Overview

This bill amends the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to require local authorities to collect information about the tenure of properties when collecting council tax. This includes details about whether a property is owner-occupied, social housing, or privately rented, and, if privately rented, the landlord's details. The information will be used for local authority purposes, including housing functions.

Description

The bill introduces new sections (27A, 27B, and 27C) into the Local Government Finance Act 1992. Section 27A mandates that when collecting council tax information, billing authorities must also request tenure information unless they already possess it. This information must be provided within 21 days, with a warning of penalties for non-compliance.

Section 27B clarifies that tenure information can be requested and used even if for purposes beyond council tax collection, including for local housing authority functions. Data protection laws are overridden to allow information sharing for such purposes.

Section 27C defines key terms, such as "tenure information" (including owner-occupied, social housing, and privately rented classifications, and landlord details for privately rented properties), "council tax information", "housing purposes", "managing agent", and "owner". It also clarifies the meaning of "resident" and "owner" to include past and future residents, owners and managing agents. The bill also amends Schedules 3 and 4 of the LGFA 1992 to include penalties for non-compliance with the new tenure information requirements.

Finally, it amends Section 237(1) of the Housing Act 2004, broadening the housing authority's information gathering capabilities.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending figures. The cost will likely depend on the implementation process for local authorities to collect and manage the new information, including potential IT upgrades and staff training. There may be some increase in administrative costs for local authorities and potentially costs for penalties enforcement.

Groups Affected

• Local Authorities: Will have new responsibilities for collecting and managing tenure information, and will need to update their processes and potentially IT systems. They may also incur costs associated with penalties enforcement.
• Council Tax Payers/Residents: Will be required to provide additional information when interacting with local authorities regarding council tax. Failure to comply may result in penalties.
• Private Landlords: Will be required to provide their information to local authorities if their properties are subject to council tax.
• Social Housing Providers: Will likely need to adapt their processes to facilitate the provision of tenure information.

Powered by nyModel