Tala newsletter September 2015
IMMOVABLE PROPERTY TAX 2015 - Payable to the Tax Authorities in
Paphos
The tax will remain the same as last year, ie based on the 1980 property value, despite the Government
proposal to base the tax on the new 2013 property valuations.
It is understood that a 10% discount will apply if the tax is paid by 31st October. Otherwise the tax
must be paid by 30th November or a 10% penalty, interest, administrative fee and ‘other charges’ will be
applied if you have not paid after this date. However, please note that the Government has not yet confirmed this situation and an email will follow once a decision has been announced.
For those who have not yet received their title deeds [and please read to the end of this notice as there is an update], you will no longer pay the tax to your developer [with the usual add ons for ‘administration’ etc].
This means that you will pay a lower tax than you would otherwise [as the developer would be paying the
tax at 1.9%].
Property developers are required to provide the authorities with details of properties they have sold but
which have yet to be transferred to the purchasers. These are:
· The distinctive features of the sold unit
· The name and address of the purchaser or transferee or beneficiary of the unit
· The date of sale or assignment
· The date of completion of the building
· The date of delivery of possession of the building
This then enables the Land Registry to assess the 1980 value of the property in question and the Inland
Revenue can issue an IPT notice to the purchaser.
The law contains provisions that remove a purchaser’s obligation to pay IPT if their development company
is in liquidation or if the delay in issue of the title deeds is the fault of the owner [developer] .
Immovable Property Tax rates:
Assessed 1980 property value | Tax rate | Tax | Cumulative Tax |
€1 to €12,500 | Nil | €0 | €0 |
€12,501 to €40,000 | 0.6% | €240* | €240* |
€40,001 to €120,000 | 0.8% | €640 | €880 |
€120,001 to €170,000 | 0.9% | €450 | €1330 |
€170,001 to €300,000 | 1.1% | €1,430 | €2,760 |
€300,001 to €500,000 | 1.3% | €2,600 | €5,360 |
€500,001 to €800,000 | 1.5% | €4,500 | €9,860 |
€800,001 to €3,000,000 | 1.7% | €37,400 | €47,260 |
€3,000,001 onwards | 1.9% |
*Those owning property where the total value is in excess of €12,500 will pay tax on the total 1980 value.
The Inland Revenue will issue notices during August and September – but please note that non-receipt will
not be accepted as an excuse for non-payment! If you do not receive a notice, please visit the Tax Office in Paphos to collect it.
Please note that to pay via jccsmart you will need to quote the reference shown on your 2015 tax notice.
For payment via the banks, you will need your tax assessment, your identity card [might be an idea to
have your passport with you as well] and payment.
For those without title deeds:
· Ensure your developer has your correct postal address and contact details so that the Inland Revenue send your IPT notice to the correct address.
· Do not pay 2015 IPT to your developer [nor the 2014 tax if this has still not been paid].
· If you believe the 1980 valuation shown on your IPT notice is too high you may query this
with the Inland Revenue
· If you believe the IPT has been incorrectly calculated by the Inland Revenue you may
challenge this
Where the property of a deceased person has not yet been transferred to the legal heirs, the legal
heirs have an obligation to pay the correct amount of tax to the Inland Revenue by incorporating
their share of the property inherited on their tax declaration.
For those without title deeds, please note that the information shown may be subject to change as
we understand that there may be a problem extracting the information from the developers for
people where title deeds have not yet been issued and where the developer is deemed responsible
for the non-issuance of title deeds – as in the case of properties sold while encumbered with a
mortgage already taken out on it. Regrettably, if you don’t have title deeds and don’t receive a
tax notice in August or September, you will either have to contact your developer or visit the
Inland Revenue office.
IMMOVABLE PROPERTY TAX – LOCAL – Payable to Tala Council
Despite the notification in the last newsletter that this tax had been scrapped and incorporated into the
IPT payable to the Tax Office, as the Government have belatedly advised that they will now continue taxation based on the current criteria [ie 1980 property values], this tax will be payable, as in previous years, to Tala Council.
This tax is payable once you have your title deeds. Demand notices are not issued and it is the responsibility of every property owner to settle their accounts. Please note that payment must be made before 18th December to avoid payment of a 25% penalty. Those who, through choice or necessity, have yet to have their house value included on their title deeds, only pay on the value of the land they hold title to.
If you have only acquired your title deeds this year, please take your title deeds into the Council office
when you go to pay this tax.
