THREATENING letters have started to arrive at the homes of Limerick people who have not paid their household charges, demanding payment within two weeks or face deduction at source from wages or social welfare payments.
The Revenue Commissioners began sending the letters last week and Limerick home-owners are being told to pay up €200 — €100 for the original household charge and a further €100 penalty for non-payment.
Limerick City North local election candidate Christy McInerney told the Limerick Post that he has received numerous complaints from Rhebogue residents in Drominbeg requesting that the 2012 household charge be paid within 14 days.
“It is disgraceful that households who were exempt from paying the household charge in 2012 are now being asked to pay the same charge. There seems to be a mistake made by the Revenue in relation to this estate, which needs to be rectified in the coming days,” Mr McInerney commented.
“The key issue for residents is the fact that €200 is to be deducted automatically from their wages or social welfare payments after a 14 day period. Any estate that was exempt from paying the household charge in 2012 should remain exempt from paying the same charge,” said the Fianna Fáil Local election candidate.
Meanwhile, Anti Austerity Alliance election candidate for Limerick City East, Derrick Towell, claims that Limerick householders are now aware that the Revenue Commissioners office are “acting on the policy of the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government”.
“I have been contacted by many people upset at receiving this threatening letter. They will not forget this when they go to the polls this month,” warned Mr Towell.
Garryowen pensioner and AAA activist Brian Hinchy, who last week received the letter from Revenue, confronted Minister Jan O’Sullivan last year, and requested a meeting with Enda Kenny about threats to take the property tax out of his pension.
A spokesperson for the Revenue Commissioners explained that Drominbeg was listed as an unfinished housing estate for household charge (HHC) purposes and therefore exempt from that charge however it was not exempt from the local property tax (LPT).
“The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) register did not capture such exemption details. For that reason, Revenue could not identify every property that was exempt from HHC through the cross-referencing process.
“Any unfinished housing estate that was exempt from the HHC is not liable to pay the €200. The property owner should let us know that they are exempt by either going online and correcting the information on the register or contacting the LPT Helpline on 1890 200 255 to confirm that they are exempt,” Revenue commented.
