Irish Tax problem

shadowdogg

Hi guys,

I know you are mainly UK based but I know you are a friendly bunch and hoping you can help. So this is basically what the situation is:

My Father inherited a bungalow from his Mother in November 2009. Introduced in Ireland in 2009 was a 'charge' called the non Principle private residence for those who owned another home. Problem is, they don't sent letters and have HEFTY interest rates, 20 euros for each month late on top of a compounding interest each year added. To the state where if you missed from 2009, from December 2013, you could owe e3,920.

I remember in the UK we had a similar situation where banks were found to have excessive charges for overdraft and hoping someone knowledgeable here may have any useful information regarding this and if there is anything I can do to eliminate most, if not all the interest on the grounds of excessive charges without having to go to a small claims court.

Many thanks for your time.

P.S Or if there is a MSE equivalent in Ireland as so far I haven't found much.

noh

It is not in any way similar to the bank charges situation in the UK.

The NPPR in Eire is a tax payable to the local authority.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0030/print.html

It is a self assessed tax and can be paid online.
Your father, if he wishes to avoid prosecution, has no option but to comply with the legislation and pay what he owes
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/owning_a_home/home_owners/new_local_authority_charges_on_residential_property.html

Buzby

Sadly, unfairness doesn't come into it when it comes to matters of taxation. I recall this was introduced in the 2008 (?) budget, but it was not one of the headline-grabbing features when announced in the Dail, it simply appeared having been voted on and approved.

The money was used as a fillip to the strained County coffers - and I've never heard of any waiver or appeal, primarily because the property owner was deemed to be solvent, and it was seen as a way to discourage investment in housing stock (as the upcoming generations were finding it hard to break I to a market that was mainly investment driven.

I think the easier option is to bite the bullet and pay, or dispose of the liability as the recovery can involve the sequestration of the non-primary domicile.

shadowdogg

I found out that at least 2009 is except because my Grandmother was in a care home and therefore exempt from this so looking at their website I have found it is e2,800 instead of e4,000 so at least that is something.

I appreciate the responses too, my family isn't rich or anything, we just happened to inherited a property and we have tried to do our best to upkeep it. It is just a shame the money my Mum has saved up for doing up the house is now going to be mostly all gone now.

Hurrah to not wasting money in the pub and holidays every year when stuff like this happens.

E-mailed the EU on the side too.