didn't pay it there,have no buisness there. couldn't therefore when back in the uk pay it to anyone as the van vat free was purchased from a belgian, ie no one to pay it to.

However when I registered them, both required signing a seperate sheet to say I would "account" for the vat in my returns, think again I gave my vat number. So I never actually "paid" vat at all.

What I can't work out is how some dealers in spain can send bikes to the uk vat free when I had to jump through a few hoops.

Personally without a decent warranty I would never buy a trials bike this way its not worth it. Second hand I wouldn't chance it.

Like you say, a lot of 'grey' areas here but interesting to read peoples different experiences.

didn't pay it there,have no buisness there. couldn't therefore when back in the uk pay it to anyone as the van vat free was purchased from a belgian, ie no one to pay it to.

However when I registered them, both required signing a seperate sheet to say I would "account" for the vat in my returns, think again I gave my vat number. So I never actually "paid" vat at all.

What I can't work out is how some dealers in spain can send bikes to the uk vat free when I had to jump through a few hoops.

Personally without a decent warranty I would never buy a trials bike this way its not worth it. Second hand I wouldn't chance it.

Surley not paying vat & reclaiming vat are different ?

If your not vat registered what would the situation be?

boy your tax system sounds confusing.

oh wait so is ours.

Income tax- state and federal- (penalize me for being a productive member of society and support the lazy *******s)

2 or 3 different taxes on gasoline

sales tax (varies by state, where I at is 6%)

windfall profit tax (for businesses)

luxury tax.

"sin" taxes - (special taxes on tobacco and alcohol)

Death and taxes the only guarantees in life.

well enough ranting..........I still ain't gonna move to a new state or country so I guess it don't bother me that much.

boy your tax system sounds confusing.

oh wait so is ours.

Income tax- state and federal- (penalize me for being a productive member of society and support the lazy *******s)

2 or 3 different taxes on gasoline

sales tax (varies by state, where I at is 6%)

windfall profit tax (for businesses)

luxury tax.

"sin" taxes - (special taxes on tobacco and alcohol)

Death and taxes the only guarantees in life.

well enough ranting..........I still ain't gonna move to a new state or country so I guess it don't bother me that much.

Yeah - but we are members of the EU, which means we follow every law they introduce, except when it comes to duty on tobacco and booze. Scotch whiskey is cheaper in France than the UK. I kid you not.

Surley not paying vat & reclaiming vat are different ?

If your not vat registered what would the situation be?

You pay vat you reclaim it, period. But you must give them the difference of what you recieve.

Which could lead me on to how someone not a million miles away from the trials world cottoned on and actuallly bought a roller thenks to HM Customs vat reclaims.

VAT is like your sales taxes but slightly different (i think Michigan uses it - its own Wikipedia somewhere). since everything in the EU has VAT on it (bar a few things like food), and all the VAT is semi similar (15% to 25% i think), everyone pays VAT, but can do "tricks" when importing and exporting between states to pay the amount in the state with the lower rate. also the exemption rules vary from state to state. most importantly businesses that make stuff can claim the VAT back, because VAT will be paid by the buyer of the final product. this leads people to say run their bike through their business as advertising, so they don't pay/save the VAT. the other trick which criminals do is the carousel fraud (best explained by wikipedia).