To Let signs rates waiver rule criticised as 'silly' at Tipperary County Council meeting

A Clonmel Borough District councillor and estate agent has called for the reform of what he describes as a “silly old rule” that requires owners of vacant commercial premises to erect To Let signs in order to qualify for a commercial rates waiver.

Fine Gael Cllr John Fitzgerald complained it was the “worst looking thing” to have too many To Let signs in a town centre as he issued the appeal to Tipperary County Council management at the Council’s July meeting in Nenagh last week.

He made his comments during the debate at the Council meeting on plans to establish a Business Improvement District company in Clonmel.

READ ALSO: Public's views to be sought on proposal to set up BID company to help rejuvenate Clonmel

The Clonmel auctioneer and estate agent threw his support behind the town’s proposed BID initiative but also said it behoved the local authority to play its part by moving away from the “silly old rules that attach to premises in the town in relation to rates, especially in relation to the rates waiver”.

He said every estate agent he spoke to “thinks it’s a joke” getting people to put up To Let signs in order to qualify for the waiver.

“We have a situation today operating, if your premises is closed for any length of time and if you want to avail of a waiver you have to put up a dirty To Let sign.

“The worst looking thing you can have in the town centre is to have too many To Let signs,” he declared.

Cllr Fitzgerald pointed out there were To Let signs erected at a lot of premises that were not suitable or really available for letting. There was just a small cohort of premises ready for new people to let and occupy.

He hoped the Clonmel BID company, if and when it was created, would persuade Tipperary County Council management to “have a serious look” at the criteria for qualifying for a commercial rates waiver.

Those properties that were genuinely available To Let would have a far better chance of getting new tenants if they weren’t subsumed by all those properties showing To Let signs but weren’t really immediately available to rent, he argued.

Cllr Fitzgerald also complained people putting commercial properties up for sale were also required to put a To Let sign in order to get the rates waiver even though they have no intention of letting the premises.

The Council was pushing these property owners into becoming landlords to qualify for the waiver.

The Clerihan based councillor noted that on one hand, the Council regarded signs informing the public about a To Let property down a country lane as litter but encouraged them to be put in a town centre.

“That to me is a contradiction from the heart of local government.”

Cllr Fitzgerald suggested the Council could instead make the rule online only rather than requiring property owners to erect physical To Let signs.

Cllr John Fitzgerald