43 unfinished estates exempt from charge
Forty three estates in Tipperary are exempt from paying the recently introduced household charge because they are unfinished, according to Clonmel solicitors Lynch and Partners.
Commenting on the recent Department of the Environment publication, which lists unfinished housing estates exempt from the household charge, Áine Ryan, partner at Lynch and Partners solicitors said that people living in unfinished estates were granted a waiver and do not have to pay the household charge of €100.” This exemption applies to residents in 43 unfinished housing estates in Tipperary including 16 in South Tipperary and 27 in North Tipperary.
This household charge of €100, which applies to residential property owners, came into force on January 1, 2012 with the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011. The new household charge is the direct result of the EU/IMF agreement signed by the former government in an attempt to offset the government deficit of €18 billion. The annual charge for non-principal private residences of €200 continues to apply.
Unfinished housing estates that are exempt from the household charge in South Tipperary include two estates in Ardfinnan called Ashfield Manor and Ros na Graine; Glennanlocha and Ravenswood in Carrick on Suir; Manor Court in Thomastown; Abbeyview and An Seanline in Fethard. In the Clonmel area Ard na Sidhe is the only estate that qualifies for the waiver and in Cashel householders in Caislean na Ri, Coopers Close and The Steeples are not liable for the charge. Householders in one estate in Ivowen in Kilsheelan; Sean Tracy Heights in Kilfeakle; Cois Taire in Goatenbridge; Kilnamanagh Manor in Dundrum and The Paddocks in Thurles are also entitled to avail of the waiver.
In addition to the unfinished estates that qualify for the waiver there are a number of other exemptions from the charge: the household charge does not apply to residents who are receiving mortgage interest supplement or residents in social housing. Properties, other than unfinished housing estates, that are exempt from the household charge are mobile homes, houses owned by the HSE and Government departments, voluntary housing bodies and charities, or properties in a discretionary trust or if a person has to leave their house due to long-term mental or physical infirmity.
For those residents who do have to pay the household charge Áine Ryan highlighted the additional cost if they postpone their payment, “Householders may not be aware that if they delay in paying the household charge the overall cost to them could be far greater than €100. Penalties apply for late payment of the household charge and if it is unpaid it attaches to the property for 12 years. If the payment is less than 6 months overdue there is a 10% penalty, if it is over 6 months, but less than 12 months there is a 20% penalty, payments more than 12 months overdue incur a penalty of 30%. Additionally, 1% late payment interest applies for every month that the charge is unpaid.”
The household charge is expected to generate €160 million, which will be used to finance local authorities, such as emergency services, through the Local Government Fund. The charge will be in place for two years and a property tax will then be introduced, the amount of which will depend on the value of the property and the income of the owners.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Clonmel
Saturday 19 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South
