Explanatory note

These Regulations amend regulation 59(5)and consolidate, incorporating further amendments, regulation 62 of the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989. They have effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after 1st April 1991.

The effect of the amendments to regulation 62 is to extend the cases where charging authorities must set a standard community charge multiplier of 0, to introduce circumstances in which charging authorities must set a multiplier no greater than ½ and to extend the cases where charging authorities must set a multiplier no greater than 1. In relation to two other classes of case, the period within which no standard community charge is payable is extended from three to six months. In relation to three other classes of case, a 12 month time limit is removed.

The new cases where a multiplier of 0 must be set relate to unoccupied property where the person subject to the standard community charge is exempt from the personal community charge because he is in detention or pays a reduced personal community charge because he is a student; where the property has been vacated by the mortgagor in favour of the mortgagee who is in possession under the mortgage; and where the property is within the same curtilage as an occupied property and is difficult to let on that account.

The new cases where the multiplier may not exceed ½ relate to unoccupied property where the person who is subject to the standard charge occupies other accommodation which is related to his job and to unoccupied property which is subject to a restriction permitting occupation only by persons employed or engaged in agriculture.

The new cases where the multiplier may not exceed 1 relate to unoccupied domestic property which forms part of a larger property of which part is in non-domestic use and the domestic property is difficult to let because of its situation in relation to the non-domestic part or cannot be let because of a prohibition imposed before 31st January 1991.

Regulation 59, which relates to co-owners, is amended as a consequence of the amendments to regulation 62.