Northern Ireland vs Republic of Ireland. Where am I road tax liable?

troyzer

I'm taking a job in Northern Ireland starting in a few weeks. I'll be working on an 8/6 rotation so it'll be 8, 10 hour days working across the border and then 6 days off at home in Dublin.

How does this work if I want to own a car? I only got my driving license back in February and I've only ever been a policy holder here in Australia so the insurance is going to cost a mint. I was looking at bog standard cars like a Honda Civic hatchback and it was costing 5,000 euro to insure. 

I just want something small and decent to get me back and forward from the North. I'll have a company car on site. Am I better off buying a car in the Republic and taxing/insuring it here or doing it in the North? Is that even possible?

I have no idea how any of this works so I'm open to any ideas and suggestions. I'll have an address and bank account in each country if that makes things any easier. My rotation means I'll be spending roughly 60% of my time in the North and 40% in the South.

Also, any recommendations for cars that tend to be very cheap to buy and insure? Not really fussed on specs. If it's cheap to run I'm happy, bluetooth/auxiliary jack is the only luxury I'd want in a car but not essential.

Cheers!

grogi

troyzer wrote: »

I'm taking a job in Northern Ireland starting in a few weeks. I'll be working on an 8/6 rotation so it'll be 8, 10 hour days working across the border and then 6 days off at home in Dublin.

How does this work if I want to own a car? I only got my driving license back in February and I've only ever been a policy holder here in Australia so the insurance is going to cost a mint. I was looking at bog standard cars like a Honda Civic hatchback and it was costing 5,000 euro to insure. 

I just want something small and decent to get me back and forward from the North. I'll have a company car on site. Am I better off buying a car in the Republic and taxing/insuring it here or doing it in the North? Is that even possible?

I have no idea how any of this works so I'm open to any ideas and suggestions. I'll have an address and bank account in each country if that makes things any easier. My rotation means I'll be spending roughly 60% of my time in the North and 40% in the South.

Also, any recommendations for cars that tend to be very cheap to buy and insure? Not really fussed on specs. If it's cheap to run I'm happy, bluetooth/auxiliary jack is the only luxury I'd want in a car but not essential.

Cheers!

Are you sleeping in UK as well or coming to Dublin?

Cee-Jay-Cee

troyzer wrote: »

How does this work if I want to own a car? I only got my driving license back in February and I've only ever been a policy holder here in Australia so the insurance is going to cost a mint. I was looking at bog standard cars like a Honda Civic hatchback and it was costing 5,000 euro to insure. 

Did you lose your licence at some stage?

Honda Civics carry a loading especially with younger males so avoid them and go for something even more mundane like an Auris/Corolla.

troyzer

grogi wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

I'm taking a job in Northern Ireland starting in a few weeks. I'll be working on an 8/6 rotation so it'll be 8, 10 hour days working across the border and then 6 days off at home in Dublin.

How does this work if I want to own a car? I only got my driving license back in February and I've only ever been a policy holder here in Australia so the insurance is going to cost a mint. I was looking at bog standard cars like a Honda Civic hatchback and it was costing 5,000 euro to insure. 

I just want something small and decent to get me back and forward from the North. I'll have a company car on site. Am I better off buying a car in the Republic and taxing/insuring it here or doing it in the North? Is that even possible?

I have no idea how any of this works so I'm open to any ideas and suggestions. I'll have an address and bank account in each country if that makes things any easier. My rotation means I'll be spending roughly 60% of my time in the North and 40% in the South.

Also, any recommendations for cars that tend to be very cheap to buy and insure? Not really fussed on specs. If it's cheap to run I'm happy, bluetooth/auxiliary jack is the only luxury I'd want in a car but not essential.

Cheers!

Are you sleeping in UK as well or coming to Dublin?

For the eight days, I'll be living and sleeping in the North. And then on my six days off, I'll be living and sleeping in Dublin.

troyzer

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

How does this work if I want to own a car? I only got my driving license back in February and I've only ever been a policy holder here in Australia so the insurance is going to cost a mint. I was looking at bog standard cars like a Honda Civic hatchback and it was costing 5,000 euro to insure. 

Did you lose your licence at some stage?

Honda Civics carry a loading especially with younger males so avoid them and go for something even more mundane like an Auris/Corolla.

Nope, I'm only 24 and there was never a need to get a license until pretty late. I was wondering if the insurance companies just had a red flag for certain models. It seems irrational but I'm sure there's a reason. I'm not fussed, I just saw one on Done deal that was in my price range and then checked how much it would be to insure.

Bland is fine, as long as it's functional and cheap. I was definitely leaning towards Toyota.

grogi

troyzer wrote: »

For the eight days, I'll be living and sleeping in the North. And then on my six days off, I'll be living and sleeping in Dublin.

Your residence is in the Northern Ireland then and you can drive a UK car and pay NI motor-tax.

You might have two tax residency - in Ireland and Northern Ireland - and you need to consult the bilateral agreement between UK and Ireland to determine how much of income tax you are liable and where.

troyzer

grogi wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

For the eight days, I'll be living and sleeping in the North. And then on my six days off, I'll be living and sleeping in Dublin.

Your residence is in the Northern Ireland then and you can drive a UK car and pay NI motor-tax.

You might have two tax residency - in Ireland and Northern Ireland - and you need to consult the bilateral agreement between UK and Ireland to determine how much of income tax you are liable and where.

As far as tax goes, my understanding is that I will pay tax in the UK and then file a tax return in Ireland where I'll be giving a tax credit equal to what I paid in the North.

I've been told it's cheaper to tax a car in the North but it's extremely difficult to get car insurance because I don't satisfy long term residency requirements. As well as that, some of the prices are insane. I was looking at an '07 Yaris and they wanted £3,500 for third party subject to a black box.

troyzer

Just had a look at an '06 Yaris for sale in Newry. I got two quotes from Compare the Market, both of them third party only. The cheapest was £7,600 a year. This is absolutely mental.

I must be doing something wrong.

StonedRaider

Get yourself on a policy as a named driver(relative/parents/siblings) or vice versa get them as named driver on your policy. Helps by a couple of hundred quid

td2008

It's going to be very hard - when I moved to Belfast only Clements would give me a half decent quote (800) and then after 6 months I switched to direct line.

For Clements it looks like you need to have your licence more than a year but maybe give them a ring

troyzer

StonedRaider wrote: »

Get yourself on a policy as a named driver(relative/parents/siblings) or vice versa get them as named driver on your policy. Helps by a couple of hundred quid

I was doing that already. These are still the prices I'm getting. I think the problem is I don't have established residency.

Are there any implications if I have a car registered and taxed in the republic but which spends most of its time up north?

Del2005

troyzer wrote: »

I was doing that already. These are still the prices I'm getting. I think the problem is I don't have established residency.

Are there any implications if I have a car registered and taxed in the republic but which spends most of its time up north?

You'll need to talk to revenue here to establish where you are considered resident. Just because you sleep in the North doesn't mean that you are resident, residency is done on family ties and other criteria.

Insurance for new drivers on the UK is high because they are not allowed drive unaccompanied when on a provisional so once they pass their test they become a high insurance risk as they are now driving along for the first time.