A question for UK based engineers.
 

Hi,

If you take test equipment or tools out of the country for your work, do you declare them to customs before you go and when you get back ?

I've been travelling abroad for over 10 years on business and usually take 2 toolboxes with me containing multimeters, oscilloscopes and other electrical equipment. I have always come back through the green channel at customs and never had a problem, even when the toolboxes have been searched by customs they never said I was doing anything wrong.

Arriving at Gatwick yesterday morning, I went through the green channel as usual and was stopped by a customs official (one of the most obnoxious gits I've ever met, but that's another story) and told that I should have gone through the red channel and declared all of my stuff.

When I said that my laptop was a tool for work just like an oscilloscope, he replied that all laptops should be declared through the red channel if they were owned by your employer and not personal property.

I'm going to send a letter to customs & excise but I'm interested to know what other peoples experiences are. I'm also confused how I managed to go through the green channel probably once every 3 weeks for the last 10 years without anyone mentioning this to me.

Doug