Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
189. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Finance the number of vacant homes identified by Revenue Commissioners as eligible for the vacant homes tax, by local authority administrative area or county, in tabular form. [52455/23]
View answer202. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Finance the number of returns with respect to the vacant homes tax that have been received to date; the total number of properties recorded as occupied, those recorded as vacant; the total number of exemptions from the tax that have been claimed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52376/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 189 and 202 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, Vacant Homes Tax (VHT) is a new measure announced in Budget 2023, which aims to increase the supply of homes for rent or purchase to meet demand. Legislative provision for the tax was made in the Finance Act 2022. A residential property will be within the scope of VHT, if it has been occupied as a dwelling for less than 30 days in a chargeable period.
VHT operates on a self-assessment basis, where the number of properties in scope and the amount of tax payable, depends on the self-assessed returns submitted by property owners, the number of properties declared as liable, and the number of property owners entitled to claim available exemptions from the tax. The first chargeable period ended on 31 October 2023 with the first self-assessed returns due on 7 November 2023 and the associated tax payable on or before 1 January 2024.
I am advised by Revenue that the online VHT Portal became available to the public on 25 September 2023, where property owners can confirm the occupation status of their property, file VHT Returns, make payments, and submit any necessary documentation to Revenue. The VHT portal guides the user through 3 steps, which allows them to either declare that the property is outside the scope of the tax, or to file the VHT return.
As of 20 November 2023, the 3 step process through the VHT portal had been completed in respect of over 50,000 properties, with approximately 45,000 such properties being declared as occupied and 5,000 properties declared as vacant. Out of this total, exemptions have been claimed in respect of approximately 2,000 properties. This leaves approximately 3,000 properties with a liability to VHT.
Revenue is continuing to carry out analysis of VHT returns received. Data by local authority administrative area or county is not available at this time.
