Search Legislation

Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024

Commentary on Provisions

Part 5 – Enforcement of the levy and penalties

Chapter 3 – Penalties
Section 51 – Reasonable excuse for failure to make returns

90.This section provides that no liability to a penalty arises under sections 47 to 50 where a person who has failed to comply with the duty in section 26 has a reasonable excuse for the failure (subsection (1)). An insufficiency of funds is not a reasonable excuse (subsection (2)(a)), nor is that the person relied on another person to do things (unless the person who failed to comply took reasonable care to avoid the failure – subsection (2)(b)). Examples of things which may qualify as a reasonable excuse include serious unexpected illness, an unforeseen collapse of a third party’s IT system (meaning that a return could not be sent), or the liable person's office being destroyed by fire. Where the reasonable excuse ceases to apply, the person who failed to comply with section 26 is still able to rely on the excuse, provided the failure is remedied without unreasonable delay (subsection (2)(c)).

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the Scottish Government to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Acts of the Scottish Parliament except those which result from Budget Bills.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources