House-buyers in North Tipperary are facing a hike in property prices.A new levy on the erection of "for sale" signs in public places was approved by county councillors this week and will act to push up the cost of selling a house.
The €630 fee could be passed directly onto house-buyers, many of whom have already been hit by large increases in property prices and the demise of the first-time buyers' grant.
From October, auctioneers can only place "licensed" signage for the sale of properties in public places - such signs will cost auctioneers a fee of €630 per sign.
This comes as marketplace indicators are predicting that house prices are likely to rise faster than anticipated.
House prices in the first five months of 2003 have risen by 5.8 per cent, ahead of the 5.1 per cent recorded in the same period in 2002.
Auctioneers have warned that the new levy would end up being placed on the consumer.
Mr Paul Boland, an auctioneer and valuer based at Kickham Street, Nenagh, said the fee was a "stealth tax" designed to generate income for the council.
Mr William Talbot jnr, of Sherry Fitzgerald Talbot, in Nenagh, said he considered the charge "very excessive".
"It is going to result in auctioneers going to private landowners to see if they will allow them erect signs on their land.
"The charges are ridiculous. They are very unfair and I won't be paying it," said Mr Talbot.
Mr Seamus Costello, of Sheary Costello Auctioneers, said: "This is another tax that is going to have to be carried by consumers. This is a backdoor way of putting a direct tax on auctioneers that will be passed onto the consumer."
Nenagh-based estate agent and chartered surveyor Mr Eoin Dillon said the fees are acceptable once the council enforces the policy. Michael Gilmartin of Gilmartin Auctioneers, in Nenagh, said the charge was an enormous one but that he was "in favour of keeping the countryside clean at all costs".
The issue was discussed and passed by county councillors at their monthly meeting on Monday.
North Tipperary County Council's director for planning and the environment, Mr Paddy Heffernan, emphasised that the council's decision to introduce a fee was part of national law. He said signs for B&B's were only liable for a €50 fee.