budapest stamp duty question

HI,
Im buying an apartment in akacfa utca 26 in district v11 in Budapest and i got notice to pay my stamp duty from the duty office there

I bought an apartment and storage and afterwards decided on buying a car space. They sent on there mathematical calculation which was correct and charged me 2% for the first 4,000,000 forint and 6% for the remainder of the apartment.

My problem is that they added the price of the storage which is in the hall next to the apartment and the price of the car space and they charged me 10% stamp duty on the 2 of them.

My question is would it not be correct that the storage be counted as part of the apartment and treated like so as i bought them together even though in the contract theres a part 1 part 2 and part 3 as if they were all separate pieces of property. would it not be the case that i should pay 6% on the apartment and storage, and 10% on the garage alone. I got this notice on the 16th of last month so i don't have much time to get my money to them and looking for some quick responses. all responses welcome

Hi Seán,

I check the apartment map you sent me and there is a pantry in the apartment accordingly. Probably there is a misunderstanding between you and developer. I mean purchasing a car space and storage are extras. Storage may be a separate storage in underground garage with door. First, clarify it with your solicitor. If car space and storage are specified in purchasing agreement as extras, stamp duty would be correct.

What do you think?

10% stamp duty is correct for storage rooms and parking spaces. If your contracts say that there is a separate storage room, then legally you will have to pay the full amount of stamp duty. I don't think it matters that it's beside your apartment or not. I'm assuming that you can't enter the storage room from the apartment itself?

My understanding is that garages and store rooms are subject to stamp duty at 10% because they are not classed as "residential" property, unlike the apartment. It doesn't matter whether the store room is next to the apartment or in the parking hall.

Another Stamp Duty Q ...
I took possession of a 2nd apartment in Budapest (District 1 this time) at end June and still have not received any notification to pay stamp duty.
Can anyone advise whether there is a central collection office where I can pursue this - rather than sit around waiting for a demand?
Thanks

You'll more than likely get the payment slip over the coming couple of months but up to a year after completion is not unusual. Did you arrange for it to be posted to your lawyer?

Thanks Budapest. My lawyer said it would be posted directly to me at my home address (Belfast). My concern was that if the demand was sent directly to the apartment I wouldn't know a thing about it. So how to check whether it has been sent is really the problem.
(BTW This was for the Fiath Haz Apt. which you gave some good advice on back around May. It rented fairly quickly for a 1yr term.)
jwf