8.— (1) The owner of a residential property may apply to the relevant local authority for a certificate (in this Act referred to as a “certificate of exemption”), in respect of such liability date or liability dates as are specified in the certificate, stating that, by virtue of subsection (1), (2), (4), (5), (6) or (7) of section 4, no charge was payable in respect of the residential property, and specifying the reasons why no such charge was payable.

(2) An applicant for a certificate of exemption shall provide the relevant local authority with all such information as it may reasonably require for the purpose of its making a decision in relation to the application.

(3) When a relevant local authority receives from the applicant for a certificate of exemption all such information as it may reasonably require for the purpose of its making a decision in relation to the application, the relevant local authority shall within 14 days—

(a) if it is satisfied that in respect of any particular liability date or liability dates a charge was not payable in respect of the residential property concerned, issue a certificate of exemption to the applicant in respect of the residential property and the date or dates concerned, or

(b) if it is not so satisfied, refuse the application, give the applicant a statement in writing of the reason for the refusal and inform the applicant in writing of his or her entitlement to appeal the refusal to the District Court in accordance with this section.

(4) Where a relevant local authority refuses an application under this section, the applicant for the certificate concerned may appeal the refusal to the District Court.

(5) On the hearing of an appeal under this section, the District Court may—

(a) allow the appeal and direct the relevant local authority to issue a certificate of exemption to the appellant in such terms as the court shall specify, or

(b) affirm the refusal of the application concerned.

(6) An appeal against a refusal of a certificate of exemption shall be made to a judge of the District Court for the time being assigned to the district court district in which the residential property concerned is situated.]