More than one million homeowners have registered for the household charge according to the latest figures from the Local Government Management Agency.
As of Friday last, 1,014,585 properties had been registered for the charge. Some 989,095 had paid the charge, while 19,490 had registered for a waiver. The remaining 6,000 applications were awaiting resolution of queries.
The number of people applying for waivers of the charge means that the income has yet to top the €100 million mark. So far €99.8 million has been collected in charges and late fees. The tax is €100 but those paying since August 1st owe €115 including penalties and interest.
According to Department of the Environment figures around 600,000 homeowners have yet to register to pay the charge.
Just over 100,000 warning letters were last month sent by city and county councils to homeowners who have failed to pay. A second round of letters will shortly be sent to another 100,000 householders.
Almost all householders who received letters will have been second-home owners already liable to pay the non-principal private residence or second home tax. These homeowners were identified using the NPPR data base and the register of private rented accommodation held by the Private Residential Tenancies Board.
However, the second round of letters will be sent to non-payers who have been identified using sources such as the Revenue Commissioners, ESB Networks and the Department of Social Protection.
Letters will continue to be sent in batches of about 100,000. Once all homeowners who have not paid have received a letter, those who persist in not paying would be sent a second letter and this reminder would be “more strongly worded”, the spokesman for the department said.
A third letter would advise non-payers of court proceedings.
