NPPR Payment deadline is Saturday 30th June 2012

Just received an e-newsletter from Irishlandlord.com. They are reminding landlords about the deadline for paying the NPPR ( Non Principal Private Residence) charge. This is €200 a year that non resident landlords must pay by law. (more information at www.nppr.ie. ). It is very easy to pay on line and the funds go to the city council or county council via the NPPR organisation.

If you have not paid by the 30th June you will be charged "late payment fees". According to the NPPR website " A person who does not pay a NPPR charge by the payment date leaves themselves open to prosecution by the Local Authority to whom the payment is due. A late payment fee will also arise if payment is not made by the payment date - see above.  Furthermore, both the NPPR charge and any accumulated late payment fee will be a charge against the property concerned and will continue to be such for twelve years after the charge or late payment fees concerned became due."

"The Act provides that, if a charge is not paid within a month after the last date for payment, a late payment fee will apply for every month or part of month that the €200 charge remains unpaid. The late payment fee amounts to €20 per month or part of a month. The late payment fee will continue to roll up as long as the charge remains unpaid and the amount involved can be substantial".

So if you are a landlord can you offset this expenditure against income?
According to The Office of the Revenue Commissioners - Irish Tax and Customs website :- 
The following are examples of expenditure you may not deduct when computing your rental income or losses (last on list)
" The charge on residential property (sometimes referred to as the second home charge) introduced by the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009."

The Irish Landlord.com e-newsletter website also reminds landlords about "Safety Issues" -
1) Landlords are obliged by law to provide a fire blanket in all rental properties

2) All rental properties that do not have mains powered smoke alarms must have 10 year life smoke alarms installed.

Unlike in Northern Ireland whereby each rented property must have an annual gas safety check and a certificate issued to the tenant, there are no regulations at present in the ROI  - Find out more about saftey in rental property in Northern Ireland by visiting the NI Direct website Here