Thought it would be an opportune time to start a thread on Irish Rip-offs ............
- Government (overpaid & avoiding the real issues)
- Stamp Duty (3 Beds in Dublin are not luxury homes / we're not at war & we're not English)
- VAT (overtaxed - one of the highest rates in Europe @ 21%)
- Houses (no need to discuss further)
- Cars (overtaxed & VRT contrary to the single market)
- Spirits, Wine, Beer (overtaxed & over-consumed)
- Doctors (cartel)
- Chemists (cartel)
- Groceries Order & Supermarkets (cartel)
- Insurance (cartel)
- Petrol/diesel (cartel & overtaxed)
- Mobile phones (cartel)
- Eircom (monopoly & not investing in a major strategic asset)
- ESB (monopoly)
- Board Gais (monopoly)
- DAA Airport Charges (monopoly - Mick rules)
- Airport car parking (overpriced duopoly)
- West Link (overpriced car park)
- Waste charges (overpriced)
- Pubs (overpriced, but smoke free)
- Restaurants (overpriced)
- Hotels / B&B's (overpriced)
- Intermediaries (many over-paid for bad/poor/biased advice - mortgages, pensions, life assurance, investments, etc)
- Professionals/Advisors (paid on a percentage basis, rather than on value provided/work done - solicitors, auctioneers, architects, recruitment consultants, etc)
- to be continued
And the far side where citizens/taxpayers........
- don't pay taxes on their rental income
- don't pay taxes on their nixers
- get reduced prices from landlords/tradesmans via cash (tax evasion)
- Lie on their car insurance proposals about who is actually the main driver of the car and what address the car is kept
- Illegally copy CDs/DVDs/Videos/Software
- keep their cash income off-shore or in bogus non-resident accounts
- keep their hot money off-shore in property in Turkey/Croatia/Bulgaria etc
- bin charge spongers
- TV license spongers
- Credit union tax evaders
- to be continued
And the positive side.........
- German Supermarkets (welcome Aldi & Lidl)
- Taxi De-regulation (not cheap but a least you can get one now)
- Aer Lingus (great fares, but still a WIP)
- Ryanair (the initiator, but not the gold standard)
- Northern Rock / Rabobank (deposit rates in excess of inflation)
- Internet based brokers (see below)
- Free schools
- to be continued
Note: Not all intermediaries, advisors, professionals are guilty of Rip-offs so please support those who offering the consumer good value:
Conveyancy Solicitors:
- Dermot Deane €900+vat (Ph: 231 4600)
Best deposit rates:
http://www.rabodirect.ie/
[broken link removed]
Low Cost Brokers (mortgage, insurance, investments, life assurance, etc):
http://www.labrokers.ie/
http://www.monitum.com/
http://www.123.ie/
Please post other Rip-offs & good deals for all to see!
I feel a consumer revolution on the way!!!
- Government (overpaid & avoiding the real issues)
- Stamp Duty (3 Beds in Dublin are not luxury homes / we're not at war & we're not English)
- VAT (overtaxed - one of the highest rates in Europe @ 21%)
- Houses (no need to discuss further)
- Cars (overtaxed & VRT contrary to the single market)
- Spirits, Wine, Beer (overtaxed & over-consumed)
- Doctors (cartel)
- Chemists (cartel)
- Groceries Order & Supermarkets (cartel)
- Insurance (cartel)
- Petrol/diesel (cartel & overtaxed)
- Mobile phones (cartel)
- Eircom (monopoly & not investing in a major strategic asset)
- ESB (monopoly)
- Board Gais (monopoly)
- DAA Airport Charges (monopoly - Mick rules)
- Airport car parking (overpriced duopoly)
- West Link (overpriced car park)
- Waste charges (overpriced)
- Pubs (overpriced, but smoke free)
- Restaurants (overpriced)
- Hotels / B&B's (overpriced)
- Intermediaries (many over-paid for bad/poor/biased advice - mortgages, pensions, life assurance, investments, etc)
- Professionals/Advisors (paid on a percentage basis, rather than on value provided/work done - solicitors, auctioneers, architects, recruitment consultants, etc)
- to be continued
And the far side where citizens/taxpayers........
- don't pay taxes on their rental income
- don't pay taxes on their nixers
- get reduced prices from landlords/tradesmans via cash (tax evasion)
- Lie on their car insurance proposals about who is actually the main driver of the car and what address the car is kept
- Illegally copy CDs/DVDs/Videos/Software
- keep their cash income off-shore or in bogus non-resident accounts
- keep their hot money off-shore in property in Turkey/Croatia/Bulgaria etc
- bin charge spongers
- TV license spongers
- Credit union tax evaders
- to be continued
And the positive side.........
- German Supermarkets (welcome Aldi & Lidl)
- Taxi De-regulation (not cheap but a least you can get one now)
- Aer Lingus (great fares, but still a WIP)
- Ryanair (the initiator, but not the gold standard)
- Northern Rock / Rabobank (deposit rates in excess of inflation)
- Internet based brokers (see below)
- Free schools
- to be continued
Note: Not all intermediaries, advisors, professionals are guilty of Rip-offs so please support those who offering the consumer good value:
Conveyancy Solicitors:
- Dermot Deane €900+vat (Ph: 231 4600)
Best deposit rates:
http://www.rabodirect.ie/
[broken link removed]
Low Cost Brokers (mortgage, insurance, investments, life assurance, etc):
http://www.labrokers.ie/
http://www.monitum.com/
http://www.123.ie/
Please post other Rip-offs & good deals for all to see!
I feel a consumer revolution on the way!!!