revenue announce major VRT clampdown

furtzy

from irishtimes.com

Revenue announces major VRT crackdown
Revenue has announced it has begun a major crackdown on motorists evading Vehicle Registration Tax.

The campaign, which Revenue said “will continue for some time”, will see Customs officers targeting foreign-registered cars, principally in border and urban areas.

"We maintain a focus on VRT offences throughout the year but at regular intervals we undertake 'blitz' style operations which are high visibility," said Revenue Commissioner Liam Irwin.

"The focus of this specific campaign is Irish residents illegally driving foreign registered cars. The rules are very clear and people who attempt to evade VRT will face the consequences", he warned.

Revenue challenged 23,986 vehicles in 2008 and seized 1,589 for VRT offences.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0327/breaking51.htm

Saab Ed

VRT fraud is one thing but its easy for them to snatch cars from Irish people bringing them in. Its about time they did something about the amount of cars driving around for years with Eastern European reg's on them. Atleast Irish people can be traced if they are stopped but what do you do with a Polish or Latvian reged car that knocks someone down or speeds and the like. Easy target as usuall ( not that I condone VRT fraud , infact working in a main dealer I despise it )

Beta Ray Bill

I'm slightly confused about the conditions of VRT.

I have a UK passport, But I live in the Republic of Ireland.

I am planning on moving up to the North in about a years time but plan to work in the south. If I commute to the south everyday (and possibly stay there in work flat during the week) does that mean that mean that I have to pay VRT?

robtri

furtzy wrote: »

from irishtimes.com

Revenue announces major VRT crackdown
Revenue has announced it has begun a major crackdown on motorists evading Vehicle Registration Tax.

The campaign, which Revenue said “will continue for some time”, will see Customs officers targeting foreign-registered cars, principally in border and urban areas.

"We maintain a focus on VRT offences throughout the year but at regular intervals we undertake 'blitz' style operations which are high visibility," said Revenue Commissioner Liam Irwin.

"The focus of this specific campaign is Irish residents illegally driving foreign registered cars. The rules are very clear and people who attempt to evade VRT will face the consequences", he warned.

Revenue challenged 23,986 vehicles in 2008 and seized 1,589 for VRT offences.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0327/breaking51.htm

surely it would be much easier for them to start of with Carzone or autotrader and look at all the private non irish cars for sale......... much easier on man power...

furtzy

robtri wrote: »

surely it would be much easier for them to start of with Carzone or autotrader and look at all the private non irish cars for sale......... much easier on man power...

You can be sure they'll be doing that as well. Wife works in revenue and there are major tax evasion clampdowns in progress or on the way....they need all the money they can get at the moment!

Saab Ed

"Wife works in the revenue" :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Only taking the p**s

Owen

Saab Ed wrote: »

Its about time they did something about the amount of cars driving around for years with Eastern European reg's on them

For the gazmillionth time in this Forum, the reasons they don't do anything about the Eastern European reg's are :

Most Revenue officials don't speak Polish/Czech/Russian/Lithuanian/Slovakian
By the time they bring in a translator, they waste lots more time.
EE drivers usually stay here about 2 years and bugger off home anyway

Finally, and most importantly - the Revenue's job is to ... get revenue! And the easiest way to do that is to target Irish people, who live and work here driving foreign cars and can be easily communicated with and traced.

Saab Ed

ned78 wrote: »

For the gazmillionth time in this Forum, the reasons they don't do anything about the Eastern European reg's are :

Most Revenue officials don't speak Polish/Czech/Russian/Lithuanian/Slovakian
By the time they bring in a translator, they waste lots more time.
EE drivers usually stay here about 2 years and bugger off home anyway

Finally, and most importantly - the Revenue's job is to ... get revenue! And the easiest way to do that is to target Irish people, who live and work here driving foreign cars and can be easily communicated with and traced.

