Just one in ten pyrite homes to escape the property tax

ONLY one in ten homeowners who have been affected by pyrite damage will qualify for exemption from the new local property tax, the Dáil has heard.

Just 1,000 of the estimated 10,000 houses identified in the pyrite panel report will escape the LPT, with Phil Hogan confirming that exemptions would only apply to homes that had been certified as having ‘significant’ pyritic damage.

Independent TD Catherine Murphy said: ‘There may well be visible pyrite in some of these houses, but the heave has not reached the level that will qualify them for remediation, so they will not be exempted.’

The Pyrite Action Group says it has asked many times for clarification on what level of contamination qualifies for exemption. All houses with pyrite ‘are valueless’, said Mrs Murphy. ‘I met a couple of people last week who paid to have their homes remediated,’ she added. ‘They took out extra mortgages to do that, will get no relief, and neither will they be entitled to an exemption.’

Environment Minister Phil Hogan said there were exemptions for certain unfinished housing developments and homes with significant damage. He said rules to establish the qualifying damage were on the way, adding: ‘A homeowner will have to obtain a certificate, from a competent person, confirmi ng the presence of significant pyritic damage.’ But Mrs Murphy replied: ‘I have seen the bills for those reports. In some cases they run into a couple of thousand euro.’