Spat about second homes: State councils stubbornly battle over imputed rental value

class=”sc-29f61514-0 jbwksb”>

In principle, there is agreement in the House of Representatives: the imputed rental value must go. After the Council of States, the National Council also voted last week in favor of abolishing the controversial tax for home and apartment owners.

But that was it with the unit. The details are fought hard in parliament. On Tuesday, the Economic Committee of the Council of States once again considered the bill. But she is not willing to compromise on the controversial points.

Bottleneck second homes

The main bottleneck is the second homes. Unlike the Council of States, the National Council wants to completely abolish the imputed rental value – also for second homes. But the Economic Commission of the Council of States stands firm: for them it is unthinkable.

“Tourist cantons such as Graubünden with many second homes would suffer significant losses if the imputed rental value also disappeared for second homes,” says Graubünden councilor Stefan Engler (63) insisting. The National Council wants to comfort the cantons with a new tax on second homes, the so-called property tax. “But I don’t quite believe that this is capable of winning a majority,” says the center politician.

There is also no agreement on the interest on debts

The economic politicians in the Council of States remain stubborn when it comes to deductions. The imputed rental value is a notional income on which homeowners must pay taxes. The idea behind it is that it should ensure more tax fairness between owners and tenants. Because in exchange for taxing the imputed rental value, homeowners can deduct costs such as mortgage interest deduction or renovation and renovation work from the tax.

It would now make sense if all these deductions were also abolished when the imputed rental value was abolished. But the Economic Commission insists that homeowners can continue to deduct a large part of the mortgage interest. The National Council, on the other hand, wants to limit the deductions more.

In the autumn, the Council of States will again discuss the abolition of the imputed rental value. Finding a compromise will not be easy.

Source:Blick