Under section 45 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (“the 1988 Act”) non-domestic rates are payable on an unoccupied hereditament if it fulfils the conditions set out in section 45(1). Those conditions include a condition that the hereditament falls within a prescribed class.

The Non-Domestic Rating (Unoccupied Property) (Wales) Regulations 2008 prescribe a class of unoccupied hereditaments on which rates are payable. The class consists of all unoccupied hereditaments to which none of the conditions in regulation 4 applies.

Regulation 4 excludes from liability for non-domestic rates under section 45 of the 1988 Act all hereditaments shown in a non-domestic rating list with a rateable value less than a specified amount. These Regulations set that figure at £2,600 for the purpose of a hereditament shown in the list from 1 April 2011.

A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in connection with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained at http:www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/buslegislation/bus-legislation-sub .