The Government agreed with local authorities on 20 March, 2020 that they should agree to defer rates payments due from the most immediately impacted businesses – primarily in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors, for three months, until end-May. The Government announcement continued..
Any commercial ratepayers that have had to temporarily close or significantly curtail operations during the COVID-19 response period should contact their local authority immediately in relation to any rates payments falling due in the period to end-May. Ratepayers that can continue to pay their outstanding local authority rates should continue to do so in the normal way.
Kerry County Council has signaled an intention to exceed the period of the deferral to the end of June thereby extending the period of deferral by one additional month over and above the Governments agreement with the local authorities.
It has issued a note stating the following ‘Ratepayers who have had to temporarily close or significantly curtail operations during the COVID-19 response period are advised to contact their local authority in relation to any rates payments falling due in the period to end June.’
The note appears to leave the door open not only to rates deferral but perhaps a rates relief for the period of some kind. Further clarification on this point is required. The key advice here is to contact the Revenue Department of Kerry County Council at Ashe Memorial Hall on Denny St, Tralee either in post, by email or by telephone setting out your financial position vis-à-vis rates payment. We would encourage putting all requests in writing and issue post by registered post or seek electronic delivery notifications if sending requests by electronic mail.
