Motor tax: December 11 arrears charged at new rate!

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WicklowMan

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Happy new year AAM-ers :)

I missed the local motor tax office before Christmas ... they were closed on the friday while the regional one was open (wouldn't have made the main one by the time I discovered the local one was closed)

My tax expired at the end of November. This morning I duly ring my local tax office to find that arrears will be charged at the new rate!

Is this not a wee bit cynical, in fairness? What was due for December by any logical reasoning that I can conjure is December's payment, otherwise it wouldn't be classed as "arrears", would it?!
 
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Why didn't you go in in November or pay online? It's not like they're making it difficult for you to pay. Motor Tax is one of the easiest taxes to pay. If there is no penalty for not paying on time then people will keep on paying late. My view is that they are too lenient as it is with accepting arrears.
 
I think Wicklowman's point is fair. If arrears are to be paid then they should be paid at the rate which was in force at the time in question.
 
Go to your local garda station with form for declaration of non use, available online.Declare you have not used the vehicle for December, no arrears required to be paid, if they're going to shaft you, shaft them
 
ajapale said:
I think Wicklowman's point is fair. If arrears are to be paid then they should be paid at the rate which was in force at the time in question.
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I don't agree, all their systems will have been changed now to reflect the current price, would you use the same arguement with UPC/ESB where they're charging 23% VAT even though the service was used before the VAT rate went up?

robster 1 said:
Go to your local garda station with form for declaration of non use, available online.Declare you have not used the vehicle for December, no arrears required to be paid, if they're going to shaft you, shaft them
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Advocating lying isn't what this site is all about. The OP isn't being "shafted" he's paying extra for neglecting to pay on time. He's now nearly 6 weeks late in paying what was due.
 
robster 1 said:
Go to your local garda station with form for declaration of non use, available online.Declare you have not used the vehicle for December, no arrears required to be paid, if they're going to shaft you, shaft them
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Not a good idea, making a false statement to the Gardai!
 
dereko1969 said:
I don't agree, all their systems will have been changed now to reflect the current price, would you use the same arguement with UPC/ESB where they're charging 23% VAT even though the service was used before the VAT rate went up?
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ABSOLUTELY! I Would!

My latest phone bill showed 23% for calls made last year, I contacted my service provider and they have agreed to give me a refund.

At the end of the day it is MY money, that I worked hard to earn, that they are taking.
Also I do not subscribe one whit to the reasoning :- "all their systems will have been changed now to reflect the current price".
If they are set up correctly, then it should show the arrears at the correct tariff.
 
Leo said:
Not a good idea, making a false statement to the Gardai!
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Totally agree with the statement, in general.

But to give the OP the benefit of the doubt he never said that he used his vehicle in a public place during December, and just to be pedantic, no statement is being made to the Gardai, they are just witnessing your signature on your declaration of non usage.
 
A huge amount of people dont pay their car tax on time,and in fact when the motor tax office send a reminder it usually gives you until the following month end at least to pay.So you are not alone..I wonder how many others are in the same position or will shortly find out this..

I would not under any circumstances pay your arrears at the new rate,(unless that came into effect in December ?)that is disgraceful.Is there anything in the legislation that states all arrears will be charged at the new rate?
If not they are not within their legal rights to charge you..

If you didnt use your car during December,you are totally entitled to go and have a form signed at the gardai station.
The facts stand for themselves,if its not written into the legislation,you should not have to pay the arrears at the new rate,we are all given at least 6 weeks to pay so to question why you didnt pay is irrelevant..you and I and everyone else can pay when we want within the time limit.and no where on the form does it ask for an explanation..
 
I really don't understand what all the self-righteous, mis-guided, stamping of the feet and squealing is about.

If OP had paid his motor-tax in December there would have been no arrears. Simplez

He is now paying motor-tax in January and there are now arrears, therefore the arrears charge rate is the one in effect when the arrears were incurred .i.e January 2012 Even more simplez, ne c'est pas?
 
mathepac:
He is now paying motor-tax in January and there are now arrears, therefore the arrears charge rate is the one in effect when the arrears were incurred .i.e January 2012 Even more simplez, ne c'est pas?
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Wicklow man:
My tax expired at the end of November. This morning I duly ring my local tax office to find that arrears will be charged at the new rate!

Is this not a wee bit cynical, in fairness? What was due for December by any logical reasoning that I can conjure is December's payment, otherwise it wouldn't be classed as "arrears", would it?!
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I got from the above that the motor tax due for December was being charged at the new rate which came into effect in January.
Arrears are due for December 2011 at the old rate and January 2012 at the new rate..simpler?
 
All right [I must remain calm and type really slowly]. December's tax is being paid in January. In January, December's tax is classed (correctly) arrears. As the arrears are being paid in January (not December), the January arrears rate applies.

If the tax ran out at the end of October, and OP didn't tax the car until December, the arrears for November (the untaxed period) would be charged at the December rate. Arrears means tax for a preceeding untaxed period being paid in the current period. The arrears rate is the one that applies in the current period.

Very, very, very simplez.
 
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