Property Transfer Tax

Mousey · Post by **Mousey** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:59 pm

I bought a house in Finland at the end of last year, and because it was my first home, I didn't have to pay the 4% transfer tax. Now I'm looking for work and found a job in Switzerland. Currently Finland is my primary and only residence. But obviously being tax resident in Switzerland has some benefits. So my question is, does anyone know how long I have to be resident here after claiming transfer tax relief, ie can they claim the TAX benefit back if my primary residence now changes? I can't find anything on the tax website, but I know these benfits sometimes come with clauses of 6months min residence etc...

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Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 11:30 pm

If you send an email to Into they should be able to answer your question

www.intofinland.fi

Or call the tax office. They don't bite.

Mousey · Post by **Mousey** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:28 pm

I've been bitten in the past in other countries

I guess it's not in thier interest for them to save me tax...

dave071061 · Post by **dave071061** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:24 am

Mousey wrote:I bought a house in Finland at the end of last year, and because it was my first home, I didn't have to pay the 4% transfer tax. Now I'm looking for work and found a job in Switzerland. Currently Finland is my primary and only residence. But obviously being tax resident in Switzerland has some benefits. So my question is, does anyone know how long I have to be resident here after claiming transfer tax relief, ie can they claim the TAX benefit back if my primary residence now changes? I can't find anything on the tax website, but I know these benfits sometimes come with clauses of 6months min residence etc...

If you sell the house within 2 yrs they will claim back the 4% transfer tax and charge you capital gains tax on the sale of the house,
If you don´t sell then it makes no difference where your primary residence,
I moved to Switzerland 3 months after buying my house in Lohja, we didn´t sell it but leased it out and changed our primary residence to Switzerland with no problems.

BTW don´t fall into the trap of thinking Switzerland is a low tax country, Even though I was paid much more during my time in Switzerland and paid much less direct tax it was very close as to which country left me with more disposable income.

Mook · Post by **Mook** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:34 pm

dave071061 wrote:If you sell the house within 2 yrs they will claim back the 4% transfer tax and charge you capital gains tax on the sale of the house,

isn't it: "If you sell the house without having lived in it for 2 yrs?

Mousey · Post by **Mousey** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:59 pm

No plans to sell it, couldn't live without my sauna now!

Yes I know about Switzerland thanks, I've hopefully saved enough now to be able to live there, but probably not eat out

Just got another related paper from them, that have re-assesed the tax on the house to now include the small 'summer house' ~20m2 at the end of the garden. The strnage thing is they are charging as much as the main house ie 2x ~70eur! I think it the whole property has been categoriesed summer house too. So maybe moving away is already solved...

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