http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2007/86The Rates (Social Sector Value) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007Housing associationsenRATESStatute Law Database2025-09-11Expert Participation2025-04-01 These Regulations provide, subject to exceptions, for a person to be chargeable to rates in respect of a domestic property owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (“NIHE”) or a housing association listed in Schedule 1 to the Regulations, on the basis of a social sector value rather than on the basis of the property’s rateable capital value (regulation 3). In determining a social sector value, the Department of Finance and Personnel (“the Department”) is under a duty, by virtue of Article 23A(2) of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (“the 1977 Order”), to ensure that the amount of rates chargeable is such proportion of any rent payable in respect of the property as the Department considers appropriate. 2007 No. 86ratesThe Rates (Social Sector Value) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007Made14th February 2007Coming into operation1st April 2007To be laid before Parliament under paragraph 7(3) of the Schedule to the Northern Ireland Act 2000The Department of Finance and Personnel makes the following Regulations in exercise of powers conferred by Article 23A of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977: Citation and commencement1These Regulations may be cited as the Rates (Social Sector Value) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 and shall come into operation on 1st April 2007.Interpretation2In these Regulations—“the 1977 Order” means the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977;“the 2006 Order” means the Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006;“employee” means a person employed under a contract of service;“hostel” has the meaning assigned to it by Article 2(2) of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.Liability to be rated in respect of a hereditament in the social sector3Subject to Article 23A(2) of the 1977 Order, a person shall be chargeable to rates in respect of a hereditament in the social sector as if its rateable capital value were such figure as may be determined by the Department (its “social sector value”).Prescribed registered housing associations4The registered housing associations listed in Schedule 1 are prescribed for the purposes of paragraph (a) of the definition of “hereditament in the social sector” in Article 23A(3) of the 1977 Order.Hereditaments which are not in the social sector5The hereditaments listed in Schedule 2 are hereditaments of a prescribed description for the purposes of paragraph (b) of the definition of “hereditament in the social sector” in Article 23A(3) of the 1977 Order.References6In relation to a hereditament in the social sector—athe references to rateable capital value in Articles 9(5)(b), 30(2)(b) and 31A(10) of the 1977 Order shall be construed as references to social sector value;bthe reference to rateable values in Article 16(1)(a) of the 1977 Order, in so far as it includes a reference to rateable capital value, shall be construed as a reference to social sector value.Departures from valuation list and refunds7Articles 10 and 15(1)(b) of the 1977 Order shall have effect subject to these Regulations.Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance and Personnel on 14th February 2007Brian McClureA senior officer of the Department of Finance and Personnel SCHEDULE 1<Substitution ChangeId="key-ca030bd42aa09d47cd5f7e1b95712f78-1750159525443" CommentaryRef="key-ca030bd42aa09d47cd5f7e1b95712f78">Prescribed Registered Housing Associations</Substitution>Regulation 4

Abbeyfield and Wesley Housing Association Ltd

Alpha Housing (Northern Ireland) Ltd

Apex Housing Association Ltd

Arbour Housing Ltd

Ark Housing Association Northern Ireland Ltd

Choice Housing Ireland Ltd

Clanmil Housing Association Ltd

Connswater Homes Ltd

Covenanter Residential Association Ltd

Craigowen Housing Association Ltd

Grove Community Housing Association

Newington Housing Association Ltd

North Belfast Housing Association Ltd

Radius Housing Association

Rural Housing Association Ltd

St. Matthew’s Housing Association Ltd

Triangle Housing Association Ltd

Woodvale and Shankill Community Housing Association Ltd

Woven Housing Association Ltd

SCHEDULE 2Hereditaments which are not in the social sectorRegulation 51A hereditament which is shown, or would fall to be shown, in the NAV list other than a hereditament which is also shown, or would also fall to be shown, in the capital value list.2A hereditament used for, or in connection with, a hostel.31A hereditament which is used for providing living accommodation for a person who—ais an employee of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive or of a registered housing association listed in Schedule 1;bresides in the hereditament in connection with his employment by that body; andchas no liability for rates in respect of the hereditament during his period of residence there.2For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), a hereditament—awhich is not in use; andbwhich the Department considers will, when next in use, fall within that sub-paragraph,shall be deemed to be in use and to fall within that sub-paragraph.41Subject to sub-paragraph (2), a hereditament which is distinguished in the capital value list as exempt to any extent from rates.2Sub-paragraph (1) shall not apply where the social sector value of the hereditament would be less than its rateable capital value. EXPLANATORY NOTE(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations provide, subject to exceptions, for a person to be chargeable to rates in respect of a domestic property owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (“NIHE”) or a housing association listed in Schedule 1 to the Regulations, on the basis of a social sector value rather than on the basis of the property’s rateable capital value (regulation 3). In determining a social sector value, the Department of Finance and Personnel (“the Department”) is under a duty, by virtue of Article 23A(2) of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (“the 1977 Order”), to ensure that the amount of rates chargeable is such proportion of any rent payable in respect of the property as the Department considers appropriate.

Regulation 4 and Schedule 1 list the housing associations whose properties are within the scope of the Regulations.

Regulation 5 and Schedule 2 list the classes of NIHE and housing association property to which the Regulations do not apply.

Regulation 6 provides, in the case of a property to which the Regulations apply, that certain references in the 1977 Order to rateable capital value are to be construed as references to social sector value.

Regulation 7 provides that certain provisions of the 1977 Order are to have effect subject to these Regulations.

 Formerly the Department of Finance; see S.I. 1982/338 (N.I. 6) Article 3 S.I.1977/2157 (N.I. 28); Article 23A was inserted by Article 7 of the Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/2954 (N.I. 18)); see Article 2(2) of S.I. 1977/2157 (N.I. 28) for the definitions of “the Department”, “prescribed” and “regulations”; the definition of “regulations” was amended by Schedule 3 to the Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1982, S.I. 1982/338 (N.I. 6) and by paragraph 2(10) of Schedule 2 to the Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 S.I. 2006/2954 (N.I. 18) S.I. 1981/156 (N.I. 3) Article 9(5)(b) was substituted by paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 to the 2006 Order Article 30(2)(b) was amended by paragraph 13(2) of Schedule 2 to the 2006 Order Article 31A(10) was substituted by Article 17(5) of the 2006 Order Article 16(1)(a) was amended by paragraph 11(2) of Schedule 2 to the 2006 Order Article 10 was amended by paragraph 6 of Schedule 2 to the 2006 Order Article 15(1) was amended by Article 7(b) of the Rates Amendment (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 (S.I. 1979/297 (N.I. 4)), by paragraph 3 of Schedule 3 to the Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/703 (N.I. 4)) and by paragraph 10 of Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 to the 2006 Order Reg. 1 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Reg. 6 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Reg. 7 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Reg. 2 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Reg. 3 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Reg. 4 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Reg. 5 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Sch. 2 para. 1 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Sch. 2 para. 2 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Sch. 2 para. 3 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Sch. 2 para. 4 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1Sch. 1 substituted (1.4.2025) by The Rates (Social Sector Value) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (S.R. 2025/43), reg. 1, Sch.