contract-law ireland
What laws govern obtaining receipts for construction work carried out 16 years ago?
<p>In 2006, I had a mason perform work on a house I own in County Meath. I spent 12,000 euros but never got a receipt. Now, 16 years later, can I demand a receipt as I am selling and need the receipt for tax purposses?</p>

<p>There is no law (that I can find) that requires the mason to keep records, and therefore require them to be produced, for work carried out that long ago.</p>
<p>I have not been able to locate the applicable legislation for 2006 but, on the (near certain) assumption that it was either the same as now or has been superceded, businesses only need to keep records for 6 years according to the Revenue's section entitled <a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/starting-a-business/starting-a-business/keeping-records.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Keeping records</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you run a business, you must keep certain records for tax purposes. Your records can be used to confirm information contained in your tax returns and they should clearly show the accounting process. </p>
<p>If your accounts are prepared by an agent or accountant, they may keep your records on your behalf. However, you are ultimately responsible for your record keeping. If you are in a partnership, the precedent partner is responsible for keeping records. <strong>You must keep the original of these documents for six years.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>This retention period is mirrored for limited companies at <a href="https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/act/38/section/285/enacted/en/html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">section 285</a>
Companies Act 2014:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>An accounting record required to be kept by section 281 or information or a return referred to in section 283 (2) shall be preserved by the company concerned for a period of <strong>at least 6 years</strong> after the end of the financial year containing the latest date to which the record, information or return relates.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><strong>That said, there's no harm in asking.</strong></li>
</ul>
