The Business Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Penalties for fraud or the wilful concealment of material facts

28.—(1) Any person who fraudulently or by the wilful concealment of material facts induces the Lands Tribunal to order the grant of a new tenancy or to make an order that the tenant is not entitled to a new tenancy shall, without prejudice to the provisions of the [1979 NI 19.] Perjury (Northern Ireland) Order 1979, be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both such fine and such imprisonment;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both a fine and such imprisonment.

(2) For the purposes of any proceedings under this Article, a certificate under the hand of a member of the Lands Tribunal that, in any proceedings of the Lands Tribunal heard before him (whether sitting alone or otherwise), a statement of material facts as set out in the certificate was made to the Tribunal or that any material facts as set out in the certificate were not disclosed to the Tribunal, shall, until the contrary is shown, be accepted as proof that such statement was made, or, as the case may be, that such facts were not disclosed to the Tribunal.