IMMOVABLE PROPERTY TAX – PROPERTY VALUATIONS AT 1.1.2013
Regarding Immovable Property Tax, the Land and Survey Department has assessed the value of your property as at 1 January 2013. You can now view this information - www.moi.gov.cy/dls and check for your valuation. Please note that this value will not be used for the tax for 2015 but will probably be used in 2016 as the Government moves towards current valuations rather than 1980 valuations for property taxation.
If you disagree with the value, you may object by sending a written letter to Mr Kyriakos Tsoulakis [Survey Department Deputy] before 31 December 2015. His telephone number is 22 804881 and his email address is ktsolakis@dls.moi.gov.cy. Any additional information may be obtained by phoning 77 777730 - Petros Foutas the Council Executive Secretary. A fee may be imposed for the revaluation.
To find your property valuation:
1. Go to the land and surveys page via http://www.moi.gov.cy/dls
2. Choose the English language on the top-left side of the page
3. Click on “locate your parcel” [aerial map of Cyprus which changes to become Locate Your Parcel]
4. Choose your language again (English)
5. Tick on the box “I agree to the above terms of use”
6. Select area; click Paphos and then Tala
7. Select advanced search (sheet and plan ref: it is displayed on your contract with your developer, or as shown on your title deeds]. Press Ok.
8. You can then view your plot. Various pieces of information are shown. On the last row of the column, click on Valuation and you will see your plot value.
If you need to visit the Paphos Land Registry to appeal against your valuation, please note that if you approach the Land Registry, go into the entrance where the lift doors are facing you. To the right of the lift there is a door, go through this and you will find an office with four ladies in specifically to deal with appeals. There is a lengthy form to complete [in Greek] which they assist you with and your appeal could take up to 6 months to be dealt with.
If there is, in fact, a typing error on your title deeds, be prepared to be passed to another person in the building and, again, you will have to wait for a period, whilst a full investigation is carried out.
TAXATION – TALA COUNCIL – RATES & REFUSE 2015
Invoices are in the process of being issued and should be received shortly. For 2015, the
taxation bands will be as follows:
A – Community Tax/Rates:
1.Luxury Villas [300m or more with a pool] € 200- € 500
2.Detached Houses € 170
3.Maisonettes, or houses over 2 sites on shared plot € 120
4.Single room stone village house within the village € 50
5.Apartments € 110
6.Pensioners with low income [less than €700 total per month*] € 80
7.Underpriviledged families €80
8.Land Plots/parcels. Co-owners charged accordingly €60
9.Owners of more than one piece of land € 100
10.Small companies € 100 - € 500
11.Large companies €850 - € 4,000
12.Radiostations, tv stations, masts/aerials, etc €500
13.Houses under construction € 100
14 Those who sell up and leave the island, will be due to pay based on the period of ownership of their property.
B – Refuse Collection/Cleaning Tax and Business Tax
1.For each residential unit apart from a] and b] below €100
a] single room stone village houses € 50
b] pensioners on low incomes [less than €700 per month*]
and underpriviledged families €50
2.Small shops, mini markets €150
3 Restaurants, pubs, tavernas €250
4.Coffee shops € 50
5.Periptero, Visteria €500
6.Pharmacy €300
7.Co-operative Bank €500
8.Monastery cafeteria €250
9 Betting shop €250
*Anyone who falls into this category must prove their income to the satisfaction of the Council. Original bank statements [for UK and Cypriot accounts] will be required, as will written confirmation from any pension providers. Additional documentation may be required, depending on circumstances. If you fall into this category, please submit your details in writing to the council office.
In addition to the above:
1.Large families are entitled to a 25% discount and families with 3 children10% for both assessments providing no other category of deduction applies. The reduction is subject to presentation of renewed large family cards or certificates relating to dependent children. If no large family card is available, birth certificates of all dependent children must be presented.
2.Vacant homes and homes under construction are excluded from the refuse tax. Houses uninhabited for some time will be judged individually.
3.For each additional vacant house to the main residence, an additional € 50 is payable if the taxpayer is taxed already for another house. (eg an owner is taxed on the residence where he lives €170 tax for community services and € 100 refuse. If he has another house which remains vacant the owner will pay another amount for community services of € 50.)
4.Single adults who work and live with their parents € 50. Those who are unemployed or are students are excluded.
5. Long standing dormant companies will be taxed €50 for each apartment.
C – Cemetery Tax
The Cemetery Tax remains the same, ie an amount of €20 per household. Tenants of properties are excluded as are those belonging to a non-Christian religion.
As previously advised, any cemetery tax must by law be paid into a separate Council account and the money specifically used for the new cemetery.
These taxes can be paid in instalments. Please contact the Council Office before 18thDecember to discuss.
