PART IIN.I.RATING

Special reliefs in respect of dwellingsN.I.

[F1Dwellings occupied by persons under 18 and persons in education and training or leaving careN.I.

30B.—(1) Regulations may provide that, subject to the condition in paragraph (2), a person (“A”) shall not be chargeable to rates in respect of a hereditament for such periods as may be prescribed when—

(a)the hereditament is used wholly for the purposes of a private dwelling or falls within a prescribed class; and

(b)every occupier of it qualifies for rate relief under this Article and, except in prescribed cases, occupies the hereditament as his only or principal residence.

(2) The condition referred to in paragraph (1) is that, where A receives payments from other persons in respect of their occupation of the hereditament, it appears to the Department that the amount of rates which is not chargeable to A and is attributable to their occupation of it will be applied for the benefit of those other persons.

(3) A person qualifies for rate relief under this Article if—

(a)he—

(i)is under the age of 18; or

(ii)satisfies such conditions relating to education or training or to leaving care as may be prescribed; and

(b)complies with such requirements as may be prescribed.

(4) A person shall be regarded for the purposes of this Article as occupying a hereditament as his only or principal residence if he resides there during such periods as may be prescribed.

(5) Regulations may provide that—

(a)a person shall not be chargeable to rates by virtue of this Article only if an application is made (by him or another person) to the Department containing such information as the Department may reasonably require;

(b)a person aggrieved by a decision of the Department under the regulations may—

(i)require the Department to review its decision; and

(ii)appeal to the Valuation Tribunal;

(c)the Department or any person aggrieved by a decision of the Valuation Tribunal on an appeal by virtue of sub-paragraph (b) as being erroneous on a point of law may require the Valuation Tribunal to state and sign a case for the Court of Appeal;

(d)where an occupier of a hereditament has parental responsibility for another occupier of the hereditament, that other occupier need not occupy the hereditament as his only or principal residence.

(6) In paragraph (5)(d) “parental responsibility” has the same meaning as in the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 2).]