The Cavalry of the Household Charge

[bernadette]

I think there has to be some form of community tax I think most countries have them, the UK tax is very high.

Our problem is when the rates were abolished many of the jobs we paid rates for were privatised and now we pay private companies, I don't see that stopping so any charge is for what might be considered invisible services and administrative work which considering our local authorities are too many and top heavy is asking for trouble.

If there were a clear plan other than just to grab our money there might be greater acceptance but currently the charge looks like daylight robbery.

[Slim Buddha]

I don't get this. My dear wife and I worked (and are still working) to buy a house, one house, to raise a family in. Not to make money out of. It was not easy but so what, we were lucky and healthy enough to pay off the mortgage. Now we are going to be taxed not on income, but on having a home?? Has the country gone mad or what?

The country has been completely bonkers for a very, very long time, eamo. More and more taxes will be dreamt up and less and less services will be provided. Until all your taxes will go to pay public sector pay and index-linked pensions. If if you work in the private sector, the chances are your own pension has already been eviscerated by useless banking sector pension fund administrators before Noonan weighs in with his hand out for the pension levy. The increasing taxes you pay will be required to pay the likes of the last government the enormous pesions they organised for themselves before they made off like the bandits they are. Property taxes, water charges, the Quinn insurance levy, the pension levy etc etc. atr all needed to pay the featherbedded public sector and of course, the criminal goverment of 1997-2011.

"Suck it up" is what they are saying to you.

[Baron von Biffo]

The country has been completely bonkers for a very, very long time, eamo. More and more taxes will be dreamt up and less and less services will be provided. Until all your taxes will go to pay public sector pay and index-linked pensions. If if you work in the private sector, the chances are your own pension has already been eviscerated by useless banking sector pension fund administrators before Noonan weighs in with his hand out for the pension levy. The increasing taxes you pay will be required to pay the likes of the last government the enormous pesions they organised for themselves before they made off like the bandits they are. Property taxes, water charges, the Quinn insurance levy, the pension levy etc etc. atr all needed to pay the featherbedded public sector and of course, the criminal goverment of 1997-2011.

"Suck it up" is what they are saying to you.

A rhetorical question (because it's never answered) - Can you provide a link to the details of the index linking in PS pensions?

I'm just going through the motions really because the standard tactic of PS bashers is to leave reality locked in a room of its own, never to see the light.

[C. Flower]

Government saying that over 1,000,000 have paid - but there is still a massive number not paying - 600,000 +

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking29.html

[Baron von Biffo]

Government saying that over 1,000,000 have paid - but there is still a massive number not paying - 600,000 +

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking29.html

What will be cut to cover that €60m I wonder?

[bernadette]

I expect most of us late payers will be coughing up the cash soon, because we can't afford increased fines and because very few will be prepared to go to court to fight it.

But I think it will leave a strong resentment that will not be forgotten.

[ZeroWedge]

There was a rumour going around the internet that Bank of Ireland put an announcement in last weeks papers that they would no longer cancel any direct debits on customer accounts unless they received authorisations from the businesses that had placed them.

If its true it means that once you give anyone, including the Houshold Charge agency, a direct debit on your account, you will never be able to cancel it. The government will be able to take what they want from your bank account for the rest of your life. You will be reduced to a serf paying rent to the public sector elites.

If you are going to pay the household charge, pay by cash, cheque or credit card. Do NOT give anyone a direct debit on your bank account.

[C. Flower]

There was a rumour going around the internet that Bank of Ireland put an announcement in last weeks papers that they would no longer cancel any direct debits on customer accounts unless they received authorisations from the businesses that had placed them.

If its true it means that once you give anyone, including the Houshold Charge agency, a direct debit on your account, you will never be able to cancel it. The government will be able to take what they want from your bank account for the rest of your life. You will be reduced to a serf paying rent to the public sector elites.

If you are going to pay the household charge, pay by cash, cheque or credit card. Do NOT give anyone a direct debit on your bank account.

There is always the option of not putting any money into the account. The bank will be very reluctant to pay any direct debits under those circumstances.

Unless of course you own " buy to let" - they plan to sequester the income.

[ZeroWedge]

There is always the option of not putting any money into the account. The bank will be very reluctant to pay any direct debits under those circumstances.

Depending on the account T&Cs they might pay the DD with an unrequested overdraft, and charge you an extra fee for using an unauthorised overdraft.

If you then refuse to pay that debt, your account will be closed and sent to a debt collector who will add even more fees. Plus you will have no bank account.

The gullible masses of voters in this country are sleepwalking into an oppressive regime, where the elite control them through debt and taxes.

[C. Flower]

Depending on the account T&Cs they might pay the DD with an unrequested overdraft, and charge you an extra fee for using an unauthorised overdraft.

If you then refuse to pay that debt, your account will be closed and sent to a debt collector who will add even more fees. Plus you will have no bank account.

The gullible masses of voters in this country are sleepwalking into an oppressive regime, where the elite control them through debt and taxes.

It's called capitalism. It's been around for a couple of hundred years. The only thing that has changed is that it's bigger and broker.

[Baron von Biffo]

"Just over 1,600 properties were owned by 47 landlords, who own a minimum of 20 properties each, but waited more than three months past the deadline to pay their charges."

I wonder what proportion of the outstanding unpaid HC relates to landlords doing what Irish business does reflexively - dodging tax.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...322197721.html

[Sam Lord]

"Just over 1,600 properties were owned by 47 landlords, who own a minimum of 20 properties each, but waited more than three months past the deadline to pay their charges."

I wonder what proportion of the outstanding unpaid HC relates to landlords doing what Irish business does reflexively - dodging tax.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...322197721.html

Joe has them well organised.

[Baron von Biffo]

Joe has them well organised.

[goatstoe]

Ye lads are all on message aren't ya. It's not all about landlords who don't want to pay taxes, or politicians trying to piggy back on disenchanted citizens for an odd vote you know.

[PaddyJoe]

Ye lads are all on message aren't ya. It's not all about landlords who don't want to pay taxes, or politicians trying to piggy back on disenchanted citizens for an odd vote you know.

Some people seem to have lost sight of the fact that the Household Charge is an utterly regressive imposition which completely ignores the ability to pay.
It's the nearest thing that Ireland has ever had to Thatcher's poll tax but for various reasons a lot of posters here seem more interested in criticising the people opposing it.