topic Re: Vat in Payments

Vat

kellgolto — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:57:53 GMT

Hi guys Am I out of touch . I just bought a second hand t shirt from a private seller and ebay have charged me 20 % vat on it .I would have thought buying second hand clothing i wouldn't be hit with vat.

But hey good old British government tax you on anything even the sugar in your drink

Re: Vat

roger_roger_over_and_nowt — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:27:20 GMT

Is the seller registered overseas ?.

Item number ?.

Re: Vat

thesmokingrunner — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:42:38 GMT

I'm not sure if you're just letting off steam because you haven't actually asked a question but there could be a couple of reasons why you have been charged VAT:

1. Regardless of current location if either your or the seller's account was originally created in a country other than the UK VAT will be levied on the purchase cost, even if both accounts had at a later date been updated to UK addresses.

2. You don't give any details or mention the amount of VAT you were charged but eBay's Simple Delivery and Buyer Protection Fee costs are liable to VAT because they are a service. Although you wouldn't see the VAT element during purchase it would be shown separately on the payment breakdown. As a rough guide a BPF cost of a couple of £s plus an SD cost of £3-ish would include VAT of around £1, and that would be shown separately on the Order Details screen.

Re: Vat

jonatjonatjonat — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:21:36 GMT

With private sellers eBay still charge VAT on the buyer protection fee and the delivery charge (if there was one)

Re: Vat

daro2096 — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:35:28 GMT

I think they brought in the new rules/laws to stop us private buyers buying £135 or less of an item and not pay any tax on it.

I might be being paranoid though.

Re: Vat

jonatjonatjonat — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:47:02 GMT

what what?

Re: Vat

papso22 — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:08:34 GMT

@daro2096 wrote:

I think they brought in the new rules/laws to stop us private buyers buying £135 or less of an item and not pay any tax on it.

I might be being paranoid though.

You are paranoid and there are no 'new rules' either on ebay of HMRC tax ones.

Re: Vat

kellgolto — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:39:21 GMT

No local seller

Re: Vat

jonatjonatjonat — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:12:51 GMT

As above - check the rate.

What percentage of the total of the order is the VAT? If it isn't 20% - then the VAT isn't on the entire order.

ebay do need to apply VAT to simple delivery postage and the buyer protection fee - this is the most likely scenario.