50,000 people told to pay property tax or face levies

Revenue bosses have warned 50,000 people who have failed to pay the property tax they will start deducting the levy from wages or pensions if they do not stump up in seven days.

People in arrears have seven working days to settle bills after receiving a warning letter, Revenue said.

Revenue chiefs will then instruct employers or pension providers of those refusing to pay to deduct the funds at source.

Local Property Tax compliance programme update http://t.co/JerOFWy6qs

— Revenue (@RevenueIE) August 2, 2013

So far, €175m of the tax has been collected after 1.58m tax returns were received by Revenue.

Tax bosses admitted the incompleteness of the property register meant mistakes would occur and advised people who received a reminder letter despite filing a return, that they should call their helpline.

Self-employed homeowners who have not registered have been warned they will be blocked from receiving a tax compliance certificate.

The tax came into force on Jul 1 after homeowners were given until May to resister their property.

People earning less than €15,000 a year are entitled to waivers, as are some people living in ghost estates.

Revenue spokeswoman Vivienne Dempsey warned people not to ignore the letters. “It is really important and in your own interest to respond to us,” she told RTÉ.

Ruth Coppinger of the Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes said the Government was harassing ordinary families so it could pay off bank bondholders.

“The resoluteness demonstrated by the Revenue Commissioners in trying to take the property tax from myself and thousands of others who have boycotted the registration process contrasts to the softly, softly approach shown by the establishment towards the tax-dodging multinationals and the bankers who loaded us with debt,” she said.

“The Government will pay a heavy political price for what they are doing to people. They are badly mistaken if they interpret the registration figures for the property tax as the willing consent of people.

“Some of us are still determined to force them to take it off us but the reality is that most paid through fear and because no fighting lead was given by the likes of the trade unions to prevent the imposition of the tax.”

- Revenue property tax helpline: 1890 200 255