Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1930

Rates on vacant premises.

71.—(1) Where a hereditament or tenement which is not a small dwelling within the meaning of the Local Government (Rates on Small Dwellings) Act, 1928 (No. 4 of 1928) as amended by this Act, is unoccupied at the making of the municipal rate, that rate shall be made upon the person (hereinafter referred to as the owner) who is for the time being entitled to occupy such hereditament or tenement, and upon such rate being paid by such owner, such owner shall be entitled to claim and receive from the Corporation a refund of one-twenty-fourth of such rate in respect of every completed month (reckoned from any day of one month to the corresponding day of the next month) during which such hereditament or tenement is unoccupied either for the purpose of the execution of additions, alterations, or repairs thereto or because such owner is bona fide unable to obtain a suitable tenant therefor, in the case of a hereditament or tenement to which the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Acts, 1923 to 1930 for the time being apply, at the maximum rent for the time being permitted under those Acts or, in the case of any other hereditament or tenement, at a reasonable rent.

(2) When a rate is made by virtue of this section on the owner of an unoccupied hereditament or tenement and such hereditament or tenement is subsequently let by or on behalf of such owner and such rate or any part thereof is in arrear and unpaid, the rate collector by whom such rate is collectable may, in addition and without prejudice to any other remedy for the recovery of the amount of such rate so in arrear and unpaid, serve either personally or by post on the occupier of such hereditament or tenement a notice stating the said amount so in arrear and unpaid and requiring such occupier to pay to such rate collector or his successor in office all rent then due or thereafter to become due by him in respect of the said hereditament or tenement until the said amount is by such payment or otherwise discharged, and, upon such notice being so served, such rate collector or his successor in office shall have the exclusive right to recover, receive, and give a good discharge for all rent required by such notice to be paid to him.

(3) A rate made by virtue of this section on the owner of an unoccupied hereditament or tenement shall not be invalidated by any error or defect in the statement of the name of such owner or by the use of the description “the owner” without any name or addition, and every such rate shall be recoverable from such owner notwithstanding such error or defect or the use of such description.