The legislation provides that an owner of residential property which is situated in an unfinished estate, within the meaning contained in the Local Government (Household Charges) Act 2011, on the liability date (1st January) is entitled to a waiver from payment of the Household Charge in respect of that property for that year.
A national survey of unfinished housing developments was carried out in 2011 by officials from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with the Planning Departments of the various local authorities. As part of this survey, all unfinished developments were examined and categorised along the following lines:
Category 1: the development is still being actively completed by the developer; Category 2: a receiver has been appointed;
Category 3: a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and
Category 4: the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious problems for residents.
Only categories 3 and 4 unfinished housing estates qualify for the waiver.
A person who, on 1 January 2012, is an owner of a residential property in an unfinished development contained in the prescribed list is entitled to claim a waiver from payment of the household charge in 2012. This prescribed list consists only of developments under Categories 3 and 4. Persons claiming entitlement to a waiver must complete the household charge registration form.
If you have a query in relation to the estates which qualify for the waiver, please contact the Planning and Housing Policy Section of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government at one of the following numbers:
053 9117398/053 9117402/053 9117397/053 9117399
Email: planning&housing@environ.ie
For more information see the webpage www.householdcharge.ie