For those who have elected to pay by direct debit, payments will be taken on or around the 20th October. An exact date cannot be given as once the Council apply to the Banks, control is out of our hands. At the time of writing this newsletter, Tala Council is still waiting for acceptance on the JCC Smart system, so payment cannot yet be made online.
CEMETERY
I can now advise that the cemetery is available for use and plots will be at the price of €850, or €900 if a double plot [ie with deeper depth to cater for two bodies] is required. As notified in the last newsletter, plots are available for pre-purchase at the price of €750, or €800 for a double plot. Plots numbered 72-99 will be the first batch of plots released. A plan of the cemetery is on www.talanews.blogspot.com under New Cemetery Plan, News.
The plot price for those who have not paid the cemetery tax, or for those who are non-Tala residents, will be €2,000.
The contractors for the cemetery will complete all work required for Phase 1 of the project. They will also implement asphalting the car park area and providing a covered area for shade/weather protection [Phase 2], and this work will be financed from the cemetery tax collected for 2015.
Thereafter, the cemetery will be self-financing and the only tax envisaged from 2016 onwards is €5 per household per annum to cover maintenance of the cemetery and plots.
As advised in the last newsletter, the cemetery tax is payable by everyone [other than non-Christians and anyone who is a tenant of a property] regardless of any personal arrangements or preferences. As also mentioned previously, due to the costs involved, the council will not take measures to pursue payment. However, if the tax remains unpaid, a non-payment penalty will apply each year, and the tax will have to be settled at the time of any property sale. Should a plot be required by anyone in this situation before any property sale, the higher plot rate of €2,000 will apply.
TALA SQUARE
The work for the pedestrianisation of the square will go out to tender this month, with the first phase of the work to start, all being well, in October once the main tourist season is over.
RECYCLING/GARDEN WASTE/FLY TIPPING
Given the fly tipping which has taken place at the recycling area on Koralion, this area is in the process of being cleaned and cleared and the recycling bins will be removed. We are also looking at redesigning the recycling centre at the bottom of Stephanie, as you approach from Emba, to try and minimise the mess and prevent wholesale dumping.
Regarding the Stephanie recycling site, the Ecre building site nearby has a large green bin for the workmen to use, and we have spoken to the developer to ask that they stop any workmen dropping litter and ensure that rubbish is placed in that bin.
Regarding garden waste, please note that by law the Council is only obliged to remove household refuse from your property. If you employ gardeners can you please stress to them that they must not dump garden waste and, if necessary, please ask what happens to any garden waste which they remove. None of the garden waste should be dumped, but neither should it be placed in any of the large green refuse bins as these are intended for household refuse, nor deposited at the recycling centres. Garden waste should either be taken to the site at Akoursos, or the private garden waste site [in which case Andreas will provide a receipt if required to the gardener so they can prove how they have disposed of the cuttings] in Tala. In addition to the dumping on Koralion, large quantities of garden waste are being thrown into ravines – this provides a good nesting ground for vermin and snakes, and is a fire hazard in the summer months. It is also impossible to remove it.
Further, please ensure that garden cuttings are not dumped on empty plots, green areas or in ravines. The owners of these areas can sue anyone caught, and as a Council we can fine plot owners. Thanks to a number of vigilant houseowners, a number of registration numbers of offenders seen dumping around Tala have been provided and action is being taken against them.
The Council will no longer provide a collection service for garden waste – this was proving too time consuming and we have also been faced with the situation that the site at Akoursos would not take bulk deliveries of bagged rubbish from us without our council staff opening up each bag to demonstrate the contents and prove that each load taken had been sorted before delivery. Given the limited outside staff that we have [3 plus a supervisor to cover the 55 kilometres of residential roads in Tala, plus many green areas and the Constantinos Leventis park], this was not practical and was preventing the men from carrying out routine tasks.
Cyprus is under pressure from the EU to reduce the amount of rubbish put into landfill sites or risk a large fine. Please recycle whatever household waste you can – separating this into glass, paper and plastics.
The Government operated site for garden waste recycling [Green Point] is now open at Akoursos, in an old quarry on the left hand side of the road to Akoursos village. No charge is made for using the site. However, it is only open on the following days:
Monday 0800-1800
Wednesday 0800-1800
Friday 0800-1800
Saturday 0900-1500
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday CLOSED
Options for garden waste:
1 Branches, palm leaves and tree cuttings - Taken by the householder to the free site above
2 Collection of up to 2 bags of garden waste [excluding branches, palm leaves and tree cuttings] by the refuse collectors. Note, however, that priority will be given to household rubbish and garden waste may not always be taken if refuse levels are higher than usual.
