Sending camera abroad for repairs

[malayali]

I've got a Minolta Autocord with some shutter and focus lever issues. Googling around, Karl Bryan in the US appears to the most recommend. Before contacting him, I'm trying to understand the situation with Customs/VAT.

Does anyone have experience with sending good abroad for repair?

Edit: Just to clarify, I'm in the UK

 

[andrewc]

Depends on individual countries.

Most have a scheme where an item can be imported for the purposes or repair or restoration on a tax free basis provided the repairs are carried out within 6 months - sometimes extendable to one year. You would most probably have to pay taxes on the labour and parts, but the value of the item is taken into account.

 

[Asha]

Given that I had to pay a substantial import tax / customs fee for a Christmas GIFT ( marked as such on the relevant paperwork) from the UK to my home here in France, I would give some serious consideration as to what you may get stung with .

As mentioned, a lot depends on country but either way there seems no way to know for sure exactly where one stands concerning fees.
I personally have had varying experiences from several different countries.

My advice would be to search thoroughly for someone within the uk to do the repairs.

 

[Plain Nev]

Why would you consider sending it abroad? I can't believe nobody in this country couldn't do it.

 

[andrewc]

If someone was sending me a car or part of a car for restroration, it falls under a scheme called "Inward Processing Relief"
The customer still has to pay appropriate taxes on the labour, which as a service carried out in the UK is usually standard VAT, and the approriate rate on the parts consumed.

Import tariff's still apply on gifts. On gifts arriving in the UK, the threshold for VAT is £ 39.00, and if its valued at over £ 135.00, import duty is due as well.

If the worlds best guy is in the US, but the 2nd best guy is in the UK, go for the UK option, unless it needs the worlds best guy.

 

[skysh4rk]

I guess Miles is no longer taking on new work or new customers? He serviced my Autocord and fixed my very broken focus lever.

Not for the Autocord, but have also used Newton Ellis to repair my old Rolleiflex SL66E, who were very good, albeit a bit slower and more expensive.

Unless there are no other options, I’d personally be looking for someone UK-based.

 

[angelpaaul]

Not for the Autocord, but have also used Newton Ellis to repair my old Rolleiflex SL66E, who were very good, albeit a bit slower and more expensive.

A second vote for Newton Ellis (Liverpool). They've repaired and serviced quite a few of my cameras over the years and I've had no problems with them.