County Council Planning Levy fees including water connection?

I have a question wrt whats covered with the fees you pay to the council for building your house, we payed 8K and was lead to believe that this included connection to the mains water, today i rang the county council water office and was told that a connection fee applies, € 700 and another € 200 if they have to cross the road...is this correct...

Re: County council fees including water connection?

Yep , I too thought that the initial capital contribution/ levy covered the water connection, but when it came to the actual connection it cost exactly €700, Wexford Co Co being the relevant co co.


Secman

Re: County council fees including water connection?

You got away lightly.

I have to pay fees of €18k for a house on a private road with no road lighting or services and had to pay the €700 fee for a water connection and €200 to cross the road.

We also had to pay (not to the council) to have the water brought over to the house from the nearest mains supply.

Be careful with quotes for that. We were quoted €60k by a well known construction company and got some local guys to do it for less than €7k.

I understand from talking to various architects that there is no way getting around or reducing this amount with the council.

Re: County council fees including water connection?

The levy pays for your contribution to the development of the drinking water suppy/sewage scheme. You still have to pay for your connection to the water main.

Think of it like the roads contribution, you pay them for maintaining their roads, but you still have to pay for your own driveway to the standard they want it for connecting to the public road.

Re: County council fees including water connection?

cheers, just disgusted at the thought of giving them more money for doing sweet f all, i'm baffled by the fees, all they seem to be for is to keep them in there high paying jobs!!!!!!!

Re: County council fees including water connection?

yoganmahew said:

The levy pays for your contribution to the development of the drinking water suppy/sewage scheme. You still have to pay for your connection to the water main.

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- I have to supply my own sewage system (8K) and the quality of the water, its complete full of lime so will have to go and purchase a water softener unit (? euro's) so i don't see any benefit, it's another stealth tax by the county council

Re: County council fees including water connection?

johnnyg said:

- I have to supply my own sewage system (8K) and the quality of the water, its complete full of lime so will have to go and purchase a water softener unit (? euro's) so i don't see any benefit, it's another stealth tax by the county council

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I don't disagree with you. The council water in Tullamore is disgusting. I have my own well, water and sewage systems. It will probably cost more than the council water in years to come as there's an ongoing maintenance cost. It's worth it for the saving in bottled water!

Re: County council fees including water connection?

We're putting on an extension and the co co want €1,800 as "contribution to the local infrastructure etc".

We have no public water, sewerage or lighting (rural area) and in order for the road to be (im)properly resurfaced for the first time in 20 years; we (the neighbours on the road) had to pay a further 25% contribution of E 1200. The road adjoining that again is a disgrace and collapsing on both sides and constantly causing tyre and tracking problems.

What I object to is all this is out of after tax income, our construction costs include 13.5% to the government plus another 21% for any supply or service only items.

Given that we pay tax at the higher rate already, what exactly are we paying for to the Co Co? Why cant they be honest and just call it a planning permission tax????

I'm just getting really fed up of being taken for a mug.

Please keep this thread for factual question and answers. Post rants in Letting off Steam.

Re: County council fees including water connection?

Petermack said:

One thing to remember about contributions to local authorities is that under section 48 of the 2000 Planning act, after a period of 5 years you can request from the local authority a breakdown as to how your contribution was spent improving local infrastructure. If the council cannot prove that the money was spent, they must refund the contribution fully and also include interest from the day the contribution was paid until the day it was requested.

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that's interesting!!! must keep that in mind! will be back to them! our water fees are €3300, even though we want to have our own well ... this wasn't including connection fee of €800 either ...