Elderly house holder died intestate in March. Has he paid HC?

[ajapale]

An elderly house holder died intestate in March.

Friends, neighbours and "interested parties" are almost sure that he paid the HC before his sudden death.

How does one go about acertaining whether or not the HC has been paid with respect to the property?

The council say that they cannot/are not able to check to determine whether or not the charge has been paid.

If he has not paid who is liable for 2012? and if the matter is not resolved who is liable for subsequent years?

 

[ClubMan]

The council say that they cannot/are not able to check to determine whether or not the charge has been paid.

Why not? On data protection grounds or something? Surely the executor or personal representative (see below) can request this?

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/owning_a_home/home_owners/household_charge.html

Proof of payment

You get a receipt when you have paid the Household Charge. If you wish, you can also ask for a certificate of discharge, confirming that the charge has been paid for the year concerned. Proof of payment will be needed if you wish to sell or transfer the property.

If he has not paid who is liable for 2012? and if the matter is not resolved who is liable for subsequent years?

Any use (from the same link as above):

Deceased owners

If the owner of a residential property dies, the personal representative of the deceased is liable for the charge if a grant of representation has been taken out. If no grant has been taken out, no charge is payable.

The personal representative will be liable to pay any outstanding charges within 3 months of taking out a grant of representation – these charges are those which were outstanding at the time of the owner’s death. If the personal representative does not pay any outstanding charges within this 3-month period, the charges and interest start to accumulate again from the date of the grant of representation.

 

[ajapale]

No not data protection (but that is a fair point). The council were not able to look up on their computer and acertain which properties had paid.

Thanks for the reference to deceased owners.

 

[Bronte]

The council say that they cannot/are not able to check to determine whether or not the charge has been paid.

Was this over the phone on in writing?

 

[ajapale]

In person at a council area office.

 

[Bronte]

In person at a council area office.

Well that's pointless ajapale. Send them a letter, by registered post. They have two piles of post, the registered and unregistered. The unregistered disappear into the drawers and the registered go to the top of the pile. The letter will require some civil servant to go and have to give you a valid, legal reason for not supplying you with the information.

Far easier at the counter to just say no, that took one minute of their time.