Rent Restrictions Act, 1960

Reference by District Justices of questions affecting rateable valuation or rent of small controlled dwellings to valuers.

28.—(1) The District Justice assigned to a district to which a district court valuer is assigned may refer to such district court valuer for investigation and report to him any question affecting the rateable valuation or rent of a small controlled dwelling the subject of any proceedings before him under this Part or involving the rent being paid or payable for other small controlled dwellings.

(2) The District Justice assigned to a district to which a district court valuer is not assigned may refer to such person (in this section referred to as a special valuer) as he thinks fit for investigation and report to him any question affecting the rateable valuation or rent of any small controlled dwelling the subject of proceedings before him under this Part or involving the rent being paid or payable for other small controlled dwellings.

(3) Where a report is made on a reference under subsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section in relation to proceedings under this Part—

(a) the landlord and the tenant of the relevant controlled dwelling shall, on application to the district court office, be entitled to obtain copies of the report, and

(b) the District Justice may, and shall on a bona fide request by such landlord or tenant, require the valuer to attend the proceedings.

(4) Special valuers shall be remunerated by the Minister at such rates as may be prescribed by the Minister for Finance.

(5) A district court valuer or a special valuer to whom a District Justice has referred any question under subsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section may, if authorised in writing by the District Justice so to do, and on production, if demanded, of such authorisation, at all reasonable hours enter and inspect any dwelling specified in that behalf in such authorisation.

(6) If any person refuses to permit a district court valuer or a special valuer to enter or inspect any premises in exercise of his powers under subsection (5) of this section, or obstructs or interferes with him in the exercise of those powers, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on summary conviction thereof, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or a fine not exceeding ten pounds or both such imprisonment and such fine.