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Another Household Charge Arrears Thread

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  • 24-04-2014 3:09pm
    #1
    Jambo
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭


    Hi All

    This morning to my surprise I received a Household Charge Arrears Notice, which I have just duly queried with the revenue helpline as I had never received an initial demand notice.

    The Lady whom I spoke to was kind and courteous and explained that I would have received 2 letters (which I never had) on the matter, One being the initial demand notice from my Local Council (KK), and then a follow up letter from Revenue, further more after speaking to six work colleagues not one of them recollects having received such notice/demand !

    My question is how can I be held liable for arrears when I have never received an initial demand in the 1st place ? I have no issue paying the €100 charge if its due (which I would question as my estate is unfinished, poses some dangers and is in a worse condition than 2 other estates which are listed for waivers in my area) but arrears and further interest will not be paid by myself.

    If anyone has any ideas it would be appreciated.


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    #2
    Geuze
    Registered Users Posts: 13,105 ✭✭✭✭Geuze


    I never rec'd any request for the HC, AFAIK.

    I heard all about it, went online and paid.


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    #3
    Jambo
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭Jambo


    Geuze wrote: »
    I never rec'd any request for the HC, AFAIK.

    I heard all about it, went online and paid.

    Thanks Geuze for that information at least its not just my personal acquaintances whom have not received any notice or invoice.


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    #4
    turnikett1
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭turnikett1


    It was all over the media, all over the news, there was loads of protests about it in 2012. There is no way you wouldn't have heard about it. The county council should've sent you letters the first time around. Revenue have taken control of it the past few weeks, that's why you're getting letters from them now.

    You're not going to be able to get away with paying just €100, sorry to say. Compliance for the HHC when it was dealt by the local county council was 40%, compliance for the LPT under Revenue was 94% (2013) and 90% (2014). There's no avoiding it bud, sorry! Revenue will get it one way or another.


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    #5
    hawkhead
    Registered Users Posts: 449 ✭✭hawkhead


    When I spoke to Revenue regarding this they actually stated that they took over the collection of this in July 2013.

    The letters they have issued this week are the first correspondence from them to householders regarding this matter. As a state appointed debt collector for this charge they should surely have written to the householders advising them that they would incur penalties and extra fees if they didn't arrange to pay the original €100 amount by a certain date. The first written correspondence should not be a letter claiming you are in arrears when revenue never actually notified you in writing that you owed them money in the first place. The answer they are giving that it was all over the media doesn't really cut it.

    Would you pay anything else without either receiving an invoice from whoever is claiming you owe them or some sort of formal notification.


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    #6
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    A lot of people have received these letters threatening to deduct out of wages if not paid or set up a payment method within 2 weeks of the letter date. I got one which was already a week after the date on the letter. I rang up and they said it was for the Household charge in 2012. I told them that as of Jan 2012 i didnt even own a house so how could i get charged for it . They told me to send them proof that i didnt own a house at the time and MAYBE it will be ok.
    Ive checked again on the online site and my account is clear with no arrears so whats the deal with these letters?? Friends have said that they are confused by these letters as well when they have already paid what they owe.
    Its wrong to threaten people with deduction from wages for something thats not owed in the first place.


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    #7
    Jambo
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭Jambo


    turnikett1 wrote: »
    It was all over the media, all over the news, there was loads of protests about it in 2012. There is no way you wouldn't have heard about it. The county council should've sent you letters the first time around. Revenue have taken control of it the past few weeks, that's why you're getting letters from them now.

    You're not going to be able to get away with paying just €100, sorry to say. Compliance for the HHC when it was dealt by the local county council was 40%, compliance for the LPT under Revenue was 94% (2013) and 90% (2014). There's no avoiding it bud, sorry! Revenue will get it one way or another.

    I didn't hear about this in the media I used to work away from home in the UK / Mainland Europe so I don't recall anything about this, and when I am at home I usually watch recordings / movies etc


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    #8
    stoneill
    Registered Users Posts: 3,610 ✭✭✭stoneill


    I received a Household Charge Arrears for a property that did not exist in 2012, recent house build.
    2013 is paid up, 2014 is taken from my wages.
    SDCC got their €25k "contribution" for the build - and now I'm being hassled for €200.

