2011 Rent Relief

Currently renting

If you are currently receiving rent relief, Budget 2011 announced changes in the maximum amount of rent paid that you can get relief upon  as follows:

So, for a single person under 55 in 2010, you will be able to get relief on a maximum of €2,000 at 20%, which gives a rent tax credit of €400.

For a single person under 55 in 2011, this is reduced to  a maximum of €1,600 at 20%, which gives a rent tax credit of €320.

and so on, through to 2018 when no rent relief is allowed.

Not Currently Renting?

Revenue have an additional statement added to the Budget 2011 summary, rent relief section, as follows:
“Claimants who were not renting at 7 December 2010 and who subsequently enter into a rental agreement will not be able to claim relief.”

So if you start renting in 2011 for the first time, you are not eligible for Rent Relief.

In practical terms I would imagine that this means that if you are registered for rent relief as of the 7th december 2010, you will be able to claim it going forward.

so even if you are not due a refund of tax in 2010 from adding in your rent relief tax credit, it’s probably a good idea to claim it regardless so you will be eligible to claim it in following years.