Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008

Restrictions on conducting door to door collections

135.—(1) A door to door collection shall not be conducted unless—

(a) the promoters of the collection hold a public collections certificate in force under section 138 in respect of the collection,

(b) the collection is conducted in accordance with a permit issued under section 144; and

(c) the promoters of the collection have within the prescribed period falling before the day (or the first of the days) on which the collection takes place—

(i) notified the Commission of the matters mentioned in subsection (3), and

(ii) provided the Commission with a copy of the certificate mentioned in paragraph (a).

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a door to door collection which is an exempt collection by virtue of section 136 (local, short-term collections).

(3) The matters referred to in subsection (1)(c)(i) are—

(a) the purpose for which the proceeds of the appeal are to be applied;

(b) the prescribed particulars of when the collection is to be conducted;

(c) the locality within which the collection is to be conducted; and

(d) such other matters as may be prescribed.

(4) Where—

(a) a door to door collection is conducted in contravention of subsection (1), and

(b) the circumstances of the case do not fall within section 136(6),

every promoter of the collection is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

This is subject to subsection (5).

(5) Where—

(a) a door to door collection is conducted in contravention of subsection (1),

(b) the appeal is for goods only, and

(c) the circumstances of the case do not fall within section 136(6),

every promoter of the collection is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(6) In subsection (5) “goods” includes all personal chattels other than things in action and money.