Rates dodgers are to face even greater clamp down in 2013

Rates dodgers are to face even greater clamp down in 2013

12 December 2012

DOWN District’s hard-pressed ratepayers are in line for a £54,000 cash windfall from Land and Property Services.

And even more cash could be on the way as the screw tightens on the district’s commercial rates dodgers.

The local council is taking part in a new initiative with Land and Property Services (LPS) to inspect commercial properties across the district and issue rates bills to owners whose properties are listed as “vacant,” but which are in fact occupied.

Members of the local authority’s Building Control and Estates Committee were told last week that a total of 86 properties were recently inspected to determine if they were occupied, but not paying rates.

It emerged that 13 properties listed as “vacant” were in fact occupied and that when their respective rates bills were calculated, the amount outstanding was just over £120,000, with just over £54,000 payable to Down Council.

Councillors were told last week that an additional 17 properties were deemed to be occupied when officially listed as vacant which will generate an additional £31,862 for the local authority, once all relevant investigations have been completed.

Council officials confirmed that alongside Land and Property Services they are investigating 239 properties across the district to determine if their respective owners should be paying full rates.

Owners of vacant commercial properties only have to pay 50 per cent of their annual rates bill, but council officials are clamping down on those who claim their premises are not in use when in fact they are fully operational.

Council officials also plan to turn their attention to dwellings across the district, inspecting those which it’s claimed are empty, but which people are living in and should be paying rates.

Councillors have been told that all buildings suspected of not being issued with rates bills have to be surveyed and photographed and an examination of various documentation relating to them before bills can be issued.