Guest Ken Mirza Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 I will shortly be purchasing a new Elnagh motorhome in Germany - vat included to be used in Spain (as we will be 'living aboard' when we move there sometime after August this year(hopefully!). We've been advised against registering the vehicle in Spain due to Spanish laws and beaurocracy concerning imports of new vehicles, but rather to register it back here, use it for 6 months or so and then take it to Spain. Will I be liable to Vat or tax in the UK as I will have already paid Vat in Germany? I would appreciate any advice on this subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel E Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Sorry, Ken you can't do that! (And I'm slightly amazed that you've ordered a motorhome in Germany without knowing the answers to some pretty fundamental questions!) If you keep a vehicle in any EU country for longer than 6 months, it must be re-registered there. That obviously applies if you're changing your country of residence. So you will have to register it in Spain, at least when you move there. And a few weeks back in the UK every so often doesn't count! And the Spanish are getting keen about checking up on this. The VAT rule for vehicles is different from any other item (except aircraft!). On new vehicles, the VAT has to be paid in the country of registration and NOT in the country where you buy it. So if you re-register it in the UK, you will be forced to pay UK VAT and then apply for a refund from your German dealer. The same applies to Spain, though I suspect you may also be asked to cough up the Spanish luxury tax too (about 10%, I think). It's a pity you're so far down the line, as the whole thing would have been much simpler if you'd bought the m'home in Spain. I suspect you need my MMM Fact Sheets on 'Buying Abroad'. Let me know if you want details - or do a search of this forum's archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yorkshire Tyke Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 When my sister bought a german Ford to take out to South Africa they bought it with NO German tax and NO UK tax as it was to be exported within the month They were given to understand that it had to out of this country within three months - then some tax could be recovered The UK forces working in Germany can bring them into UK with no tax after two years They buy new headlamps for UK roads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian Kirby Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Now, I know this is a delicate matter in some parts of the country, but Britain is in the EEC. The rules Mel is explaining about apply between EEC countries. South Africa would be quite a different matter, and it probably doesn't have VAT. Doubtless it has other taxes that would be applied to a newly imported vehicle. It's probably a bit late for most of us to join the army, now. The forces tax free car import is a concession and, I believe, can only be exercised at the end of a tour. In any case, do you really want to spend two years in Rheindahlen or Osnabruck to get the concession? Won't solve poor Ken's problem, unless he has a mate in the army whose arm he can twist! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel E Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Brian, please do not give out my email address on an open forum without consulting me privately first. The forum stopped displaying email addresses some time ago for very good reasons. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian Kirby Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Mel My apologies. I was sure I'd seen a post from you fairly recently, referring to your factsheet, and giving your e-mail address. I was convinced that I'd just copied it over from that. I was so sure, I've just spent 15 minutes trying to find it! I can't, so I'm doubly sorry for publishing it. Still can't remember where I got it from though. Senility beckons! Subject to which, it won't happen again. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 You may well have copied Mel E's e-mail address from his reply to the "£10,000 to cross the Channel" posting of 3/11/2003, though it also appears several times elsewhere throughout the current format forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian Kirby Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Thank's Derek. I knew I'd seen it somewhere, so had thought Mel wouldn't mind it appearing again. However, he's right, it's his e-mail address, and it was presumptuous of me just to insert it. So, I remain chastened. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel E Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Derek, like most people I've got much more protective of my email address since 2 years' ago. All that spam, I guess. AOL has become particularly bad - I'm fed up of share tips and promises of enlarged body parts. So I'm in process of migrating to a new address. So Brian's senior moment wasn't too big a problem - just wanted to remind readers that email addresses really should be looked after! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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