Living in my own apartment Mon-Fri: is it my Principal Private Residence?

[jconnors]

Hi
I live in Co Wexford and recently started working in Dublin and have a contract to work with my own company there for at least a year. I rent a room in Dublin for 5 nights a week and go home to my family home at the weekend.
· I am in the process of buying a 2 bedroom apartment in Dublin and was going to buy it as an investor but now that I will be living in Dublin for 5 nights/week for work, can I buy it as an owner occupier and let out one of the rooms?
· I do not own the family home in Co Wexford – it is in my wife’s name so the family home could technically be classed as her PPR (principle private residence).
· The reason I would buy the apartment as an owner occupier is that I could rent out one room under the Rent a Room Scheme and the rent would be less than €10,000/year so I wouldn’t have to pay any tax on it.
· Could I class the apartment as my PPR if I only live in it for 5 days a week and then go home to my family home at the weekend (to my wife’s house)?
· Or will Revenue say that since we are a married couple we can only have one Principle Private Residence and that the apartment I am buying in Dublin cannot be my PPR?
Regards
John

 

[Sophrosyne]

Only one principal private residence per married couple or civil partners.

 

[Dave Vanian]

In this case, could the family's PPR be the apartment in Dublin?

 

[Setanta12]

No, they're not residing there.

 

[Bronte]

As you're not going to be able to claim it as your PPR, you can still rent out the room, but you'll have to declare it as rental income, and you'll have to apportion the costs as between the tenancy and your own occupation.