Thats my point....easy target

furtzy

Saab Ed wrote: »

"Wife works in the revenue" :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:

Only taking the p**s

:D:D....well she clocks in :D

robtri

furtzy wrote: »

You can be sure they'll be doing that as well. Wife works in revenue and there are major tax evasion clampdowns in progress or on the way....they need all the money they can get at the moment!

jesus I hope so.... for some reason it really P*sses me off,

Santa Claus

One point they never seem to mention when VRT is brought up is the amount of income they lose on the M50 each day from non-irish reg cars going over the bridge for free as there's no way of billing them !
It's a small issue but becomes a big issue if one of those cars is involved in an accident and the owner/driver can't be traced for prosecution

Stephen

grahambo wrote: »

I'm slightly confused about the conditions of VRT.

I have a UK passport, But I live in the Republic of Ireland.

I am planning on moving up to the North in about a years time but plan to work in the south. If I commute to the south everyday (and possibly stay there in work flat during the week) does that mean that mean that I have to pay VRT?

If you're staying here for something like 180 nights in the year you're considered resident and they would be able to pursue you for the vrt. They may be tightening up on that as well to go after some of the high rollers that fly in and out and make sure that they're gone by midnight.

pipsqueak

I remember 3 to 4 years ago there were any amount of latvian, lihuanian and polish plates around but is it me or does there seem to be a lot less of them on the roads now?? You know the ones the black 1992 525i and the scummy 93 integra ! any others spring to mind?

OldmanMondeo

Fair enough, we all end up paying for those that don't. Their is a guy I work with driving a NI reg for nearly 2 years, still not VRT'd. Anyone with an Irish reg car has paid it, so why should the likes of him not? Probably not get stopped though.

stealthyspeeder

grahambo wrote: »

I'm slightly confused about the conditions of VRT.

I have a UK passport, But I live in the Republic of Ireland.

I am planning on moving up to the North in about a years time but plan to work in the south. If I commute to the south everyday (and possibly stay there in work flat during the week) does that mean that mean that I have to pay VRT?

If you have a UK passport and are not in the republic for more than 185 days of the year (day of arrival and day of departure are omitted for this count of days) then you do not have to pay VRT.

So for example, if a person from the north came down south to live and work and returned home every weekend (left friday and arrived monday) they are only resident for the tuesday wednesday and thursday of every week, 52 * 3 = 156 days of the year, so not resident, so no VRT.

Saab Ed

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

If you have a UK passport and are not in the republic for more than 185 days of the year (day of arrival and day of departure are omitted for this count of days) then you do not have to pay VRT.

So for example, if a person from the north came down south to live and work and returned home every weekend (left friday and arrived monday) they are only resident for the tuesday wednesday and thursday of every week, 52 * 3 = 156 days of the year, so not resident, so no VRT.

I love the way people know that stuff on here....good man but how in hell do you know that. :D

Farls

pipsqueak wrote: »

I remember 3 to 4 years ago there were any amount of latvian, lihuanian and polish plates around but is it me or does there seem to be a lot less of them on the roads now?? You know the ones the black 1992 525i and the scummy 93 integra ! any others spring to mind?

A lot of them gone home due to no work here, a lot of the rest of them have crashed the cars they had here largely due to drink driving and a decent few of them have bought irish vehicles.

ardmacha

If you have a UK passport and are not in the republic for more than 185 days of the year

Your passport is not relevant one way or the other. The 185 day thing is one of the tests of normal residence, but if your family live outside the State then that is assumed to be your place of normal residence. So for the East European people mentioned above if they are supporting a family in Poland (and possibly claiming Irish children's allowance) then it goes beyond a simple day count.

Also many East Europeans had relatively elderly cars, not much VRT to be collected there.

pipsqueak

Farls wrote: »

A lot of them gone home due to no work here, a lot of the rest of them have crashed the cars they had here largely due to drink driving and a decent few of them have bought irish vehicles.

yea thought that allright, awful shame though :P

Saab Ed

Farls wrote: »

A lot of them gone home due to no work here, a lot of the rest of them have crashed the cars they had here largely due to drink driving and a decent few of them have bought irish vehicles.

Im sure you'll get bashed for that comment and it seems such a cliche but thats exactly what happened 2 foreign car owners in the back of my estate ..exactly.

Farls

Saab Ed wrote: »

Im sure you'll get bashed for that comment and it seems such a cliche but thats exactly what happened 2 foreign car owners in the back of my estate ..exactly.

Possibly...but if you read the courts in your local papers each week this seems to be the norm. I know in Cavan/Monaghan it is anyway.

whippet

ardmacha wrote: »

Also many East Europeans had relatively elderly cars, not much VRT to be collected there.

actually no VRT would be payable. They would have been entitled to import the car without VRT !!!

pipsqueak

hes right, no nct, no tax, insurance not worth wiping yer hole with. speeding, drink driving, Im glad to see the back of these assh0les tbh,
yea yea i know they were not all doing it but a damn sight of them were! and there are plenty of grieving families in ireland that will say the same.

Saab Ed

pipsqueak wrote: »

hes right, no nct, no tax, insurance not worth wiping yer hole with. speeding, drink driving, Im glad to see the back of these assh0les tbh,
yea yea i know they were not all doing it but a damn sight of them were! and there are plenty of grieving families in ireland that will say the same.

just a little OTT for me with that one....but I hear ya

Cuddlesworth

robtri wrote: »

surely it would be much easier for them to start of with Carzone or autotrader and look at all the private non irish cars for sale......... much easier on man power...

As long as they are parked on private land their isn't much the revenue can do. You have to be caught driving it on public roads.

pipsqueak

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

As long as they are parked on private land their isn't much the revenue can do. You have to be caught driving it on public roads.

if they took it out for a "test drive" on a public road would they then be allowed to impound it? Or is there an entrapement issue there or do we even have entrapement in irl?

pipsqueak

http://www.argus.ie/news/crackdown-1687105.html

Customs checkpoint in Dundalk

check out the bmw and ford impounded!

DonJose

whippet wrote: »

actually no VRT would be payable. They would have been entitled to import the car without VRT !!!

If they did register the car in Ireland and pay VRT they would have to pay Irish road tax, get insurance and have the car NCT'ed. Thats the main reason we have seen so many foreign reg cars here.

thethedev

Hypothetical scenario for you so.

A man imports a car from England. The VRT is expensive so he keeps it off the road for a few months until he can afford to pay it.
The revenue pass his house and see hi this car sitting there with its english plates on. Can they do anything?
Like wise, say he eventually has the money to pay the VRT and drives it to the VRO and gets stopped on the way? What happens then?
And if he manages to make it to the VRO then what?

furtzy

pipsqueak wrote: »

http://www.argus.ie/news/crackdown-1687105.html

Customs checkpoint in Dundalk

check out the bmw and ford impounded!

Inishowen in Donegal as well
http://www.derryjournal.com/inishowen/Ten-cars-seized-in-crackdown.5115135.jp

Looks like a major nationwide clampdown at last.

Lord Trollington

what about someone who has for example a 07 320d BMW on finance up the north,still has 2 years to run on the finance and recently got a job in the south and moved down,but drivin g around in the northern reg car.
technically its not his/her car its the finance company's car..
the finance company wouldnt allow the reg plate changed if it was theirs???
does he/she have to pay the VRT on that car??

paddydriver

I was up the VRO in Tallaght yesterday registering the S-Max I got last weekend. The guy up there came out and gave it the once over and said he has to send it to Rosslare now for calculation.

Asked him for the letter, in case I was stopped, to show I had been there and was waiting on VRT total etc - he gave it to me fine but said they have been told not to give them out! Its a joke really.. I go up ready to pay but he delays it so as he can make more money off me by sending it to Rosslare; then tells me he is not meant to give me anything to cover me - daft! ME being honest and all that...;)

He says that they are not really interested in impounding cars and just want the VRT - the cars are no use to them but the green backs are:rolleyes:

furtzy

whycliff wrote: »

what about someone who has for example a 07 320d BMW on finance up the north,still has 2 years to run on the finance and recently got a job in the south and moved down,but drivin g around in the northern reg car.
technically its not his/her car its the finance company's car..
the finance company wouldnt allow the reg plate changed if it was theirs???
does he/she have to pay the VRT on that car??

If it is on hire purchase and the hire company are the registered owner then you would have to contact them to tell them you are planning to export the car out of the state. Couldn't see them agreeing to that

If the car is on finance and you a re the registered owner then you would be liable for VRT and would also need to inform the finance company on the change of registration etc

Best to talk to the finance company and a VRO office

Top Dog

robtri wrote: »

surely it would be much easier for them to start of with Carzone or autotrader and look at all the private non irish cars for sale......... much easier on man power...

