Waterford deadline to avoid extra tax nears
The tax is liable for "land that is serviced and zoned for residential use or mixed-use".
If you don't act now, you could be forced to pay unnecessary taxation worth 3 per cent of your land, if your property has not been excluded from the scope of the new Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT).
The deadline to make submissions to Waterford City and County Council to challenge the inclusion of incorrectly labelled land is April 1.
The new Residential Zoned Land Tax was introduced as part of the 'Housing For All' plan by the government to encourage the conversion of vacant, residential land into available housing stock. Following a multi-year process to identify relevant residential-zoned land, the tax will become payable this year.
The tax is liable for 'land that is serviced and zoned for residential use or mixed-use, including residential use', Waterford City and County Council says on its website, explaining that that tax is being introduced in order to increase housing supply and to ensure regeneration of vacant and idle lands in urban locations.
The Farm Business Chair of the Irish Farmer's Association, Bill O’Keeffe, said: "It is important that farmers realize they must act before the March deadline and apply for their lands to be rezoned regardless of previous applications."
"IFA will continue this campaign to have all farmland excluded from the scope of RZLT," he said.
In a statement to Waterford News & Star, the IFA said it believes that "hundreds of farmers around the country have land on the outskirts of towns and villages, that has been zoned residential, often without the knowledge of the landowner", which would be liable to pay the tax if not rezoned.
"It is important that landowners check the zoned land maps in their county," stated the IFA.
You can view the map of relevant land and make a submission to challenge the inclusion of your property on the council website or by post to the Planning Department of Waterford City and County Council.
