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Importing New Furniture to UK - Page 2

GordonH605

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:42pm

GordonH605

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Posts: 327

342 helpful points

Location: Finestrat

Joined: 1 Jan 2021

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:42pm

swcoulthurst wrote on Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:15pm:

Yes that's why I said th fictitious RRP. I was Heating engineer in the UK and 75% discount is just a lie, but they give discount off the never used RRP. Prices are very similar but people just think 'I'm getting loads of discount'. Absolute nonsense. IKEA units also come assembled, but as you say...

... a nightmare to transport. It only takes 10 minutes max to assemble a kitchen carcass so no real biggie. Howdens also offer white goods at discounted prices, but try getting anything to repair Lamona white goods. Stick to proper names goods. Units are 18mm so same as Leroys, Bricomart and Brico Depot. Brico Mart in Finestrat is owned by the parent company of Leroys by the way.

Agreed except IKEA units don't come assembled.  I chose LeRoy Merlin here because there's a huge branch just down the road, the web site is very good and the choice of styles was better than Bricomart.  English speaking kitchen designer was very helpful but a bit too keen to push us into having extra units - I suppose that's part of her job though. IKEA's too far away.  All complaints about LeRoy Merlin kitchens seem to be about installation, not the units themselves.  Click and Collect works well for items not in stock without going in to the shop.  You do have to wait a bit longer than we are used to in UK though. Delivery is expensive and not an option anyway through the narrow streets of an old town like Finestrat.

swcoulthurst

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:24pm

swcoulthurst

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Posts: 1171

931 helpful points

Location: Mutxamel

Joined: 11 Nov 2015

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:24pm

GordonH605 wrote on Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:42pm:

Agreed except IKEA units don't come assembled.  I chose LeRoy Merlin here because there's a huge branch just down the road, the web site is very good and the choice of styles was better than Bricomart.  English speaking kitchen designer was very helpful but a bit too keen to push us int...

...o having extra units - I suppose that's part of her job though. IKEA's too far away.  All complaints about LeRoy Merlin kitchens seem to be about installation, not the units themselves.  Click and Collect works well for items not in stock without going in to the shop.  You do have to wait a bit longer than we are used to in UK though. Delivery is expensive and not an option anyway through the narrow streets of an old town like Finestrat.

I'm only going off a kitchen I fitted in the UK. My customer got his own units from IKEA in the UK and they were delivered ready assembled. Maybe it's something you can specify. I also found IKEA units a bit more limited in size. The only thing with Leroys (just done a kitchen in Jan) is they are pushing the more expensive kitchens now and a lot of the Delinea doors are not available anymore.

louieheaton17

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:29pm

louieheaton17

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Posts: 4

1 helpful points

Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 10 Apr 2021

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:29pm

Thanks everyone for the recommendations of kitchen suppliers abroad. And yes the Unit sizes were an issue as quite a weird kitchen so getting it from somewhere like Leroy Merlin etc, when I went to them to get it priced up and done didn’t go so well. 

Anyway! With Howdens, it’s just easier, the flat pack options just make it easy to transport and get up the limited access. And they have more options and I personally prefer the quality. But these are my points which I though I’d share. That’s really the main reason for going with them.

swcoulthurst

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:59pm

swcoulthurst

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Joined: 11 Nov 2015

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:59pm

louieheaton17 wrote on Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:29pm:

Thanks everyone for the recommendations of kitchen suppliers abroad. And yes the Unit sizes were an issue as quite a weird kitchen so getting it from somewhere like Leroy Merlin etc, when I went to them to get it priced up and done didn’t go so well. 

Anyway! With Howdens, it’s just easier, the flat pack options just make it easy to transport and get up the limited access. And they have more options and I personally prefer the quality. But these are my points which I though I’d share. That’s really the main reason for going with them....

...

Most kitchens in Spain have a few oddities...the Leroy merlin top quality kitchens are far better quality than UK ones, but that's only my opinion. I find the people in store who plan them are as much use as B&Q, again only my opinion. You have to check everything. Side panels when supplied, they send the same size as the larder unit, so dont go to the floor.  I found when they planned it fitted perfectly, in reality...no! 18mm filler panels needed but not pointed out on and and a few other bits. Then not all supplied at once so waiting for 1 cupboard and 2 sets of doors. Guess what..the most important cupboard, corner so couldn't continue until that arrived.  Much easier in UK, but Brexit put paid to simple bringing items over.

DavenJules

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:58pm

DavenJules

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Posts: 329

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Location: Monóvar

Joined: 1 Dec 2019

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:58pm

Hi Louie,

We looked at Brico and Leroy here too, as others have used. I think that you may have come to a conclusion re not shipping from the UK.

