Revenue property tax shock for Longboat Quay residents

Residents of Longboat Quay have been informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they must pay their full rate of property tax, despite being told before Christmas that they would be entitled to a discounted fee.

Revenue has written to the homeowners at the Dublin docklands apartment complex affected by fire safety notices, insisting commitments made by them last year were inaccurate.

The residents were informed in November that they could enter valuation band one, which would enabled them to value their home at up to €100,000.

Band

five valuation However, in the new letter from Revenue they have been told they must value their home in band

five, which is between €250,000-€300,000.

Sinn Féin councillor Chris Andrews said this was a disgraceful way to treat the residents.

“This is an incredible decision and is just another piece of evidence that the residents have been treated disgracefully,” he said.

"I will work with [Sinn Féin finance spokesman] Pearse Doherty to make sure the Minister and the Revenue Commissioners see sense and get this ridiculous decision overturned as soon as possible."

The letter from Revenue said the commitment in November “incorrectly indicated that the declared valuation for your property could be reduced and I wish to apologise for any inconvenience caused”.

The correspondence said the residents had not provided the necessary information and it was not sufficient to amend the valuation declared on the property.

The reverse by Revenue will mean that, instead of paying €90, residents will have to pay up to €495 for their property tax.

Residents have also been hit with a recent increase in management fees.

The biggest increase is said to be in a three-bedroom townhouse, where the fee will go up by about €677 this year to more than €2,700, while three-bed apartments face a hike of more than €500.

Fire safety

A series of fire deficiencies were discovered at Longboat Quay development in the docklands early last year.

They were built by former developer Bernard McNamara and are under Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) control.

The two blocks of the complex have serious construction faults in relation to fire safety, which “have rendered them effectively firetraps.”

More than 600 people are living in the 298 apartments built by Mr McNamara.