Question 1

Do you work on a “no savings – no fee” basis?

Accepted Answer

It is a substantial cost to us to provide a Chartered Surveyor to visit you, discuss your trade, review your detailed profit & loss accounts, consider material changes in the locality and inspect your property — and that part we do for free. Should it then be appropriate to engage us, we both sign terms of engagement, we carry out the initial stages of registration, claim your property and submit a “Check”. At that point we charge £395. If we are concerned that you might be under-assessed, we will tell you at the beginning — there is no point taking unnecessary risks.

Question 2

When do I pay your fees?

Accepted Answer

The initial £395 fee is payable once the first “Check” has been served under the Check, Challenge, Appeal procedures — by which time a great deal of work will have been completed on your behalf. The performance-related (percentage) fees are payable only after the Local Authority issues your revised rate demand(s) or a refund.

Question 3

Are there any extras?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes you will receive a “Notice Requesting Information: Non-Domestic Rating” from the VOA seeking details of your occupation, lease or turnover. These are time consuming to complete and, if you ask us to complete them for you, we charge £135 per form.

Question 4

Why are there different fees for appearing at a Tribunal?

Accepted Answer

This is out of our hands. Following recent decisions of the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber), an expert witness cannot give expert evidence if rewarded on a scale related to the outcome — doing so prejudices the evidence and damages your case. Very few cases are heard by the Valuation Tribunal; if yours is likely to be one of them you will have ample time to decide whether to proceed or accept the result from the Check and Challenge stages.

Question 5

Can my business rates go up as well as down?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Business rates can increase if the VOA discovers an error in their survey or changes their mind on their own valuation. There are no guarantees that your Rateable Value will be reduced — be very wary of any adviser who does not clearly illustrate this risk to you. We always set out the risks honestly before you commit.

Question 6

What is the Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) process?

Accepted Answer

Introduced on 1 April 2017, CCA is the three-stage process for disputing your Rateable Value in England. First you “Check” the facts the VOA holds about your property; then you “Challenge” the valuation with supporting evidence; and finally, if necessary, you “Appeal” to the Valuation Tribunal. You must be registered on the VOA portal before you can begin, and the burden of proof sits with the appellant.

Question 7

What is a Rateable Value and how are business rates calculated?

Accepted Answer

Your Rateable Value (RV) is the value the Valuation Office Agency places on your non-domestic property, broadly its open-market annual rental value at a set date. Your business rates bill is calculated by multiplying the RV by the relevant multiplier set by central government, before any reliefs are applied. Reducing an inaccurate RV is the most direct way to reduce your liability.

Question 8

What is the “Duty to Notify” under the Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023?

Accepted Answer

Section 13 of the Act creates a statutory obligation to inform the VOA and HMRC of changes affecting your property. Within 60 days of a physical change you must report it, linking your Unique Taxpayer Reference, VAT number and National Insurance number, with an annual confirmation also required. The duty takes full effect once the Government’s digital infrastructure is live, and penalties apply for non-compliance — we manage this for you.

Question 9

Can I claim a refund for business rates I have overpaid in the past?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. Through a Rates Account Audit we investigate orphaned NNDR accounts, overpayments arising from inaccurate Transitional Relief, incorrect empty-rates void periods, backdated liability cancellations and reliefs you may have missed. Where the rules allow, we pursue backdated claims to recover money owed to you.

Question 10

Is empty rates mitigation legal?

Accepted Answer

Our schemes are. We use tried and tested, traditional forms of occupation and fully document the process with the Billing Authority. We deliberately avoid the riskier marketplace schemes — charity placements, Bluetooth repeaters or “snail farms” — because in our view they could create future liabilities if a court decision goes the other way and the Billing Authority backdates the charges.

Question 11

What happens if I have a dispute about your services?

Accepted Answer

We practise as Chartered Surveyors and are regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. We operate a formal complaints handling procedure under the RICS Dispute Resolution service. Representing you in respect of business rates is an RICS-regulated activity, giving you the protection and accountability that comes with using a Chartered Surveyor.

Question 12

Which areas do you cover?

Accepted Answer

We represent ratepayers across London and the South West & South East of England, typically within around two hours’ drive of Winchester. This includes Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, Bournemouth, Poole, Salisbury, Chichester, Brighton, Reading, Basingstoke, the Isle of Wight and many surrounding towns and cities.

Business rates, answered

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