Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 section 653BA

Retention of records

Section 653BA requires chargeable persons to retain records sufficient to support a full and true return for vacant homes tax purposes, and sets out the retention periods, language requirements, and penalties for non-compliance.

• A chargeable person must keep (or have kept on their behalf) all records needed to make a full and true VHT return, including books, accounts, documents and other data relating to the use of a residential property, whether the property falls outside the scope of VHT, and any claim for exemption.
• Records must be kept in English or Irish, in written form or by electronic, photographic or other approved means, and must be retained for the longer of six years from the end of the year in which the chargeable period ends or until Revenue enquiries into the return are completed.
• Where the chargeable person is a company that is wound up or dissolved, the liquidator or last directors must retain the records for five years from the date of winding up or dissolution; where the chargeable person dies, the executor or administrator must retain them for five years from the date of death.
• A person who fails to comply with the record-retention requirements is liable to a penalty of €3,000.