The Eastbourne Water Order 1988

Making and dates for payments of water rates

6.  For section 55 of the Third Schedule (Making and dates for payment of water rates) there shall be substituted the following sections—

(1) Undertakers who charge water rates under the special Act shall make such a rate by fixing, in respect of a period of twelve months commencing on either the first day of January, the first day of April, the first day of July or the first day of October (hereinafter called “the relevant period”), the rate poundage or, as the case may be, the scale of rate poundages, by reference to which amounts due under the rate are to be caculated.

(2) Any rate made in respect of a relevant period shall be payable in respect of any premises by one of the following methods, namely—

(a) by equal half-yearly instalments on such dates within the first and seventh months of a relevant period as the undertakers may specify; or

(b) if the undertakers so resolve, and the person who is liable to pay the water rate in respect of the premises so elects—

(i) in single payment on or before such date within the relevant period as the undertakers may specify;

(ii) subject to subsection (10), not more than ten equal instalments at intervals of not less than one month on such dates within the relevant period as the undertakers may specify.

(3) A water rate made in respect of a relevant period shall, unless and until a new rate is made under subsection (1), continue to have effect in respect of each successive period of twelve months.

(4) If the person who is, or who, but for the provisions of section 54 above, would be, liable to pay any water rate is in occupation of premises for part only of a relevant period, that person or, as the case may be, the owner of the premises, shall be liable to pay a due proportion of the rate calculated at a daily rate in respect of any period of occupation.

(5) If, and so long as, any water rate is payable by half-yearly instalments, no proceedings shall be commenced for the recovery of any such instalment until the expiration of two months from the first day of the half-year in respect of which it has been demanded.

(6) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), where a person receives a supply of water to any premises, either for the first time or after a discontinuance of supply, he shall be liable to pay any instalment or amount due in respect of the water rate on the day on which notice requiring the supply is given to the undertakers or, if no such notice is given, on the day when they commence the supply.

(7) A person who elects to pay a water rate in instalments in accordance with subsection (2)(b)(ii) shall give notice to that effect to the undertakers on or before such date within the relevant period as the undertakers may specify.

(8) Subject to subsection (9) a notice mentioned in subsection (7) shall continue to have effect in each subsequent relevant period until withdrawn by a further notice to the undertakers.

(9) A notice mentioned in subsection (7) shall cease to have effect if payment of any instalment is not made on or before the due date in a relevant period, and the undertakers give notice to that effect to the person in default and thereupon any sum due shall be recoverable by the undertakers as if a notice mentioned in subsection (7) had not been given.

(10) Where any water rate is payable by instalments the undertakers may adjust the amount of the first or last instalment so that no instalment comprises or includes an amount of less than a penny.

(11) In this section “specify” means set out in a written notice sent by the undertakers to a person liable to pay any water rate.

(1) The undertakers may once only make a water rate by fixing a rate poundage in respect of a period of three months following the expiration of a relevant period mentioned in section 55 above.

(2) Any such rate shall be payable in full on the first day of that three month period.

(3) Subsections (4) and (6) of section 55 shall have effect in relation to a rate made in accordance with this section.”.