3 Purchase orange Tala Council bags at the Council office if heavy duty bags are needed. They should then be left out for the refuse collectors who will remove up to 2 bags at a time, or taken to the private site, or collection arranged by Andreas. Any blue Tala Council bags which you already have should be disposed of in the same way.
4 Take any bags to the private garden waste centre in Tala – a charge will be made of €1 for the first bag, and €0.50 for each additional bag. The site is open Tuesday 0900-1200, and Saturday 0900-1200 and 1400-1600]. However, if you phone the site beforehand, arrangements can be made to open up outside of these times, if required.
5 Arrange for collection by the private garden waste collector – the charge will depend on the volume/vehicle required.
Please also bear in mind that the private garden waste collector will pick up domestic appliances free of charge. There is a drop off fee for wooden furniture items, and home pick-up is offered for a supplementary charge.
Private garden waste collector – Andreas 99 327262
HOUSEHOLD REFUSE
We are regrettably still receiving the odd notification of non-collection of household refuse and would ask that you continue to advise either the council office, or email Cathi [toffee@primehome.com] with a note of your name and address, number of bags omitted and dates of non-collection so that I can use this as evidence against the contractor.
AMPHITHEATRE CAFE
Please note that the café is currently open every day from 5pm and will be open from 10 am till late from 17thSeptember. They are serving teas and coffees, drinks and cocktails and light meals. For any information please contact Penny on 99769719 or Robert on 99064355. There are fantastic views from the café and some spectacular sunsets to be seen.
TALA COUNCIL LIBRARY
The library [predominantly Greek books] currently situated in the room above the council offices is in the process of being moved to the area adjacent to the welfare centre.
DOGS
Those of you who have dog licences are reminded that renewal of licences is now due and payment should be made at the council office.
Those who do not have licences, you are reminded of the need to have a medical book and licence for each dog that you own. Each animal should also be chipped. Further, please ensure that you pick up after your dog, do not allow any dog to roam off a lead, and ensure a nuisance is not created to your neighbours by barking.
MEAL SERVICE
Just to remind you that a hot meal delivery service is available which will be delivered direct to your door. This will be ideal not only for anyone who is housebound, but for those recovering from an operation, temporarily on their own, unable to leave the house for any reason, on holiday or wanting to entertain and save themselves the hassle of cooking – or avoid the heat in the kitchen over the summer months! If needed, additional meals can be provided suitable for freezing or keeping in the fridge but in the initial stages the hot meal delivery will be restricted to Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. The menus will be emailed out weekly and will be available to view on www.talanews.blogspot.com.
Working under the auspices of SKE [Welfare Centre], Marie and Emma will initially be providing a lunch on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. This will consist of a main course and a dessert. Special dietary requirements can be catered for if needed. The meal on a Sunday will be a traditional Sunday lunch.
The cost of the lunch will be €7.50 per person with free delivery to residents of Tala. Anyone outside of the Tala area will be charged €1 for delivery.
For further information or to order lunch, please contact Marie and Emma on 97 725903 or email: emmaguy52@hotmail.com. Please bear in mind that you will need to give 24 hours notice of your order.
WHAT’S ON
Sept
5 & 6 Open Studios weekend across the island – list of local artists participating on
www.talanews.blogspot.com. Please support the Tala artists by visiting their studios.
11 Fleetwood Mac tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre
12 Monsieur Doumani - at the Amphitheatre [Pafos 2017 event]
13 Fleetwood Mac tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre
19 Andrea Morelli as Dino Cappuccino at Vatouthkia Restaurant
20 Papageorgio String Quartet performing rock and pop – at the Amphitheatre
25 Bee Gees tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre
27 Bee Gees tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre
30 Night under the Stars – Kamares Club
Oct
3 The Elvis Years by Mario - direct from the UK – at the Amphitheatre
11 Simon & Garfunkel tribute from the UK – at the Amphitheatre
31 Halloween Purzaar3 at the Monastery Café – for Tala Monastery Cats
31 Halloween Monster Hits of the 60s at Vatouthkia
Tickets for most amphitheatre shows available from Visteria Kiosk in Tala, or they can be reserved for collection and payment on the night, on www.talanews.blogspot.com.
Events at Kamares Club must be booked direct with the Club.
Events at Vatouthkia – tickets available from Vatouthkia, in some cases at Visteria Kiosk in Tala, or otherwise on 96 818066 or 99 751007
Next issue 20 November
Areti Pieridou