Appealing business rates
The rates that you will be paying from 1st April, 2017 are dependent on the 2015 'rateable value' of your premises which can be checked on the Valuation Office Agency website. The deadline to appeal your rateable value is 31st March, 2017. Businesses challenging their rates can appeal directly to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) if they have sufficient grounds to do so.
By checking a number of factors highlighted in our step-by-step guide, find out whether you are eligible to challenge the VOA's rateable value and reduce your business rates costs.
Appealing your rateable value
Whether you are successful in appealing your business rates depends on a number of factors. These may include challenging:
- An incorrect valuation - does it match 2008’s rent (for 2010 List Appeal)
- The areas that you have been valued on - are these correct?
- Property - has it been incorrectly split into more than one listing, or combined with others into a single listing?
- A change to the property or area that should be shown in the rateable value
- The reference scheme number - does is match the age/location of your premises?
- A ‘material change’ to your property
Material changes may include:
- New developments in the area
- New roads, closures or changes to access routes
- Change of use
- Competitors
Remember: You can only appeal against each of the grounds once.
What if I can't agree with the Office of Valuation?
Your case is sent to the Valuation Tribunal if you can’t agree with the Valuation Office Agency.
How we can help
- If you are yet to challenge your current rating assessment, contact our business rates experts.
- As one of the leading specialist teams in this sector, we offer a full rates management service which will ensure that this costly overhead is mitigated at every stage.
Our services
- Account management
- Valuations, challenges and appeals
- Compliance and auditing
- Vacant property business rates
Knight Frank's business rates experts are members of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV).