CPC Ltd - Specialists in Business Rating

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Non-domestic rates, otherwise known as business rates, are the way in which businesses and other occupiers of non-domestic properties contribute towards the cost of their local authority services.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for assessing all businesses and non-domestic properties throughout England and Wales, giving each premise a designated Rateable Value. The Rateable Value is a key factor in the calculation of business rates but is not what you actually pay to your local council.

Essentially, the Rateable Value is a figure based on the annual rent for a property, if it was available to let on the open market on a set date. All current Rateable Values are based on rental figures from the valuation date of 1st April 2015. Although this is a huge factor involved in rating a business property, other factors are also taken into consideration when valuing for rating purposes. This can include advantages to the property or disabilities associated with the site/ surrounding area.

Local councils use the Rateable Value in conjunction with a factor called the multiplier. The multiplier is used to calculate the basic business rates liability for each property, before applying any necessary discounts or reliefs. Local councils are responsible for sending out the bills and collecting the rates payable.

The multiplier, also known as the Uniform Business Rate (UBR) is set annually by Communities and Local Governments in England and the Welsh Assembly Government in Wales. This determines the percentage (expressed also as pence on the pound) of the Rateable Value of your property, that you will be liable to pay in business rates.

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CPC Ltd is highly committed to providing the most professional service and in doing so, negotiating the best outcomes to financially benefit our clients.

We work with a wide variety of businesses from sole traders, to larger businesses and franchisees such as McDonald’s and Subway.

As an acting agent, we charge an interim fee to cover all work provided to our clients. CPC Ltd fees start from £795 + VAT. See our rate table below:

Rateable Value	Fee
Below £13,500	£795 + VAT
£13,501 - £40,000	£995 + VAT
£40,001+	£1,295 + VAT

The interim fee will cover the Check, Challenge and Appeal procedure and will include a full onsite rating survey of the property, negotiations with the VOA and representation at Tribunal if required.

As your acting agent, we will also provide you with a Rating Report relating to your particular property, provided directly by our dedicated survey team at CPC Ltd. This will include the full facts and details collated from the undertaking of the rating survey along with factual matters included in the Rating Hereditament, which will allow our clients to have of more of an insight into rating procedures.

FAQs

Business Rates can be confusing for ratepayers and here at CPC Ltd we try to keep things as simple as possible and have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive from our valued clients.

What are business rates? What is a Material Change in Circumstance (MCC) appeal? Why do my rates increase every April? Do I continue with my payments while contesting my rates? Why should I contest my Business Rates? What do I do if I receive a Request for Information?

Business rates or non-domestic rates, is a tax on the occupation of a non-domestic property. Properties are assessed depending on several factors including the size, age, usage, construction, annual rent from the valuation date, similar properties within the area and disabilities/advantages associates to that particular site.

Each individual ratepayer/occupier of a valued property has the right to contest the Rateable Value via the new procedures known as the “Check, Challenge and Appeal” procedure. It is highly important you are confident that the company you instruct has the knowledge and expertise to act as your agent to gain the best result for you.

An MCC appeal can be lodged for a number of different reasons. MCC’s can be lodged for factors such as; road works, increase in competition within the area, changes to existing access or layout arrangements or any other material changes you feel are affecting you as a business or your trade. It is imperative that an MCC appeal is lodged without delay as the start date of the event is crucial to the appeal.

At the start of each financial year (1st April), the multiplier charged on your rateable value is reviewed. This change is to reflect the overall rate of inflation and does not always result in an increase. Depending on the current climate, the revised multiplier may increase, decrease, or remain the same. This happens to each and every business liable to pay rates, throughout the whole of England and Wales.

We advise every business to continue paying their business rates at all times. Whether an appeal is pending or not, this must remain to be paid as requested by your local council. As a ratepayer, if you believe you are unable to make a payment, we would advise you to contact your local council who may be able to assist you in this matter. Although an appeal may be pending, it is important to continue to make the payments as any reduction or overpayments, will be backdated to 1st April 2015 or the date for occupation if later.

The majority of Rateable Values set by the VOA are estimated. This is purely and simply due to the lack of resources and manpower at the VOA on a whole. They therefore estimate a number of property assessments based on similar properties in the area – this is not always correct as we have found with the majority of properties within the current rating list. Furthermore, Business Rates should be contested by Ratepayers for their own piece of mind.

The majority of rated properties will receive a Request for Information during their occupation of a business premises. This form is a questionnaire, issued directly by the Ratings Office and must be completed and returned to them within 56 days of issue. Failure to return this form may result in a fine of £100, which the ratepayer is liable to pay. These forms are to be completed by the ratepayer and returned to the VOA before the deadline.

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