Push for property tax reform to end homeowners paying for the same services on the double

Fianna Fáil used its Private Members Business time in the Dáil recently to debate its Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2018 which was introduced in the Dáil last June. The Bill provides homeowners who are already paying management fees with a reduction in their Property Tax bill worth a third of the fee, up to a maximum of €300 per year. Commenting on the debate the party’s Chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee and TD for Dublin Mid-West, John Curran said, “The Local Property Tax, which came into effect in 2013, was intended to fund services in residential developments such as maintaining public lighting, roads and paths and/or grounds keeping.

“There are more than 200,000 apartments and tens of thousands of other homes nationwide whose owners all fork out management fees to service the property. In the six or so years since the introduction of the tax, it has transpired that these management fees are also going towards the same services as LPT, which means some homeowners have been liable for paying twice for the same services. “We believe that this should be acknowledged by the State and to that end we propose a partial reduction in the LPT that equates to one third of the management fee, one third of the local property tax, or €300, whichever is the lower amount. Under our proposed legislation, no one will benefit from more than €300.
“We remain committed to ensuring there is no increase in the Local Property Tax and that a fairer, more equitable system is put in place when the review of current rate is finalised and its report published in the coming weeks,” he concluded.