Finance Act, 2001

Rent-a-room relief.

32.—(1) The Principal Act is amended in Chapter 1 of Part 7 by the insertion of the following after section 216:

“216A.—(1) In this section—

‘qualifying residence’, in relation to an individual for a year of assessment, means a residential premises situated in the State which is occupied by the individual as his or her sole or main residence during the year of assessment;

‘relevant sums’ means all sums arising in respect of the use for the purposes of residential accommodation, of a room or rooms in a qualifying residence and includes sums arising in respect of meals, cleaning, laundry and other similar goods and services which are incidentally supplied in connection with that use;

‘residential premises’ means a building or part of a building used as a dwelling.

(2) (a) This subsection applies if—

(i) relevant sums, chargeable to income tax under Case IV or Case V of Schedule D, arise to an individual (regardless of whether the relevant sums are chargeable to income tax under Case IV or Case V or under both Case IV and Case V), and

(ii) the amount of the relevant sums does not exceed the individual's limit for the year of assessment.

(b) In ascertaining the amount of relevant sums for the purposes of this subsection no deduction shall be made in respect of expenses or any other matter.

(c) Where this subsection applies the following shall be treated as nil for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts—

(i) the profits or gains of the year of assessment, and

(ii) the losses of any such year of assessment, in respect of relevant sums arising to an individual.

(d) Where an individual has relevant sums chargeable to income tax under Case V of Schedule D and an election under subsection (3)(a) has not been made, an allowance under section 284, which would on due claim being made be granted, shall be deemed to have been granted.

(3) (a) Subsection (2) shall not apply for a year of assessment if an individual so elects by notice in writing to the inspector on or before the specified return date for the chargeable period (within the meaning of section 950).

(b) An election under this subsection shall have effect only for the year of assessment for which it is made.

(4) The provisions of the Income Tax Acts relating to the making of returns shall apply as if this section had not been enacted.

(5) Subject to subsections (6) and (7), the limit of an individual referred to in subsection (2) is £6,000.

(6) As respects the year of assessment 2001 the limit referred to in subsection (5) is £4,440.

(7) Where relevant sums arise to more than one individual in respect of a qualifying residence the limits referred to in subsections (5) and (6) shall be divided by the number of such individuals.

(8) Where subsection (2) applies, the receipt of relevant sums shall not operate so as to restrict or reduce any entitlement to relief under section 244 or 604.”.

(2) Section 216A (inserted by subsection (1)) of the Principal Act is amended as respects the year of assessment 2002 and subsequent years of assessment—

(a) in subsection (5) by the substitution of “€7,620” for “£6,000”, and

(b) by the deletion of subsection (6).