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Taxes and fines in the UK Taxes and fines in the UK
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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
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  #1  
Old 17 Apr 2012
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Taxes and fines in the UK
Hey guys,

Four years ago I bought a K1200 RS in the UK, using my friends address as I am from the US, and rode it to Croatia where I have been living for the last four years. It has been a great bike and I love it, but my contract with work is finishing and I have to figure out what to do with it now. (I am moving to Vietnam and will have to get something 250cc or smaller. If you have been there you know why)

One option I am considering is riding it back to the UK and trying to sell it there, but I am worried that there will be prohibitive fines/fees because I have not done anything with the paperwork for the last four years,

Does anyone know if this is a good idea? If not, are there other viable alternatives?

Help,
GS
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  #2  
Old 17 Apr 2012
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Did you declare the bike SORN before leaving the UK?
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Old 17 Apr 2012
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It's a fairly straightforward procedure to sell the bike in an EU country (ie not Croatia). The buyer would have to take care of importing the bike and registering it, however in this case there would be no customs duties involved.

In your place I would probably just put the bike up for sale in Slovenia at an appropriately attractive price.

I'm assuming however that you declared the bike SORNed and /or permanently exported , right?
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Old 17 Apr 2012
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I did not declare it exported (oops!)
I did see that form on the registration, but at the time I figured I could renew the registration in England. I did not realize the complexities at that time.

Can I send that form in now? Am I completely "over-the-barrel" on this one?
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Old 17 Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by k1200 RS View Post
I did see that form on the registration, but at the time I figured I could renew the registration in England. I did not realize the complexities at that time.

Can I send that form in now? Am I completely "over-the-barrel" on this one?
Mu gut feeling is that there is no time limit for declaring that a bike is exported, even though it has been outside the UK for 4 years; kind of depends on if your friend has received any "nasty" mail about your bike at his home address concerning your bike.
For fuller discussion of the UK regulations there are sticky threads in "Trip Papework" which go into great, detailed discussion about all sorts of circumstances; when you identify your optimum solution to this one, you could add value to that thread!!

Good luck.
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  #6  
Old 17 Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by ilesmark View Post
Did you declare the bike SORN before leaving the UK?
even if sorn was declared, it still has to be renewed every year (until they change the law soon if I recall correctly), so there could be quite a pile of fines in the post waiting at that address, probably gone to court, and letters from a debt collection agency by now.
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Old 18 Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by Fern View Post
even if sorn was declared, it still has to be renewed every year (until they change the law soon if I recall correctly), so there could be quite a pile of fines in the post waiting at that address, probably gone to court, and letters from a debt collection agency by now.
K1200 - are you and the friend still friends? Has any correspondence been arriving at his address about this (or bailiffs?!)
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Old 18 Apr 2012
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Friend's dad is very old and has told me nothing.
The address I used my my friend's father's. (Can you have a double possessive) I have met him and he is very old and is the type that would not have indicated to my friend or me that anything had arrived. I will email my friend ASAP and see what has happened.

So what is the fine? Are we talking 100s of GBPs? Does anyone have any kind of estimate?
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  #9  
Old 18 Apr 2012
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Hi

Its still on UK plates then, and you've never imported it into Croatia, new plates, import duties, etc?

From the UK Govt website

"There’s no way out" (they must like a bit of drama )

"If you don’t make a SORN or tax your vehicle you could be stopped by the police.You’ll get an automatic penalty of £80, as well as paying for a new tax disc.
You could also get a County Court Judgment against you, and be fined a minimum of £1,000.
The maximum penalty for making a false SORN, when the vehicle is actually used or kept on a public road, is £5,000 and imprisonment."


From What if you don't tax or make a SORN : Directgov - Motoring
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