§ Sir Terence HigginsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what authority district valuers may require those whose business premises are being revalued to produce audited accounts; for how many years they may be asked to produce these; within what period they may be asked to provide them; what sanctions apply in the event of non-production; and for what purpose such detailed information may be required.
§ Mr. NelsonValuation officers are empowered under paragraph 5 of schedule 9 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as amended, to serve a notice on a person, who is the owner or occupier of a hereditament, requesting that person to supply information, specified in the notice, that the officer reasonably believes will assist him on carrying out his statutory functions.
Accounts are asked for where rental information is sparse for the type of property in question. Valuation officers will specify a period sufficient to establish trends, but this would not normally exceed three years.
The Act provides that the information should be supplied within a period of 21 days from the date of service of the notice. There is a fine on summary conviction for failing to do so without reasonable excuse.
The information supplied will be used to establish rental values for those classes of properties in order that valuation officers may fulfil their statutory obligation to compile and maintain rating lists.