The Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006

Deferred payment of rates

Agreements for deferred payment of rates on dwellings

10.—(1) After Article 29 of the principal Order (right to pay rates on dwellings by instalments) there shall be inserted the following Article—

“Agreements for deferred payment of rates on dwellings

29A.— (1) Regulations may provide that the Department may enter into an agreement with the occupier of a hereditament for the payment of rates in respect of the capital value of the hereditament to be deferred, if—

(a) he is the owner of the hereditament;

(b) he has attained pensionable age or he is the surviving spouse or surviving civil partner of a person who has made an agreement in respect of the same hereditament;

(c) the hereditament either is a dwelling-house or, though not a dwelling-house, is used partly for the purposes of a private dwelling; and

(d) prescribed conditions are satisfied.

(2) Regulations may contain such provision as the Department considers necessary or expedient for the purposes of this Article, including provision—

(a) as to the terms of the agreement (including terms as to repayment, the payment of interest and other charges and as to the termination of the agreement and extending the period of the agreement);

(b) for the amount outstanding under the agreement to be deemed to be a statutory charge (within the meaning of the Land Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 1970);

(c) for an agreement to transfer the amount outstanding under an agreement made in respect of the same hereditament by the deceased spouse or civil partner of the occupier;

(d) for the meaning of “owner” and “pensionable age” in paragraph (1).”.

(2) In Schedule 11 to the Land Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 (c. 18) (matters which require to be registered in the Statutory Charges Register), after paragraph 47 there shall be added the following paragraph—

“48.   Any agreement under regulations under Article 29A of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977.”.