By Margaret Sheard ….
Having read Trevor’s Tips, in cyprusscene.com, in which he referred to the property income tax payment system which has been changed, I was hoping that maybe something may have been sorted out and the previous system would now be working again.
No, it seems not. On a visit to the Girne Tax Office today to settle a small amount of property income tax, I was informed that it is no longer possible to pay the tax in advance, as I have previously done for 6 months at a time, and in fact I could not even pay the January tax. This has to be paid in arrears i.e. between 1st and 15th February and thereafter it will mean making a trip to the Tax Office every month to pay what is a very small amount, which is hardly worth the effort. Luckily I don’t have far to travel but for those who live a lot farther away, it will be very inconvenient.
I was told that this is due to a new computer system and the Manager agreed that it is not good and he also hopes that being able to make payments in advance will be re-instituted at some time in the future.
It seems to me to be a very backward step, especially as now I have to make 12 trips per annum to the Tax Office instead of the previous 2, like many other people.