Claiming Rent Relief when also paying mortgage

[tuna_tuna]

My first question is...how far back can I claim tax? I've heard it's 5 years, so does mean I can now claim for 2006/2005/2004/2003/2002 ?

And during my final year of renting I bought my house, so for about 7 months I was paying both rent and a mortgage (and getting my TRS). Does this mean I can't claim rent relief for those 7 months ?

 

[ClubMan]

My first question is...how far back can I claim tax? I've heard it's 5 years, so does mean I can now claim for 2006/2005/2004/2003/2002 ?

No - it's 4 years - i.e. as far back as 2003 right now. You cannot backdate claims to 2002.

And during my final year of renting I bought my house, so for about 7 months I was paying both rent and a mortgage (and getting my TRS). Does this mean I can't claim rent relief for those 7 months ?

Perhaps - but then surely you were not an owner occupier of the property so this could have implications for investor stamp duty on the purchase, claiming owner occupier mortgage interest tax relief while not an OO, CGT on any eventual resale gain etc.?

 

[tuna_tuna]

Sorry I should have clarified.....it was a new house that I purchased, so I was renting while waiting for it to be completed.

 

[Howitzer]

The relief is an annual one so even if you bought and moved into the house on January 2nd, as long as you were paying rent for some portion of the year (Jan 1st) then you can claim it. You must however inform Revenue that you aren't eligable for the following year.