Section 20 — Property (Relationships) Act 1976: Interpretation

20 Interpretation (1) In sections 20A to 20E , unless the context otherwise requires,— personal debt means— (a) a debt that is not a relationship debt: (b) a debt to the extent that it is not a relationship debt relationship debt means a debt that has been incurred, or to the extent that it has been incurred,— (a) by the spouses or partners jointly; or (b) in the course of a common enterprise carried on by the spouses or partners, whether alone or together with another person; or (c) for the purpose of acquiring, improving, or maintaining relationship property; or (d) for the benefit of both spouses or partners in the course of managing the affairs of the household; or (e) for the purpose of bringing up any child of the marriage, civil union, or de facto relationship. relationship debt: this definition was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 3(1) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19) by substituting the word “ partners ” for the words “ de facto partners ” wherever they appear. relationship debt: paragraph (e) of this definition was substituted, as from 26 April 2005, by section 3(4) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19). (2) To avoid any doubt, for a debt to fall within paragraph (c) of the definition of relationship debt in subsection (1), it is not necessary that, at the time at which the debt was incurred, the property for which it was incurred was relationship property, as long as the property later becomes relationship property. Subsection (2) was amended, as from 1 January 1990, by regulation 2 Matrimonial Property (Specified Sum) Order 1989 (SR 1989/366) by substituting the sum of “ $58,000 ” for the sum “ $10,000 ” . Subsection (2) was amended, as from 8 June 1992, by regulation 2 Matrimonial Property (Specified Sum) Order 1992 (SR 1992/97) by substituting the sum of “ $61,000 ” for the sum “ $58,000 ” . Subsection (2) was amended, as from 1 August 1996, by regulation 2 Matrimonial Property (Specified Sum) Order 1996 (SR 1996/176) by substituting the sum of “ $82,000 ” for the sum “ $61,000 ” . Subsection (3) was substituted, as from 1 January 1984, by section 6(2) Matrimonial Property Amendment Act (No 2) 1983 (1983 No 145). Subsection (7)(c) was amended, as from 1 January 1984, by section 6(3) Matrimonial Property Amendment Act (No 2) 1983 (1983 No 145) by substituting the words “ acquiring or improving or repairing ” for the word “ improving ” where it first appears. Section 20 was substituted, as from 1 February 2002, by section 20 Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2001 (2001 No 5). See Part 9 of this Act as to the transitional and saving provisions.