Local business/property rates

d-sher

Hi folks,

Hope I'm posting this in the right place! I know this may sound naive but I am looking at renting a unit of approx 1500sq/ft for a business i am starting. I am looking to find out about the 'rates' that have to be paid along with rent and insurance. Are they paid directly to the local council or the landlord or whats the story?

What exactly are these rates for?
How are these rates calculated for each individual business/property?
Are all commercial properties/businesses liable for these rates?

Thanks in advance for any help...

Nuttzz

Rates are paid directly to the council, make sure the previous rate payer had them up to date or your are liable for them, all commerical properties are liable

Have a look at http://www.valoff.ie/search/search.asp to find the rateable valution on the building and then search the county councils site for the rate multiplier

so for example in dublin 40 x 62= 2480 in rates per annum

rates fund the council, so you get nothing for them, just another tax

macl

I don't know if a new tenant is liable for old tenants unpaid rates. One unit I hold has 2 years of arrears on it but we have just received a bill for this current year.

Rates are a disgrace. They do absolutely nothing for a business. This post here: http://www.joe.ie/001417/1/1/story/crimes-against-business sums up my thoughts on it pretty well.

At a time when rates are being paid at a rate of 50% of what's due by business owners, I think the Gov should step in and half rates across the board. I wouldn't foresee any further degradation in the service (what service!!!!) if rates were halved.

d-sher

Thank you very much for your help guys!

I have just worked it out based on a couple of similar buildings in the area and damn its higher than I expected!! What a rip off!

Its bad enough that my redundancy cheque is being raped for huge tax. Feels like 'the boot being put in' from every bloody angle at the moment...

That article you attached macl mirrors my feeling exactly! I choose not to sit on the dole following redundancy by trying to get a business off the ground but instead of a helping hand it feels like there are road blocks being put up by all these unseen entities beating me back into the dole queue...

I have been to every agency and enterprise board looking to see about any available grant aid but if you are not going into manufacturing, employing lots of people or if your product is not exportable you get next to nothing. I will be in the service sector and not the manufacturing sector. Im not asking them to foot the bill but a very small bit of breathing space would be a huge help. I am garaunteed to be 2 steps behind financially and playing catch up right from the off - Not a great place to be but have no choice..

Maybe I should sit on the dole for 12 months so as to qualify for the social welfare grant for new business start up? But I know that I won't - Just leaves a bad taste in my mouth before I even start....

Again thanks for your help guys.

macl

Agreed with you 100%.

I was helping the misses start up a new gig. 2 weeks in the door and she gets lumped for 3k in rates. Holy sweet Jaysis. Sure, we had just opened the doors, taken on a loan, not pulling any wages, going out on a limb. If she was told she had to pay before day X - she would have folded.

Best of luck with the new venture anyhow !

91011

Rates pay for a county's roads, lighting, upkeep, housing etc etc.

In most countries local rates are paid by everyone (UK = council tax @ approx. £3000 per household)

In Ireland a small shop in a country town can pay up to €15,000 in rates which then must be added to the retail price of goods.

A similar shop in a similar UK town would pay less than £3000.

MOH

d-sher wrote: »

Maybe I should sit on the dole for 12 months so as to qualify for the social welfare grant for new business start up? But I know that I won't - Just leaves a bad taste in my mouth before I even start....

Again thanks for your help guys.

Check out the short term enterprise allowance? If your business is approved by your local enterprise board you may be able to get it, it's effectively the same as as getting the dole, and lasts up to a year from when you became unemployed. Think you can also get up to a grand towards startup costs

d-sher

MOH wrote: »

Check out the short term enterprise allowance? If your business is approved by your local enterprise board you may be able to get it, it's effectively the same as as getting the dole, and lasts up to a year from when you became unemployed. Think you can also get up to a grand towards startup costs

Nice 1 MOH!

I have not come across that before. I will definitely make some inquiries into it. Every little piece of help I can get will make a huge impact in the successful start of the business. Is it controlled by the social? Worthwhile information like this is rarely volunteered by those people..
Thanks again!

91011

d-sher wrote: »

Nice 1 MOH!

I have not come across that before. I will definitely make some inquiries into it. Every little piece of help I can get will make a huge impact in the successful start of the business. Is it controlled by the social? Worthwhile information like this is rarely volunteered by those people..
Thanks again!

You & other directors can also invest up to €6350 into your busines and claim it off your tax.

An hour or 2 with a good accountant may bring surprising results.

d-sher

Thanks for that 91011. Yep its looking more and more like I should have a sit down with an accountant and find out exactly what entitlements may be open to me.

I thought the enterprise board would advise me of a few of these but I am waiting almost 4 weeks now for 'a mentoring session' and time is not really on my side. Thanks again!