - they are your moving goods so don't think they will open your container and actually physically check? So I'd happily stand corrected if i'm wrong.. but my suggestion is - just stick it in there if it's cheaper in the UK... just change the plugs - and voila!!! :-)

@ martin

vehicles can be checked at the border - having witnessed someone who had to empty the entire contents of their van - its a risk only the op can decide ...i think the odds of being checked are low though

@ kevin

i assume you are going the legal route - you just have to account for it - I seem to recall reading that for any goods over 300 CHF you have to prove you have owned them for 6 months or more or you will be liable for some tax/costs

Thanks for the replies. We're just weighing up what to do. We don't have receipts for any of our other white goods/TVs - well, if we do they're on the van somewhere. Does anyone know how much the importation fees might be and even if we can claim the VAT back in the UK if we have to pay it twice?

Bon weekend.

http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/zu_beachten/00350/index.html?lang=en

Each forwarding agent who works internationally ask you data & authorization for the customs declaration.

And you cannot recover UK VAT unless you have export cleared the products; i.e. have sufficient proof that the products left the EU.

They may accept the Swiss import clearance but if not, you wil be in a situation of paying VAT perhaps twice while if you were acting legally from the moment you ordered the shipment, you could have saved the UK VAT part.

You are mixing a lot of things, Martin. Perhaps you should clear first the applicable law and then give an advice.

GTS rate in Singapore 7%

You probably benefitted upon  importing your belongings (back) to Switzerland from an import VAT exemption on the condition that you owned the goods over a certain periog of time.

So, if you have imported a brand new washing machine, you committed a fraud by the way in Switzerland as you provided a false statement to your forwarding agent...

The UK VAT rate is 20% - so if Kevin properly export the products from the UK, and imports them into CH, he can save 13%.

Bonne nuit.

Thanks Marie

Excuse my ignorance, what's a forwarding agent?

Secondly, aside from paying 7.whatever % Swiss VAT on the goods, what would other fees be/ I've tried looking around the EZV.admin.ch site but cannot find the answer?

Here is the link to the exact tariffs: its partly down to value and partly down to weight and you have to keep drilling down to get the exact code for each type of ite.  You will pay this on all items that you have owned less than 6 months and it will be part of the forms you need to complete to hand over at the border.  Make sure you get to the border at a time it is manned! 

www.tares.admin.ch.

oh and if you want to find out how much the equivalent items would cost in switzerland have a look on www.toppreise.ch