Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Rates (Unoccupied Hereditaments) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 and shall come into operation on 5th December 2017.
Amendment of the Rates (Unoccupied Hereditaments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
2. In the Schedule to the Rates (Unoccupied Hereditaments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011(1), after paragraph 19 there shall be added the following paragraph—
“20.—(1) Subject to the conditions in sub-paragraph (2), the hereditament is located in an area included within a scheme made under Article 26 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1992(2) and the person entitled to possession of the hereditament has qualified for payment from a council assisted under that scheme.
(2) Sub-paragraph (1) applies only to a hereditament which—
(a)is unoccupied due to flooding following heavy rain or tidal surge;
(b)has been so unoccupied for a continuous period not less than four weeks; and
(c)when last in occupation was the only or principle residence of the person now entitled to possession of the hereditament.
(3) Where sub-paragraph (2)(b) applies the exclusion for the unoccupied hereditament will be up to a maximum of six months per incident.”
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 4th December 2017
Brian McClure
A senior officer of the Department of Finance