Braycouldbehard hitbypropertytax

September 1983

THE implementation of the government’s new property tax this week will hit particularly hard in the Bray and North Wicklow area.

For the region is the home of hundreds of wealthy property owners who will be liable under the new tax scheme, introduced in last February’s budget.

Situated as it is on the South of Dublin City, it is very much commuter country and will be one of the hardest hit areas in the state when the tax is collected.

Self-assessment forms were posted to householders this week and it is obligatory to make a return in time for the first payment on October 1.

Homeowners living in a property worth in excess of £65,000 with a gross household income of more than £20,000 per annum are obliged to pay a 1.5 per cent tax on the value of their home over £65,000. The new tax has already been condemned in local property circles in Bray as far back as lasts February when the scheme was first mooted. At that time, local auctioneers predicted the tax will prove unworkable. The taking of legal action by a group of property owners on the grounds the tax is unconstitutional could also hinder its collection.

In Bray, the introduction of the tax will be considerably complicated by the high number of properties valued in around the £65,000 price mark after which the tax begins. Properties in areas such as King Edward Road, Meath Road, Quinsboro Road, Florence Road and the seafront and estates such as Glenlucan are all reckoned to be in the £50,000 to £90,000 range.

The issue of valuation of property is bound to cause problems as it is unlikely that arbitrary property values will be calmly accepted by owners.