Search Results for 'Valuation Office Agency'

At a Finance Committee meeting of Westmeath County Council earlier this month, Cllr. Aengus O’Rourke expressed deep concern regarding the commercial rates revaluation appeals process and the negative impact the outcomes of those appeals may have on the county’s budget for the calendar year.

The Galway city and county councils will be €1,116,323 out of pocket due to a national agreement on rates recalculation which sees rates payments made nationally, and not to the local authorities.

It has been labelled the worst news that Galway County Councill has received in a long time. Local representatives have expressed their disgust following an announcement by Council CEO Kevin Kelly that there will be a €750,000 reduction in the council’s rates income for 2016, which will adversely affect the local authority’s upcoming budget. The reduction is due to The Valuation Office reducing the value of a number of properties in the county used by utility companies, therefore reducing the rates bill of these companies. 

A debate on commercial rates at this week’s meeting of Galway County Council led one exasperated councillor to remark that there would not be a rural pub left in Galway in a few years time if the system was not changed. The method of collecting rates was labelled as ‘outdated and antiquated’ where the amounts paid were in no way related to business income.

According to DTZ Sherry FitzGerald many of its clients cite rates as the third highest overhead, behind rent and staff costs. With the national revaluation currently under way and rateable values set to increase across all business sectors, DTZ Sherry FitzGerald is encouraging occupiers and landlords of vacant commercial premises in Galway city to question whether they could be paying less.

Galway solicitors Purdy FitzGerald are reporting a surge in businesses seeking to reduce their rates liability. The action is promoted by upcoming local authority budgets which may include a commercial rates hike.

Hotels in Galway already under pressure from the recession and low visitor numbers are paying the eighth highest local authority rates in the country with more than €6 million in total paid out in 2009 alone.

Crippling local authority rates emerged as a key issue causing severe hardship for hoteliers at a crisis meeting held by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) last week.

Crippling local authority rates emerged as a key issue causing severe hardship for hoteliers at a crisis meeting held by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) last week.