LPT refunds for all buyers of second hand homes

Mr. Incognito

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/thousands-due-property-tax-refunds-in-legislation-error-1.1589974

Thousands of homeowners are expected to receive refunds on their local property tax due to an unclear clause in the legislation.
Revenue said today that this move was related to a clause in legislation which was originally intended to give an exemption to some first time buyers on second hand houses up to 2016.
“However, read literally, the exemption benefits any buyer, not just a first time buyer,” Revenue said in a statement today.

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The body reviewed the legislation and found that “it did not impose a liability to LPT on a non-first time buyer of a second–hand house.”
“The result is that a person who purchases a second hand house and occupies it as a sole or main residence is entitled to the exemption regardless of the fact that they are not a first time buyer,” it said.
Revenue will write to people “as soon as possible” advising them that they may qualify for an exemption. It has attempted to identify those involved by matching their local property tax data with stamp duty records, it said.
Revenue said the exemption was for first time buyers only had been clear in the notes to the legislation and the explanatory memorandum to the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act. However it said the exemption did not apply “notwithstanding the fact that the intention was clear”.
A Revenue spokeswoman was unable to confirm how many people would be involved but said “ indications are a few thousand will receive refunds”.
The announcement comes after a week of widespread public criticism that taxpayers paying by plastic card have had to pay the 2013 tax and the 2014 tax within one year.
On Thursday venue chairwoman of the Revenue Commissioners appeared before the Oireachtas Finance Committee to explain the approach of Revenue to the collection of the tax, which was first introduced in July this year.
She stood over the decision to deduct credit and card payments this month for the 2014 property tax on the basis that there are significant risks involved in retaining card details.
This week the Revenue Commissioners extended the ‘paper’ filing deadline for the property tax by a week due to the volume of queries it has received.
Confusion had arisen about the methods of payment after Revenue issued letters offering seven different options, some with different payment deadlines.

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Ogham

Just to clarify - in case it isn't 100% clear in the above... basically the mess up means that any principal residence bought between Jan 1 2013 and Dec 31 2013 is exempt from the Property Tax for 2013 / 2014/ 2015 and 2016.

More here ... http://www.moneyguideireland.com/all-homes-bought-during-2013-are-exempt-from-property-tax-until-2017.html

m8

I purchased a house 2 months ago so am I exempt?

Do I still need to register my house or do Revenu already have the details from last owner?


Can't see where I can register the new house as it looks for details I don't have such as property pin ans secure PIN, where do I get these?

Ogham

You need to fill one of these in
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/lpt/form-lpt4.pdf

and choose exemption type B - even if you are not a first time buyer..

m8

Ogham wrote: »

You need to fill one of these in
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/lpt/form-lpt4.pdf

and choose exemption type B - even if you are not a first time buyer..

Would that be like filling a false report tho?

Ogham

m8 wrote: »

Would that be like filling a false report tho?

No - because that is the exmeption that applies - that is the legislation they got wrong. Make a note on the form to clarify when you bought it and that you are not an FTB.

m8

I got a letter saying I owe them money now, I tought I was exempt?