6.—(1) As from 1st January 1961, a property tax shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be payable at the rate or rates specified in this Act for each year upon the annual value of all houses, buildings, lands and tenements whatsoever included in the Valuation List authenticated under section 15 and amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Act.| (2) The tax shall be payable half-yearly in advance, without demand, by the owner of such property at the offices of the Comptroller or other prescribed place in the months of January and July or within such other time in each half year as is prescribed. |
| (3) The tax shall be a first charge on the property concerned and, if not paid within the prescribed time, shall be recoverable in the manner provided in this Act. |
| (4) No tax shall be payable on any house, land, building or tenement the annual value of which is $18 or less. |
(5) All buildings or parts of buildings used exclusively —| (a) | as places for public religious worship; | | (b) | for public schools which are in receipt of grants-in-aid from the Government; | | (c) | for charitable purposes; and | | (d) | for purposes conducive to social development in Singapore, |
| shall be exempted from payment of the tax. |
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| (5A) The Minister may exempt, subject to such conditions as he may think fit, any premises or part thereof from the payment of the tax. |
| (5B) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, remit or exempt wholly or in part the tax payable in respect of such category of properties for such period and subject to such conditions as he may specify in the order. [4/87] |
| (6) Where premises are held subject to the payment by the owner thereof of any rent, rentcharge, annuity or other like payment, the owner having paid the tax for the time being payable on the premises shall be entitled, notwithstanding any stipulation to the contrary, to deduct from the rent, rentcharge, annuity or other payment a sum which shall bear the same proportion to the tax so paid by him as the amount of that rent, rentcharge, annuity or other payment bears to the annual value of the premises. |
| (6A) No such deduction under subsection (6) shall be made from any rent payable to the Government or to a public authority. [19/68] |
| (7) Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Act, the Minister may, in respect of any public authority or body corporate constituted by statute in Singapore, order that in lieu of the tax payable under this Act, the authority or body corporate shall pay to the Government half-yearly in advance, without demand, in the months of January and July in each year, a sum to be calculated on such basis as may be deemed equitable by the Minister. |
| (7A) If such sum remains due and unpaid at the expiration of 3 weeks from the end of January or July, as the case may be, in each year, it shall be deemed to be arrears of tax payable and may be recovered in the manner provided in this Act together with interest at the prevailing bank rate. [19/68] |
| (8) If it is proved to the satisfaction of the Comptroller that any tax has been paid in excess of the amount with which any property is properly chargeable, the owner of the property shall be entitled to have the amount so paid in excess refunded. |
| (8A) Every claim for such refund under subsection (8) shall be made within 6 years of such excess payment. |
| (8B) The Comptroller shall certify the amount to be refunded and shall cause payment to be made forthwith. |
| (9) Where any amount has been erroneously refunded under subsection (8B), the owner shall, notwithstanding the certification by the Comptroller of such refund, repay that amount within a period of 15 days of his receiving a demand therefor from the Comptroller. |
| (10) If that amount remains due and unpaid at the expiration of that period mentioned in subsection (9), it shall be deemed to be arrears of tax payable in respect of the property concerned and may be recovered in the manner provided in this Act. |
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