Saturday deadline for household charge

The household charge payment deadline is looming with this Saturday, March 31, being the cut-off point. The cash office in Cavan Courthouse will open this Saturday from 9.15am-1pm and from 2-5pm to enable last-minute payments to be processed. At the time of going to print, about one in four eligible households nationwide had paid the €100 fee. Here are some frequently asked questions to assist you. How do I Pay? Register at www.householdcharge.ie and pay by credit card/debit card or by direct debit. Alternatively registration forms are available online, from local authority offices; libraries; Citizen Information Centres or Lo Call 1890 357357. Send the form with payment to: Household Charge PO Box 12168, Dublin 1 or Household Charge, Courthouse, Farnham Street, Cavan. Payment can be made by cheque, postal order or bank draft made payable to "Household Charge". What happens if I don't pay? A penalty of 10% on the amount outstanding will apply if paid no later than six months after the due date; 20% if no later than 12 months and 30% if after 12 months of the due date. Late payment interest of one per cent per month will also apply. Who is liable to pay? As set out in the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011, liability to pay the charge is determined on the basis of ownership of the property in question on January 1 in the relevant year. The charge must be paid within three months (March 31) in order to avoid late payment penalties. What are the exemptions? • Residential properties that are part of the trading stock of a business and have not been sold or been the source of any income since construction • vested in a Minister of the Government or the Health Service Executive • vested in a housing authority, including property where households are purchasing their homes under the Shared Ownership Scheme and where the local authority still retains an ownership stake • Voluntary and co-operative housing • subject to commercial rates and wholly used as a dwelling • owned by certain charities or comprised in a discretionary trust, and • where a person has to leave their house due to long-term mental or physical infirmity (eg a person that has moved into a nursing home) • Properties in unfinished estates are also exempt (list available on the department website) but must register • Those in receipt of mortgage interest supplement are exempt but must register.