We found German quality (Nolte) and a surprisingly good price (not to mention the complete fit out and flexibility in their planning) with Cocimobel cocinas around some odd aspects of our kitchen such as lower windows that normally expected - something the standard carcass may struggle with. I believe they are national. Very helpful locally but if not national, shop around. There is quality to be had and at a good price. 

Granite and marble is in common supply here if that is what you prefer.

Good luck with it.

D

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Von47

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 8:02pm

Posts: 21

11 helpful points

Joined: 4 Feb 2020

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 8:02pm

We are in the same position - we were modernising our house in Spain when Covid struck.  We came back to England last July and have not been able to get back to Spain since then.  We have a new kitchen with all appliances which we brought in England, we had plans to take it out to Spain before Brexit and fit it in our house. Now we cannot take it ourselves as it is classed as exporting from England and importing to Spain, we have had to arrange for a company to take it to Spain for us.  This will cost approximately £700 plus 21% vat on all the items and we will have to produce a list of everything including invoices. Also my husband will be fitting the kitchen himself and he will have to fill a form in for his tools which he wishes to take to prove that he is not importing them and will be bringing them back to England. Its a bit of a mine field and has taken us weeks to sort through what is needed.  We have contacted an English company near Alicante which comes with good references and they have been very helpful and we will be using them to take our kitchen etc over to Spain. I wish you luck.

swcoulthurst

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 8:54pm

swcoulthurst

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Posts: 1171

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Location: Mutxamel

Joined: 11 Nov 2015

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 8:54pm

Von47 wrote on Wed Apr 14, 2021 8:02pm:

We are in the same position - we were modernising our house in Spain when Covid struck.  We came back to England last July and have not been able to get back to Spain since then.  We have a new kitchen with all appliances which we brought in England, we had plans to take it out to Spain...

... before Brexit and fit it in our house. Now we cannot take it ourselves as it is classed as exporting from England and importing to Spain, we have had to arrange for a company to take it to Spain for us.  This will cost approximately £700 plus 21% vat on all the items and we will have to produce a list of everything including invoices. Also my husband will be fitting the kitchen himself and he will have to fill a form in for his tools which he wishes to take to prove that he is not importing them and will be bringing them back to England. Its a bit of a mine field and has taken us weeks to sort through what is needed.  We have contacted an English company near Alicante which comes with good references and they have been very helpful and we will be using them to take our kitchen etc over to Spain. I wish you luck.

I never even thought about tools. I was a plumber/heating engineer. Thousands of pounds of tools brought over 2 years ago. If I decided to move back to the UK, I shudder to think what would happen.

paulsav

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:35am

paulsav

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Location: Villena

Joined: 4 Dec 2015

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:35am

swcoulthurst wrote on Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:44pm:

Just a question to ask. Maybe someone will know the answer.

If you have to pay 21% vat to import the goods and you have paid vat in the country of origin (UK), can you claim the vat back from the UK so you dont pay double taxation? 

Or can you inform the seller that you are exporting so shouldn't be charged vat?

Have just read on Hmrc site re import/export between UK and EU, the vat reclaim process has ended. Last date of purchase to claim was 31st Dec and you had to claim by 31st March. Sorry for you. 

Regards 

Pauline 

swcoulthurst

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:13pm

swcoulthurst

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Posts: 1171

931 helpful points

Location: Mutxamel

Joined: 11 Nov 2015

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:13pm

paulsav wrote on Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:35am:

Have just read on Hmrc site re import/export between UK and EU, the vat reclaim process has ended. Last date of purchase to claim was 31st Dec and you had to claim by 31st March. Sorry for you. 

Regards 

Pauline 

That sounds about right for UK customs and excise. That way they get to keep the tax.

DavenJules

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:37pm

DavenJules

Helpful member

Posts: 329

179 helpful points

Location: Monóvar

Joined: 1 Dec 2019

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:37pm

Von47 wrote on Wed Apr 14, 2021 8:02pm:

We are in the same position - we were modernising our house in Spain when Covid struck.  We came back to England last July and have not been able to get back to Spain since then.  We have a new kitchen with all appliances which we brought in England, we had plans to take it out to Spain...

... before Brexit and fit it in our house. Now we cannot take it ourselves as it is classed as exporting from England and importing to Spain, we have had to arrange for a company to take it to Spain for us.  This will cost approximately £700 plus 21% vat on all the items and we will have to produce a list of everything including invoices. Also my husband will be fitting the kitchen himself and he will have to fill a form in for his tools which he wishes to take to prove that he is not importing them and will be bringing them back to England. Its a bit of a mine field and has taken us weeks to sort through what is needed.  We have contacted an English company near Alicante which comes with good references and they have been very helpful and we will be using them to take our kitchen etc over to Spain. I wish you luck.

Von - not my words but my builder's...make the tools dusty, not new looking ;-)

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