    Not only is this annoying, it means I have to take time away from my own job to go do a job that someone in SDCC and Revenue should be doing.


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    #9
    JP85
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭JP85


    I bought my house in July 2012, do i still have to pay the household charge as i got the letter last week but seeing that it was released on the 1st of Jan 2012


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    #10
    turnikett1
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭turnikett1


    JP85 wrote: »
    I bought my house in July 2012, do i still have to pay the household charge as i got the letter last week but seeing that it was released on the 1st of Jan 2012

    If the previous owner didn't pay it then you're liable. Otherwise you're good to go


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    #11
    nicnac
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭nicnac


    We paid ours ... They sent us an arrears notice for €200. Livid over it as I can't find the receipt.


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    #12
    Shelflife
    Registered Users Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭Shelflife


    Jambo theres an old saying that ignorance is no defence. lack of knowledge of the local tax laws is not the concern of the tax office.

    Yes it should have been handled better and correspondence should have informed you of your liability but even if they haven't the liability still exists.

    In the same way that if you buy a car you have to pay motor tax, they wont send you an initial bill but you are still liable for it.

    My advise is to pay up as the interest bill will just keep rising.


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    #13
    nicnac
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭nicnac


    Shelflife wrote: »
    Jambo theres an old saying that ignorance is no defence. lack of knowledge of the local tax laws is not the concern of the tax office.

    Yes it should have been handled better and correspondence should have informed you of your liability but even if they haven't the liability still exists.

    In the same way that if you buy a car you have to pay motor tax, they wont send you an initial bill but you are still liable for it.

    My advise is to pay up as the interest bill will just keep rising.

    We paid, but they claim we didn't. If someone, i.e your spouse, logged in on your behalf then the payment isn't associated with the primary PPSN. So the primary PPSN gets an arrears letter. Well pissed off.


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    #14
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    hawkhead wrote: »
    When I spoke to Revenue regarding this they actually stated that they took over the collection of this in July 2013.

    The letters they have issued this week are the first correspondence from them to householders regarding this matter. As a state appointed debt collector for this charge they should surely have written to the householders advising them that they would incur penalties and extra fees if they didn't arrange to pay the original €100 amount by a certain date. The first written correspondence should not be a letter claiming you are in arrears when revenue never actually notified you in writing that you owed them money in the first place. The answer they are giving that it was all over the media doesn't really cut it.

    Would you pay anything else without either receiving an invoice from whoever is claiming you owe them or some sort of formal notification.

    I got two letters regarding the LPT one with my details to login and pay, and a reminder well in advance of the deadline
    Went online, paid and that was that

    It was all over the media as well

    And I live in an area with crap postal service, but got those letters.


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    #15
    nicnac
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭nicnac


    Stheno wrote: »
    I got two letters regarding the LPT one with my details to login and pay, and a reminder well in advance of the deadline
    Went online, paid and that was that

    It was all over the media as well

    And I live in an area with crap postal service, but got those letters.

    I paid it and got slammed with an arrears letter today. There were definitely no reminders ..


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    #16
    turnikett1
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭turnikett1


    nicnac wrote: »
    We paid ours ... They sent us an arrears notice for €200. Livid over it as I can't find the receipt.

    Contact support@householdcharge.ie

    or write into

    Local Government Management Agency
    PO BOX 12168
    Dublin 1

    They'll re-issue you your receipt, just don't forget to include the liable person's PPSN and the address.


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    #17
    nicnac
    Registered Users Posts: 247 ✭✭nicnac


    turnikett1 wrote: »
    Contact support@householdcharge.ie

    or write into

    Local Government Management Agency
    PO BOX 12168
    Dublin 1

    They'll re-issue you your receipt, just don't forget to include the liable person's PPSN and the address.

    No reply from the email address or response to the registered letter I sent. Have to go the Data Protection Act route now.


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