Section 105 – Carrying out inspections under section 103: use of equipment and materials
122.This section provides WRA with supplementary powers it may exercise when undertaking an inspection under section 103 and may be most relevant when WRA is exercising the additional powers in section 104.
123.Subsection (1) provides WRA with the power to take equipment or materials required for the inspection on to the business premises. The power can only be exercised:
at a time agreed to by the occupier (agreement to the inspection itself does not necessarily include agreement to bringing equipment or materials, the occupier can refuse at that point and WRA would then have to seek the tribunal’s approval to proceed, see section 108)
if a notice was issued informing the occupier at least 7 days in advance of the inspection; or
where it is deemed by the WRA that there are reasonable grounds for believing that giving advance notice that the power will be exercised would seriously prejudice the assessment or collection of tax, in which case notice must be provided at the time that the equipment or materials are taken onto the premises.
124.Subsections (4) to (6) set out the requirements of a notice. If the inspection, or use of equipment or materials, has been approved by the tribunal, the notice issued to the occupier must say so. This requirement is relevant because a person will only be liable to a penalty as described in Chapter 5 of Part 5 where the inspection has tribunal approval.
