AROUND 700 people have already paid the Household Charge which was among the provisions of Budget 2012 and came into effect just three days ago.

The Household Charge Project Board says that the €100 payment can be made by cheque, postal order, online at the Household Charge website, or at local authority offices up until the end of March. A direct debit option is also available, but only until 1 March.

You must register to pay first using your PPS number and the property address.

Jackie Maguire, chairperson of the board, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the charge must be paid by the end of March, or else a late payment fee will be imposed of 10 per cent extra in the six months after 31 March 2012.

That fee rises to 20 per cent of the Household Charge after that six month period but before 12 months are up. The interest fee goes up to 30 per cent after 12 months.

Maguire said that property owners are obliged to register and the level of compliance will be gauged after 31 March.

She added that although there is no current single system of household registration, a number of other systems such as the ESB and second home property tax would be used to determine who is liable for the Household Charge.

The charge is being described as an ‘interim measure’ ahead of the later introduction of a valuation-based property tax in accordance with the EU/IMF loan agreement. An expert group is due to meet in the New Year and to make its recommendations on the introduction of property tax within the next few months.

Who exactly has to pay the €100 Household Charge? >