Archive for January 2023

The Residential Tenancies Board is applying a temporary pause on the charging of late fees in recognition of “the genuine difficulties” experienced by landlords who have been trying to register tenancies. It is also in the process of refunding landlords who were charged late fees between August and November last year, with over 80% of…

70% of consumers in Ireland are considering an electric vehicle as their next car purchase, a new survey by DoneDeal shows. The figures show that demand on the website for new and used electric vehicles grew by 33% last year, while demand for diesel cars fell 39% during the same period. For the first time…

Revenue is experiencing a higher volume of calls due to tenants enquiring about the new rent tax credit. The measure, introduced in Budget 2023, allows tenants paying rent on private rental accommodation to claim a €500 rent tax credit. The credit is for 2022 so when a renter claims it, it will result in a…

After six years of interest rates sitting at rock bottom, it came as a bit of a jolt when the European Central Bank started raising rates last summer. And the regulator certainly hit the ground running with a full half a percentage point increase to its key rates in July on what was its first…

From cruising around the Mediterranean, to backpacking across South America, international travel is set to return full force this year. ‘Revenge travel’ is a phrase being used to describe the desire to travel that emerged last year, as people took to the skies, seas and roads to make up for the trips they missed due…

Businesses are being urged to claim for State help with energy bills as new figures show there has been a low take-up so far of a Government scheme. The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) provides qualifying businesses with up to 40% of the increase in electricity or gas bills up to €10,000 per month…

There are 28,786 proposed units in a series of large housing and apartment developments currently awaiting a planning permission decision from An Bord Pleanála, according to a new analysis. The Annual Construction Sector Report from consultants Mitchell McDermott found 59% of the applications before An Bord Pleanála for Strategic Housing Developments (SHD) last year did…

The Central Bank faced strong criticism from some TDs at the Oireachtas Finance Committee yesterday over the higher mortgage rates being paid by customers whose loans were sold to investment funds. Some people are being charged rates as high as 7%. Financial adviser Padraic Kissane explained that there was a level of non-performing loans in…

The number of new dwellings completed in 2022 reached 29,851, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office today. The CSO said this represents an increase of 45.2% on the numbers completed in 2021 and an increase of 41.3% on the numbers completed in 2019 – pre-pandemic. A total of 9,166 apartments were completed…

Buoyed by the number of Oscar nominations for Irish films and actors ahead of this year’s awards, the industry is hoping the international spotlight will drive further investment in the sector. The nomination of An Cailín Ciúin in the International Film category is seen as further vindication of the Cine4 initiative, to develop and produce…