I don't know if they still do, but I can tell you from expierence that they have checked the likes of Carzone in the past to try catch people evading paying the VRT.

I cleared a '05 Audi A4 for a friend last year. Everything was going grand, customs lady came out and checked car over. Then the office manager (or whoever ranks higher than her) spotted the car outside and came over to us. Gathered up the paperwork and took me outside to examine the car again. Quizzed me about whether or not it was up for sale on any sites because there was an identical car on Carzone (silver Audi A4 TDI - I'm sure there was more than 1 :rolleyes: ). Rang the number he had off the advert to make sure my phone didn't ring and that the owners phone didn't ring (owners name was Mark and phone got diverted to a Patrick or something so obviously not the same guy or car).

So yeah, they certainly have checked the likes of Carzone in the past.

thethedev wrote: »

Hypothetical scenario for you so.

A man imports a car from England. The VRT is expensive so he keeps it off the road for a few months until he can afford to pay it.
The revenue pass his house and see hi this car sitting there with its english plates on. Can they do anything?
Like wise, say he eventually has the money to pay the VRT and drives it to the VRO and gets stopped on the way? What happens then?
And if he manages to make it to the VRO then what?

If the car is off the road, on private property, then theres sweet FA the customs guys can do about it. If he gets the money together to clear it then he'll have the money & paperwork with him if stopped so again customs will see that he's on the way and can't really do anything about it.

miju

actually quick question. is there a phone number or email address that people could shop VRT dodgers to if they so desired.

fitzgm01

You're absolutely right. I've seen spanish and italian cars being driven in Ireland for over 2 years. They have no tax disc or insurance on the windscreen and when going through garda checkpoints they are just waved through while an irish reg car with an expired NCT is treaded as if u've committed a major offence....not vert fair??

peasant

fitzgm01 wrote: »

You're absolutely right. I've seen spanish and italian cars being driven in Ireland for over 2 years. They have no tax disc or insurance on the windscreen and when going through garda checkpoints they are just waved through while an irish reg car with an expired NCT is treaded as if u've committed a major offence....not vert fair??

In most other countries tax, insurance and NCT are NOT displayed on the windscreen. Blame the gardai for being too uninformed on how to check these vehicles properly and just waving them through instead.

DonJose

miju wrote: »

actually quick question. is there a phone number or email address that people could shop VRT dodgers to if they so desired.

I suppose you want the Dublin office as thats your location.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/contact/dublin-region.html#section13

Matt Simis

fitzgm01 wrote: »

You're absolutely right. I've seen spanish and italian cars being driven in Ireland for over 2 years. They have no tax disc or insurance on the windscreen

Not being on the windscreen doesnt mean they dont have Insurance and Tax (albeit Taxed abroad) now does it?

miju wrote:

actually quick question. is there a phone number or email address that people could shop VRT dodgers to if they so desired.

Stasi much?
Its unlikely you will get any result from reporting VRT "dodgers" as the VRT office / system is a state sanctioned extortion system (and judging by ongoing internal investigations, corrupt to the core too) only interested in increasing their intake as opposed fighting "crime".
However, Im sure if you email the VRO office in your district they can advise. There are VRO office emails on the revenue.ie website.

freezer502

a friend of mine got stopped yesterday for foreign plates, he moved over from france a year and a half ago to work here.He was told go the VRO this morning to sort it out but i have not been talking to him about it yet.As far as im aware he should be able to reregister that car now without paying any vrt on it as he owned for a few years before he moved over. Would i be correct in saying that? its a 94 clio and the customs that stopped him told him he owes 480 euro????

Matt Simis

freezer502 wrote: »

a friend of mine got stopped yesterday for foreign plates, he moved over from france a year and a half ago to work here.He was told go the VRO this morning to sort it out but i have not been talking to him about it yet.As far as im aware he should be able to reregister that car now without paying any vrt on it as he owned for a few years before he moved over. Would i be correct in saying that? its a 94 clio and the customs that stopped him told him he owes 480 euro????

Afaik you can walk into a VRO at any point and pay the current VRT charge. They have never asked me when I brought the car in, its assumed you have brought it in during the last 24hrs. I guess the logic is if you admited to bringing it in months before then you are admiting to breaking the law which has legal ramifications. They just want their tax.

