Are Affordable homes exempt from the household charges?

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

emc2

Registered User
Messages
12
Are Affordable homes exempt from the household charges? I see on the FAQ's that it says:


  • Residential property vested in a housing authority, including property where households are purchasing their homes under the Shared Ownership Scheme and where the local authority still retains an ownership stake,
But I am unsure if this includes Affordable Housing. It would be my understanding that the council have some ownership stake as i have to ask them to allow me to sell the house/apt.
 
hello EMC2
I have contacted the number advertised on the Householdcharge website 1890-357357 to enquire and they said that affordable houses are not exempt according to their list. I mentioned the fact that if there is a clawback there is a link with the local authority but they didn't seem to know about it. They referred me to my local authority. I am waiting to hear back.
 
Quote from the main website
"
The Household Charge is an annual charge introduced by the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 which is payable by owners of residential property.
"

I dont own my home, I have a mortgage. The council "owns" it. For this and many other reasons I wont be paying this.

Also, in the case of 50:50 shared ownership, should the council be paying half? After all they are landlords to half the property?
 

This was discussed on Matt Cooper yesterday and they said you actually do own your house. The fact that you have an outstanding mortgage just means the mortgage provider have a "lean" whereby they can take your house if you fail to pay your mortgage but legally you own the house.
 

I'll have to agree to disagree with Matt Cooper on this one.

Define ownership?
From Wikki
"Ownership is the state or fact of exclusive rights and control over property, which may be an object, land/real estate or intellectual property."

If I "own" my house then I can do whatever I want right? since I cant even lease out my AH then I don't own it. In that sense "ownership" is the council. I have a lease (mortgage) till final payment upon doing that, then, and only then it becomes fully mine and I become the owner of which I will be liable to paying this which I still wouldn't as it is unconstitutional, dispropotional direct tax. Which is only a simple case of increasing this amount every year.
8 million euro house on schrewsbery road, property tax 100 euro
175k Affordable home in Ballyfermot, property tax 100 euro

Have you ever heard of the statement that you do not own the asset until final payment is made?


Comments welcome
 
This sounds a bit like one of those wacky Freeman/Tír na Saor arguments to me.
 
For the purposes of applying this charge a legal definition of ownership is immaterial. The Government have defined ownership as having legal title to a property (which majority of householders have, despite any attaching interest of a mortgage provider). If people refuse to pay, that is their own choice, but they should not do so on an assumption that the charge does not apply to them. Practically, there are likely to be significant problems in collecting the charge and the Gov are likely to have to address this my introduction of legislation which allows them to extract the unpaid charges directly from salary or SW payments. I can't see a non-payment protest on the basis of in-equity being sussessful as this could equally apply to any tax or charge levied.
 
Get over it Zen. Why should anyone that bought an AH not have to pay the household charge? There seems to be an implication that they couldnt afford to pay it i.e your comment about 175k in Ballyfermot. There are a lot 200k AH in Dundrum, etc.

And I'm sure a lot of people that bought these are on quite good salaries. I for one know a number of people who are well paid accountants and public-sector workers that bought AH all those years ago. Most would probably be on a salary of about €55k these days!
 
Last edited:
hit a nerve there eh peteb? You seem to have a grudge about AH people? As mentioned some AH clients are 50:50. Buy half rent half. So are the council paying the 200eur portion for NPPR (as with normal landlords) and the residents paying their 100 for the PPR part. In theory for one shared ownership unit, the government can get up to 300eur!...

On a separate note, AH or not, I aint paying it, I have not met anyone who is/has, is that simple for you?
 
No you havent hit a nerve. Just pointing out the flaw in your argument. I didnt buy AH at the time because I wanted to pick where i lived. And i will be chosing to pay the household charge.
 
zen said:
I dont own my home, I have a mortgage. The council "owns" it. For this and many other reasons I wont be paying this.
Click to expand...

Check with the land registry and see who the registered owner of the folio is...
 
I'm sorry bud - but don't deceive yourself on this. If that was the case - I - like practically most of the rest of the country could claim the same. i.e. the bank own the house. It won't wash (and I don't take any joy whatsoever in telling you that).
 

Responses appreciated. I gather no one is actually in favour of paying this regardless of AH or not. I get the impression most who are content paying this are happy with their home, are financially sound and quite possibly have no mortgage. But may I ask one question?

What figure do you suppose will be intollerable for you to say enough?

This is just an introductionary figure and then every year it will be death by a thousand papercuts.

Whats waky freeman/Tir na Saor?
 
The number of properties that have been registered for the household charge was 200,101 as at 8th March 2012.
 
Zen, I am in favour of a property tax.

It will increase from the interim 100 pa.


I hope it doesn't go as high as the USA, e.g. 3,000 - 10,000 pa.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Menu
Log in
Register