paying 2006 tax - was not registered with PRTB!

[ubiquitous]

... since this is the first year of this rule no clear precedent has been established. in the event that they can't, a phone call to their local tax office explaining situation might be the only option.

agreed, but if you go on the advice from your tax office on the first year a rule is in place (and which hadn't been communicated effectively) you would have a defence.

Agreed but what does one do if ....

The revenue then claimed that I could not deduct the interest!!

i would have thought that the purpose of the requirement was to ensure that all landlords started to register their properties with the prtb, rather than a revenue generating exercise from unsuspecting landlords in year one.

Agreed but it is also well known that badly drafted and ill-thought out tax legislation can lead to all sorts of anomalies.

 

[dubinamerica]

I've just phoned PRTB and was told that they cannot register the tenancy without the PPS number and signature of the tenant on the form. Our tenant has still not returned the form to me. I need to go to revenue and my understanding is that I should be able to submit taxes and indicate that the registration is in progress once I've sent in the form. It should be sufficient for me to register as a landlord and for the tenant's details to become available via their own tax returns or when they attempt to claim rent allowance - that they need to register at that point.

 

[ubiquitous]

Anyone who feels that they have been hard done by as a result of the law making PRTB registration a pre-condition of claiming interest deduction, should consider making a complaint to the Ombudsman if they fail to have the issue dealt with satisfactorily by the PRTB or Revenue.

 

[z106]

Ok - just to drag this old chestnut up again - landlords are allowed register late for a penalty of 70 yes?

How late is someone allowed apply?

As in - once they have registered before they make their tax return for the previous year, are they then allowed claim the mortgage as an expense for that tax year?

 

[Bronte]

I never found a definition of late so it seems it can be any amount of time. But if your tenants have left you cannot register at all. Anyway I now get the tenant's to sign the form immediately but that doesn't mean I get them back from the PRTB quickly. They are really checking the forms now and I had one sent back to me as the tenant had written an incorrect PRSI number, so I now double check this with the tenant. I had another sent back as I'd forgotton to put the expiry date of the credit card, all this took ages and the tenants had actually left but because I had sent the form in in time originally I said nothing to the PRTB, so what was I supposed to do, tell them now the tenants had gone - no way. My attitude now is that if they can't return forms or registrations in a reasonable amount of time it's not me that should be penalised. Have they not heard of the telephone or email. They have moved to new luxurious offices but the PRTB form on their website has the old address. To those of you who think I'm incompetant filling out forms, it's more complicated for me as I'm not in Ireland and I can't do my normal double checking. I wish we could just send the forms by email/scan etc or just be able to register ourselves - what a novel idea, that would be too easy.

 

[ubiquitous]

To those of you who think I'm incompetant filling out forms, it's more complicated for me as I'm not in Ireland and I can't do my normal double checking.

I don't think you should label yourself as incompetent. The registration process is simply too complicated for most people to handle efficiently. People should be able to interact with government and comply with their duties under law without being made to feel that they're dealing with something out of Myles na gCopaleen.

 

[z106]

Yes - teh prtb definitely check teh filling of the form.

i forgot to incluse the square footage one time and they sent it back.

What really bugs me though is the draconian penalty for not registering.

I appreciate they want to know who is a landlord - but basically fining someone thousands of euros for not filling up the form, is way OTT in my book.

I have this pictute in my head of a load of civil servamnts sitting around a table getting a rush of blood to the head saying "Right - enough of this - lets fine those landlords thousands of euros for not complying and that will sort it out once and for all !"

i don't know of any other penalty in this land that is so completely disproportionate to the crime.

 

[Bronte]

I don't think you should label yourself as incompetent. The registration process is simply too complicated for most people to handle efficiently. People should be able to interact with government and comply with their duties under law without being made to feel that they're dealing with something out of Myles na gCopaleen.

Thanks for that you're making me feel better, I try to prefill out the form as much as I can and then send it to someone else who has to leave it with the tenant, I highlight all the bits to be filled out but somehow something is always missed and it drives me crazy. They sent me back two forms once (I'd written a cheque for the two) because one was incorrect ! So now I've switched to the laser card. The two forms were each stamped twice with different dates of 3 weeks apart and then inked out ! I did have though one positive experience with the PRTB, there was a detail missing on one form and an efficient civil servant telephoned, problem solved and it took 10 seconds. I still can't get over the shock of the civil servant telephoning. Must have been super intelligent to see my telephone number on the telephone number section of the form.