Clause 5

by inserting, immediately after subsection (11), the following subsections:“(12) Without prejudice to subsection (11), where there has been a change in the prescribed class of any property referred to in section 9(3), the owner of the property shall, within 15 days after the date of the change, give notice thereof in writing to the Chief Assessor, unless the Minister, in an order referred to in section 9(2) —

prescribes a period longer than 15 days; or

provides that no notice need be given.(12A) Where there has been a change in the prescribed class of any property referred to in section 9(3), the owner of the property shall, notwithstanding the change, continue to be liable to pay the tax in respect of the property he had been paying immediately prior to the change as if no change had occurred until his liability is adjusted under subsection (12B), or subsections (12B) and (12C).(12B) Where the Comptroller becomes aware of the change in the prescribed class of any property, the owner of the property shall be liable, as from the date of the change, to pay the tax on the basis of the rate or rates applicable to the property following the change.(12C) Without prejudice to subsection (12B), where there is a revised annual value ascribed to the property in a subsequent amended Valuation List pursuant to the change in the prescribed class of the property, the owner of the property shall be liable, as from the date of the change and at the option of the Comptroller, to pay the tax on the revised annual value.(12D) For the purposes of subsections (12) to (12C), where planning permission (other than provisional permission) for the making of any material change in the use of the property or part thereof (as the case may be) is given by the competent authority under the Planning Act (Cap. 232) and the circumstances for which such permission is sought correspond to any circumstances resulting in the change in the prescribed class of the property, then the date of the planning permission shall be prima facie evidence of the date of the change in the prescribed class of the property.(12E) No tax shall be payable or refundable, as the case may be —

under subsection (12B) or (12C) in respect of any period which is more than 5 years prior to the 1st of January of the year in which a notice of amendment to the Valuation List under section 20 is issued pursuant to the change in the prescribed class of the property; or

under subsection (12B) in respect of any period which is more than 5 years prior to the 1st of January of the year in which the Chief Assessor considers it is not desirable that an amendment be made to the Valuation List in respect of the property notwithstanding the change in the prescribed class thereof.”; and

by deleting the section heading and substituting the following section heading:“Notice to be given by owners of property, etc.”.