James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

745. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide clarification on the household charge in 2012 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29873/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provided the legislative basis for the Household Charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date is liable to pay the Household Charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The Charge has operated on a self-assessment basis with an owner of a residential property determining liability and paying the Charge or claiming a waiver. The Household Charge was operational in respect of 2012 only, with arrears and penalties in respect of a 2012 liability being collected by local authorities, assisted by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on a shared services/agency basis, up to and including 30 June 2013. As of 1 July 2013, outstanding Household Charge liabilities were increased to €200 and converted to a Local Property Tax (LPT) liability due on the property; the Revenue Commissioners, who have responsibility for the collection of Local Property Tax, are now pursuing outstanding liabilities.

Section 4(4)(b) and section 4(6) of the Act provide that a waiver from the Household Charge applies to properties in certain unfinished housing estates specified in a list prescribed by the Minister. As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into one of four categories, as follows: Category one,  where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist; Category two, where a receiver has been appointed; Category three,  where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and Category four, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious public safety issues for residents.

Only households in developments in categories three and four are eligible for the waiver from payment of the household charge. The development in question was listed in error as an unfinished housing estate in original Regulations, which were subsequently revised to remove the estate. The list of developments in which households are eligible for the waiver is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge)(Amendment) Regulations 2013.

As a self-declared Charge, the onus is on the property owners to make contact with the Revenue Commissioners and regularise their position in relation to specific properties. In circumstances where a person believes that an amount is not due because either it was paid to the LGMA, or the property was not liable to, or was exempt from the Household Charge, a person can update their 'Household Charge Arrears Record' online at www.revenue.ieor through the LPT Helpline at 1890 200 255. Should a person wish to apply for a Certificate of Waiver in respect of a property, the contact details for the Household Charge Support Centre are available on www.householdcharge.ie.

The administration of issues relating to unfinished housing developments is a matter for individual local authorities. Each local authority has appointed an Unfinished Housing Development co-ordinator; contact details can be found at www.housing.ie/our-services/unfinished-housing-developments/local-authority-contacts.aspx.