The chairperson of the Household Charge Project Board – the group responsible for collecting the new €100 Household Charge – has warned that late fees will be imposed on all householders who fail to register their property by March 31.
Just under 2,400 have already paid the controversial new levy, which will be replaced by a full property tax either next year or in 2014.
The charge has been met with a series of opposition, however, with a number of opposition TDs adamant that they will not pay it. The same group said today that they expect up to half of all households won’t register for the charge – which can be paid at www.householdcharge.ie or by postal order or in local authority offices.
A direct debit option is also available up until March 1.
Speaking about the expected opposition to the charge on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Chairperson of the household Charge Project Board Jackie Maguire said that a late payment fee of 10% would be imposed on all those who failed to register by March 31.
That fee rises to 20% after a six month period and goes up again to 30% after a year.
Ms Maguire said that property owners are obliged to register and the level of compliance will be gauged after March.
She added that although there is no current single system of household registration, a number of other systems such as the ESB and second home property tax would be used to determine who is liable for the Household Charge.
The charge is being described as an ‘interim measure’ ahead of the later introduction of a valuation-based property tax in accordance with the EU/IMF loan agreement.
An expert group is due to meet in the New Year and to make its recommendations on the introduction of property tax within the next few months.
