Updated 21:10
EARLIER THIS WEEK, we asked you for your questions about the local property tax following days of confusion and controversy over letters that have recently been received by many homeowners.
The letters have requested some homeowners to outline how they intend to pay the property tax for next year and include some options which would require full payment this year. This has widespread caused outrage and prompted senior politicians to intervene.
Today the chair of the Revenue will be before an Oireachtas committee and will no doubt be answering lots of questions from TDs and Senators.
But you had questions of your own earlier this week so here are the answers…
Why can’t I pay with my Laser Card in 2014 when the tax is due ?
Revenue says the tax is due on 1 January 2014 and that you can pay using your debit card in the post office or at a Payzone on or before this date. All you have to do is tick the ‘cash payment option’ on the form and send it back to them by the due date – 14 November by letter or 27 November by online.
So, from what Revenue is saying you can pay with your card in 2014, but you’ll have to do it on New Year’s Day when most places aren’t open. Realistically then, you’ll have to do it before then. In 2013.
If you choose to pay the tax by debit card online it will be deducted when you make the transaction i.e. now. The Revenue gave the example of it being “the same as if you’re booking a concert ticket for sometime next year”.
If you want to pay after January you can select the ‘single debit authority’ which will see the money deducted from your account on 21 March 2014.
Based on Michael Noonan’s comments, with a wink and a nudge, is he telling us to flout the Revenue rule about the 7 November (now 14 November) for payment by card? Is he saying we won’t be penalised if we wait until next year to pay by card?
Revenue says that if you haven’t committed to a payment option by 1 January 2014 it will “in due course, use one of its collection methods such as mandatory deduction from your salary or occupational pension”.
So we wouldn’t advice any flouting.
Can a person devalue their property if it’s worth less this year than last year’s estimate?
No. The estimate based on the valuation made earlier this year – either self-assessed by you or Revenue’s estimate – will stay the same for next year, 2015 and 2016 regardless of any changes to your property.
I would like to pay my property tax when the debt becomes due on March 31st, by debit card. Is this possible?
From what we outlined above, no.
Why can’t the Revenue send me (the new owner of a house) the letter with the PIN and property ID so I can pay this? (Every time I phone them I’m told I need to contact the Revenue head office for the PIN, but there is no direct number, the only way to contact the right department is to be transferred through Revenue. I ask to be transferred and the line goes dead.)
Revenue has asked that you call their helpline on 1890 200 255 and confirm you need to have the Register updated due to a change in ownership. It’s open from 8am to 8pm until tomorrow. Let us know how you get on.
Can the self-employed spread the payment over the year?
Yes, you can choose to pay by direct debit from your account which will see the tax deducted on the 15th of every month from your bank account starting in January.
I didn’t receive a letter from the Revenue, but as I think I set it up as direct debit do I need to do anything?
You should probably check that the tax has been deducted from your account over the last few months. This is easily done by consulting your bank statement. If the money has been taken out then the direct debit should continue into 2014 and beyond.
I pay mine out of my wages weekly, do I have to do anything or will that just continue on?
You do not need to do anything.
A person dies in September 2013. Probate will not be available until March 2013. What is the position with telling Revenue who is going to pay LPT?
Revenue says that the executor of administrator of the estate of the deceased person is liable for the tax.
It may be possible to claim deferral on the grounds of ‘personal representative of a deceased liable person’. This is subject to certain conditions being satisfied and more detail is available in this section of Revenue’s website.
I cannot quite remember how I paid the 2013 tax. I paid it in one go I think online on the Revenue site. I would like to pay the 2014 tax monthly by deduction from my pension. I believe I can do this online but do not have a PIN. I have not yet received a letter from Revenue. I emailed this query to them over a week ago but have not received a reply so far. What do I do?
We suggest that you contact Revenue on its helpline 1890 200 255 and get details of your PIN in the first instance.
If you paid in one go earlier this year you will need to outline to Revenue how you intend to pay next year’s liability and probably should have received a letter.
All I want is a letter from the Revenue with my pin number to use my debit card with! When will I get my letter?
Again you should contact Revenue on its helpline to get your PIN number.
If these answers leave you with more questions, let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer your queries.
First published at 09:40.
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