Generally, just pay the charge then and there though. Him "oweing" the EUR480 is likely the complete VRT charge given the car value.

DonJose

freezer502 wrote: »

a friend of mine got stopped yesterday for foreign plates, he moved over from france a year and a half ago to work here.He was told go the VRO this morning to sort it out but i have not been talking to him about it yet.As far as im aware he should be able to reregister that car now without paying any vrt on it as he owned for a few years before he moved over. Would i be correct in saying that? its a 94 clio and the customs that stopped him told him he owes 480 euro????

The revenue might not get much in VRT but he will have to pay Irish road tax and buy insurance.

Lord Trollington

as far as i know, if he owns the car for 6 months prior to moving to ireland,has documentation to prove this. has proof of address of where in france he was living, he can bring it in without having to pay vrt.
if it is as u say a 94 clio and there looking for 480 euro off him, i'd do one of 2 things- let them take the car and impound it, let hens live in it if they wish or drive it into the closest river and go out with my 480 euro and buy a right hand drive car with NCT in Ireland to be honest!!! you get a decent enough car for 500.

miju

Matt Simis wrote: »

Stasi much?
Its unlikely you will get any result from reporting VRT "dodgers" as the VRT office / system is a state sanctioned extortion system (and judging by ongoing internal investigations, corrupt to the core too) only interested in increasing their intake as opposed fighting "crime".
However, Im sure if you email the VRO office in your district they can advise. There are VRO office emails on the revenue.ie website.

not that I was planning on doing anything (though my next door neighbour does have a X5 for the last 2 years that he should be paying about 16k VRT on and I dont see why he should get away with it while I paid my VRT straight away) but was more curious if a phone or email would be provided in addition to this "clampdown".

freezer502

DonJose wrote: »

The revenue might not get much in VRT but he will have to pay Irish road tax and buy insurance.

ya i would imagine they are asking him to pay the arrears of road tax alright as the car itself aint worth much. What would the best option be then just scrapping the car instead of paying it and buying another as already suggested. Would they still chase you for this amount even if it was scrapped when you try to tax another car.

L-M

I know a few people on Uk registrations and anytime I ask them if they are going to pay it, I just get the "thrown up eyes" attitude. I hope they get caught:D

BArra

coulple of english reg outside my work for over a year

my question is... how do these irish guys get insurance for over a year on english reg plates? i thought the max you could get was 1 months cover

its baffling

BArra

BArra wrote: »

coulple of english reg outside my work for over a year

my question is... how do these irish guys get insurance for over a year on english reg plates? i thought the max you could get was 1 months cover

its baffling

Quinn and FBD will cover you on UK Plates for as long as you like.

It still amazes me the attitudes in here with regards to people driving on UK plates. Anybody I know or have come across in real life young or old says fair play to people who dodge vrt.

frag4

furtzy wrote: »

from irishtimes.com

Revenue announces major VRT crackdown
Revenue has announced it has begun a major crackdown on motorists evading Vehicle Registration Tax.

The campaign, which Revenue said “will continue for some time”, will see Customs officers targeting foreign-registered cars, principally in border and urban areas.

"We maintain a focus on VRT offences throughout the year but at regular intervals we undertake 'blitz' style operations which are high visibility," said Revenue Commissioner Liam Irwin.

"The focus of this specific campaign is Irish residents illegally driving foreign registered cars. The rules are very clear and people who attempt to evade VRT will face the consequences", he warned.

Revenue challenged 23,986 vehicles in 2008 and seized 1,589 for VRT offences.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0327/breaking51.htm

Anyway they were out in force today outside limerick. There was 5 of them which had stopped 3 NI cars and they were also dipping for diesel which I,m happy to say I passed.

gpjordanf1

Ethan Refined Tulip wrote: »

Quinn and FBD will cover you on UK Plates for as long as you like.

It still amazes me the attitudes in here with regards to people driving on UK plates. Anybody I know or have come across in real life young or old says fair play to people who dodge vrt.

Because we shouldn't be paying VRT in the first place!

manta356

Drove for three and half years on english plates,with insurance from AXA no problem.