Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977

Procedure on appeal to CommissionerN.I.

52.—(1) Without prejudice to Article 53, where an appeal is made to the Commissioner under Article 51, the Commissioner shall investigate the subject matter of the appeal, and shall review the alteration that has been made F1. . . or, as the case may require, shall review the decision not to cause the alteration applied for to be made.

(2) In the course of his investigation the Commissioner shall afford to every person who appears to him to be concerned therewith an opportunity to comment on the subject matter of the appeal and to furnish oral or other evidence respecting it.

(3) Without prejudice to paragraph (2), the Commissioner may obtain information from such persons and in such manner and make such inquiries as he considers appropriate, and may call for a report on the hereditament to which the appeal relates from a suitably qualified officer other than the officer previously employed—

(a)in making the valuation originally included in the valuation list [F2in question] , or

(b)in deciding not to cause to be made F3. . . any alteration which was applied for, or

(c)in causing to be made any alteration in relation to which the appeal is made.

(4) After completing his review, the Commissioner shall make such decision with respect to the manner in which the hereditament in question is to be treated in [F4a valuation list] as appears to him to be proper; and where that treatment requires an alteration F5. . . the Commissioner—

(a)shall alter [F6that list] accordingly; and

(b)may make such alteration in [F7any valuation list] in relation to any comparable hereditament which is in the same state and circumstances as the first-mentioned hereditament as appears to him to be necessary in order to render the valuations of that hereditament and the first-mentioned hereditament proportionate and uniform.

[F8(4A) Where the valuation list is a capital value list—

(a)the Commissioner shall complete his review and make his decision under paragraph (4)—

(i)within twenty-eight days from the date of service on him of the notice of appeal under Article 51; or

(ii)within such further period or periods (none of which shall exceed twenty-eight days) as he specifies in a notice, stating the reason for the delay, served by him on the appellant before the expiration of the immediately preceding period; and

(b)the Commissioner shall for the purposes of paragraph (4)(b) have regard to the assumptions mentioned in paragraphs 9 to [F915 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (subject to paragraphs 7(3) and 12)].

(4B) Where the date referred to in paragraph (4A)(a)(i) falls before the first anniversary of the coming into force of the capital value list in question, that paragraph shall have effect as if the reference in sub-paragraph (a)(i) to twenty-eight days were a reference to six months.]

(5) Where the Commissioner alters [F10any valuation list] under paragraph (4)( a) or ( b) he shall serve certificates of the alteration on the persons mentioned in Article 56(8).

(6) Where the Commissioner—

(a)dismisses the appeal; or

(b)makes F11. . . in relation to the hereditament in question any alteration other than that desired by the appellant;

he shall serve notice of the dismissal or, as the case may require, a statement of his reasons for making that other alteration, on—

(i)

the appellant;

(ii)

the district council, where not the appellant[F12 and if requested by the council to do so]; and

(iii)

every other person on whom a copy of the notice of appeal was served who submitted comments or furnished evidence to the Commissioner in connection with the appeal.