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Consultation Zone

Current Consultations

Review of Rates Liability for the Landlord Sector Consultation Paper

The Department of Finance and Personnel has agreed to the publication of a paper to begin a consultation on changes to rates liability in the landlord sector.

No decisions have been made yet but the scope of the changes being considered by the Department involves the following:-

  • That all rented property with a capital value of £150,000 or under will be subject to compulsory landlord liability;
  • The removal of the criteria for rent to be payable or collected at intervals shorter than quarterly;
  • The landlord allowance to be standardised at 10% across the all rental sectors; and
  • The award of the allowance will occur regardless of whether the property is occupied or vacant.

For more information and to access the consulatation paper, please visit the Rating Review section.

The consultation period closes on 28 June 2013.

Consultation on Proposed Amendment of Technical Booklet B

The Department of Finance and Personnel are seeking views on proposals to bring into operation a new guidance publication "Technical Booklet B 2013" in July 2013, which relates to The Building Regulations introduced on 31st October 2012.

For more information and to access the consulatation paper etc, please visit the Building Regulations section of the DFP website.

This consultation period closes on 7 June 2013 at 4.00pm

Previous Consultations

NI Executive: Welfare Reform: Rate Rebate Replacement Arrangements - Preliminary Consultation Paper

The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed to the publication of a paper to begin a preliminary consultation on changes to rates support for low income households. These changes have to be made as a result of the UK wide programme of Welfare Reform.

The introduction of Universal Credit in April 2014 will mean that modifications will have to be made to existing rates support for low income households because many of the current mechanisms for deciding entitlement will start to disappear for working age claimants.

Comments on the future of rates support for low income households should be provided by email, fax or in writing to the following address:

Rating Policy Division
Department of Finance and Personnel
3rd Floor
Longbridge House
20-24 Waring Street
Belfast
BT1 2EB

Email: ratingpolicy.cfg@dfpni.gov.uk
Fax: 028 9034 7435

Hard copies can also be provided upon request by calling 028 9127 7606.

The consultation period closed on 10 April 2013.

Proposed changes to the The Building (Prescribed Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland)

The Department of Finance and Personnel is seeking views on the proposals to increase fee charges for Building Regulations approval, relating largely to domestic properties.

Please see attached link to the response form:

The consultation period closed on 23 November 2012.

Dormant Accounts - Proposed Appointment of the Ulster Community Investment Trust

The Department of Finance and Personnel is inviting responses to its public consultation on its proposals to restrict the distribution of Dormant Account Money from the Big Lottery Fund to the Ulster Community Investment Trust (UCIT).  UCIT will operate as the body through which the Dormant Account funding will be channelled to other bodies in the form of repayable loans.

Please see attached links to the consultation documents:

The consultation period closed on 2 November 2012.

Amendments to the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) Regulations (NI) 2008

The Department of Finance and Personnel is inviting responses to its public consultation on its proposals to amend the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (as amended) to ensure compliance with the obligations of Articles 4(2), 11, 12, 13 and 27 of the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2010/31/EU) of 19 May 2010 (EPBD2).

Please see attached links to the Consultation document and the response form:

The consultation period ends on 12 October 2012.

The Law on Damages

The Department of Finance and Personnel has published a Consultation Paper on various aspects of the law of Damages.

The consultation period ended on 18 July 2012.

Call for evidence on The Common European Sales Law

The Ministry of Justice, in conjunction with the Department of Finance and Personnel and the Scottish Government has issued a call for evidence about the impact, possible costs and benefits of the European Commission's proposed Regulation on a Common European Sales Law.

The proposed Regulation will apply in business-to-consumer and business-to-business contracts where one of the parties to the contract is a small or medium enterprise.

The aim of the call for evidence is to gather statistical data and views in order to inform the UK's position on the proposed Regulation.

The call for evidence and related information can be viewed at:

The consultation period ended on 21 May 2012.

Improving Payment Practices in the Construction Industry in Northern Ireland ~ a public consultation on proposals.

The Department of Finance and Personnel is inviting responses to its public consultation paper on its proposals to amend the Scheme for Construction Contracts in Northern Ireland Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 which is being launched on 9 February 2012.

Please see attached links to the Consultation document and the response form:

The report on the responses to Consultation on proposals to amend the Scheme of Construction Contracts in Northern Ireland Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 can be viewed below:

The consultation period ended on 2 May 2012.

Consultations archive

For all previous consultations please visit the links to the archives below: