Business Rates
Discussion
I've got a couple of questions:
We have had our new rates bill and it contains some errors. The previous occupants had a mezzanine level and a couple of external storage lockers all of which no longer exist - these were listed on the rates evaluation with a £ value so I can see a chance for my rates bill to drop. However.....
The rates evaluation also lists car parking - 18 spaces. We are an accident repair centre - so whilst there may be 18 car parking spaces we rack and stack them so I have more like 30 cars in the yard. Would this increase my rateable value? This is not customer parking - but storage required in association with my business (if you get my drift)
My second question is that we have an upper floor in the office area - current rated as office space - we do not use it for office space - it is used for the storage of parts. Storage is rated at a lower value than office space. The space looks like office space (ie it has carpet, plastered walls, heating and phone sockets) it just doesn't have any desks and chairs in it.
So is it worth a rate re-valuation or are we going to hammered if/when they inspect the propery?
We have had our new rates bill and it contains some errors. The previous occupants had a mezzanine level and a couple of external storage lockers all of which no longer exist - these were listed on the rates evaluation with a £ value so I can see a chance for my rates bill to drop. However.....
The rates evaluation also lists car parking - 18 spaces. We are an accident repair centre - so whilst there may be 18 car parking spaces we rack and stack them so I have more like 30 cars in the yard. Would this increase my rateable value? This is not customer parking - but storage required in association with my business (if you get my drift)
My second question is that we have an upper floor in the office area - current rated as office space - we do not use it for office space - it is used for the storage of parts. Storage is rated at a lower value than office space. The space looks like office space (ie it has carpet, plastered walls, heating and phone sockets) it just doesn't have any desks and chairs in it.
So is it worth a rate re-valuation or are we going to hammered if/when they inspect the propery?
apguy said:
I've got a couple of questions:
We have had our new rates bill and it contains some errors. The previous occupants had a mezzanine level and a couple of external storage lockers all of which no longer exist - these were listed on the rates evaluation with a £ value so I can see a chance for my rates bill to drop. However.....
The rates evaluation also lists car parking - 18 spaces. We are an accident repair centre - so whilst there may be 18 car parking spaces we rack and stack them so I have more like 30 cars in the yard. Would this increase my rateable value? This is not customer parking - but storage required in association with my business (if you get my drift)
My second question is that we have an upper floor in the office area - current rated as office space - we do not use it for office space - it is used for the storage of parts. Storage is rated at a lower value than office space. The space looks like office space (ie it has carpet, plastered walls, heating and phone sockets) it just doesn't have any desks and chairs in it.
So is it worth a rate re-valuation or are we going to hammered if/when they inspect the propery?
First thing is if your 2005 assessment is wrong as the floor areas are wrong your 2000 assessment will also be! An appeal against the 2000 List assessment has to be served before the end of the financial year (ie 31 March 2005). If you are subject to transitional adjustment a saving in the current year will save money next year too.
As regards the parking issue look at the valuations for other properties near you (if there are any) to check how yards have been vlued. Different VO offices value them in different ways. Some assume that an industrial/workshop building should have a yard and any yard upto the size of the building is not valued, any over that is. Some value all the yard.
Parking spaces usually have to be spaces where you can get in a car and drive away. Not have to move 5 other cars first.
Where is your property? Email me the address and postcode and I'll look at the valuation for you.
vex said:
Hi chrisgr31
What is the releif for small businesses if it take a unit that is rated under that magic £10,000?
Will need to look at for a unit later this year and it is a bit of a shock at thier value and then the rates on top.
The relief is on a sliding scale, and I'll look it up over the next couple of days. The rateable value is suppossed to reflect the rental value as at 1st April 2003. With an RV of over £15,000 outside London you'll be paying £0.422, less than £15,000 its £0.415.
The sliding scale of relief applies on properties with an RV of upto £10,000 and assuming it is your ony business property with a couple of limited wxceptions. More info on the relief soon.
chrisgr31,
Thanks for the reply, clearly my chance of getting a rebate on the previous years bill is slim (with 6 days left till 31 March and 2 bank holidays in the way!) But a reduction on this years would be nice!
My postcode is IP33 3TE
Edited to add full address (doh)
3 Cavendish Rd
Bury St Edmunds
Regards
>> Edited by apguy on Thursday 24th March 15:16
Thanks for the reply, clearly my chance of getting a rebate on the previous years bill is slim (with 6 days left till 31 March and 2 bank holidays in the way!) But a reduction on this years would be nice!
My postcode is IP33 3TE
Edited to add full address (doh)
3 Cavendish Rd
Bury St Edmunds
Regards
>> Edited by apguy on Thursday 24th March 15:16
APGuy there have been a copule of appeals against the assessments in your road, which have lead to a very small reduction in the assessment (in the order of 2%). As you say there is a mezzanine floor and storage containers included in the assessment. Removing both of these will reduce the total valuation by £800, but as it is rounded down by £111 it is possible the assessment would only change by £750. For the 2005 List you pay at the rate of £0.456 so the savings will be around £342. So not a great deal of money but at the same time who wants to pay too much tax?
The other question to ask is where were the storage containers? Were they on marked car parking spaces? In which case their removal will lead to an additional number of parking spaces coming in to the assessment at £100 each. As regards the Yard Unit 2B/C has 450 sq m of yard valued at £5.50 sq m, and Unit 2A has 245 sq m of yard valued at £5.50 sq m. Do those units have unusally large yards? If they do then probably worth appealing. If they don;t then exerecise caution!
The other question to ask is where were the storage containers? Were they on marked car parking spaces? In which case their removal will lead to an additional number of parking spaces coming in to the assessment at £100 each. As regards the Yard Unit 2B/C has 450 sq m of yard valued at £5.50 sq m, and Unit 2A has 245 sq m of yard valued at £5.50 sq m. Do those units have unusally large yards? If they do then probably worth appealing. If they don;t then exerecise caution!
Just got my new bill through,gone up as expected.The thing is i am being charged for outside storage space,but,based on 450 sq metres.The actual space is only 250 sq metres!! Obviously i have appealed and am waiting my 'turn'as it were.Now call me stupid (not all at once though please!) but i appear to have paid at this wrong calculation for the previous 3 years since i took over the property.The question i ask is am i entitled to a refund for the previous years?After all it is their mistake/negligence to have cocked it up in the first place allbeit at my expense.
Anybody know?
Anybody know?
bigee said:
Just got my new bill through,gone up as expected.The thing is i am being charged for outside storage space,but,based on 450 sq metres.The actual space is only 250 sq metres!! Obviously i have appealed and am waiting my 'turn'as it were.Now call me stupid (not all at once though please!) but i appear to have paid at this wrong calculation for the previous 3 years since i took over the property.The question i ask is am i entitled to a refund for the previous years?After all it is their mistake/negligence to have cocked it up in the first place allbeit at my expense.
Anybody know?
Have you appealed against the 2000 Rateable Value or just phoned to complain about the 2005 entry. Its the valuation for the latter that you will have received in the post. There is still the chance to appeal against your 2000 Rateable Value but it has to be done by the end of tomorrow! Appeals can be lodged online at www.voa.gov.uk. Go to the site select business rates, 2000 Rating List, enter your post code to get your local authority then again nto find your property. Click appeal copy your reference number in to the form and complete the rest of it. By the way not all fields need completing! When you get to the final page where you have given contact details etc print the form out before hitting send. Once printed you can hit send but fax the printed copy as well as the reliability of the internet submission is not great!
Any questions shout soon!
golfman said:
golfman said:
Our rates go up by 50% on 1st April.
Think I’ll sell up and get a caravan and join the pikeys on my estate who payall!
Can anyone offer help on this subject? Cheers.
Rates or Council tax? If Business Rates I might be able to help
Rates...
The amount of rates you actually pay shouldn't go up by 50% even if the rateable value has. The Government has capped the maximum increase in rates payable to a 15.9% increase on the amount demanded for 2004/5 plus 7p in the pound if your property is classed as a large one.
If you want to email me the address or post it here I'll have a look and see if there is anything obvious wrong.
Thanks for the info Chris,but yes i have already lodged an appeal against the 2000 rating.Its just i have been told that they might not refund me anything for this previous period and that it is basically up tp the case officer concerned!Is that right? Surely their mistake should not be at my expense?
bigee said:
Thanks for the info Chris,but yes i have already lodged an appeal against the 2000 rating.Its just i have been told that they might not refund me anything for this previous period and that it is basically up tp the case officer concerned!Is that right? Surely their mistake should not be at my expense?
Any appeal on the against an entry in the 2000 Rating List can only go back to 1st April of the financial year in which the appeal is made
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