Household charge - advice needed

hkjohn

Bought and moved into a house as a first time buyer in Roscommon in late 2013. Am apparently exempt from LPT until end 2016 but the revenue people keep on demanding a household charge from 2012 when I wasn't even resident in Ireland.

Seems absurd to me that I should be liable for something when I wasn't even there. Anyone know if they are just taking the piss or if I actually owe them the money.

handlemaster

hkjohn wrote: »

Bought and moved into a house as a first time buyer in Roscommon in late 2013. Am apparently exempt from LPT until end 2016 but the revenue people keep on demanding a household charge from 2012 when I wasn't even resident in Ireland.

Seems absurd to me that I should be liable for something when I wasn't even there. Anyone know if they are just taking the piss or if I actually owe them the money.

your solicitor should have advised you of this when you bought.

hkjohn

Cheers, have emailed him re this, but thanks for your help. How much is the Household charge btw?

egan2020

If the property was exempt your solicitor should have obtained a certificate of exemption from the vendor's solicitor. If this is available just send a copy to Revenue and ask them to amend their records.

hkjohn

Cheers


John

gipi

If you bought in 2013 and the charge is in respect of 2012, is it not the previous owner who owes the money?

hkjohn

I would have thought so, but previous posters would seem to think otherwise. As have only lived in Ireland for 18 months, it's all a bit new to me...

sunnysoutheast

hkjohn wrote: »

I would have thought so, but previous posters would seem to think otherwise. As have only lived in Ireland for 18 months, it's all a bit new to me...

Liability date for household charge was 1/1/2012. It was €100 but is now €200 if in arrears and is being collected by Revenue alongside LPT.

I would suggest contacting Revenue ASAP. Your conveyancing solicitor should also be asked to explain why he/she did not request a clearance certificate.

hkjohn

Think I may be being charged for the previous owner's non-payment as I did not become resident in Ireland or the house until I moved here in late August 2013

L1011

gipi wrote: »

If you bought in 2013 and the charge is in respect of 2012, is it not the previous owner who owes the money?

Revenue's view on it is that if you bought it without proof of payment its your fault. I would judge it as your solicitors fault for not ensuring it was paid, though.

When you're talking to Revenue's call centre ask, repeatedly, to speak to an actual Revenue employee and not the Abtran staff as the Abtran staff are scripted to just repeatedly tell you to pay and nothing else. I bought a house where the former owner was exempt due to being in a nursing home so it wasn't paid and had severe trouble with Abtran right down to being sent a letter asking me for proof of my nursing home stay (!!!) and effectively being threatened with court by some young wan who couldn't understand the issue at all and just parroted the same text - when eventually her manager put me through to a Revenue staffer in Limerick it was sorted in less than five minutes.

MouseTail

gipi wrote: »

If you bought in 2013 and the charge is in respect of 2012, is it not the previous owner who owes the money?

No, the household charge attached to the property, not the person. Your solicitor should have insisted the charge be paid before contracts were signed.
You will not be able to sell the property without this charge being paid.

I would speak to the solicitor who did your conveyancing and request they pay it, if not I would bring them to the small claims court.

hkjohn

Thanks for the advice everybody. Will call the solicitor tomorrow. If push comes to shove, will pay the E100 household charge myself.

That said, have no intention of paying them the E100 late payment levy.

Ultimately, it was me who initiated contact with the Revenue Dept about my LPT obligations when I initially arrived in Ireland around 18-months ago. Despite my pro-activity, it was only last month - a year and a half after my first email - that they bothered to inform me of the household charge - rather cheekily including the E100 levy because of my late payment of a bill they had never told me about!)

The_Conductor

Not paying the E100 late levy- is not your prerogative. It is a standard penalty- and as Revenue penalties go- probably the lowest penalty in their arsenal. If you only discharge E100- and not the second hundred that is due- you will, eventually- end up with a charge registered against the property- which will impinge on your ability to sell the property- and in addition- may result in a court appearance and/or fines and other charges.

The solicitor did not do due dilligence of any taxes or charges associated with the property. The LPT is associated with the property- not with the owner. In the first instance- I would pay the E200 (through gritted teeth)- I would then threaten the solicitor with the small claims court until such time as they reimbursed the charge.

Not paying this- or only paying a portion of it- is *not* an option. Do not play mindgames with the Revenue Commissioners. You will not win.

hkjohn

Cheers for the advice, TC. Have a horrible suspicion you are right

hkjohn

Finally spoke to my solicitor who informed me that he did indeed do due diligence and that no charges are due. He has subsequently written to the IRD explaining the situation. Suggest everyone who gets a threatening letter from the IRD re this checks their liabilities very, very careful before paying