Only a week or so ago, I was talking to a client whilst surveying the retail premises he was taking on the lease of (maybe there are ‘green-shoots’ out there?) and the discussion came round to Business rates….please keep reading!
There had, apparantly, been a spate of what can perhaps be kindly described as unscrupulous individuals posing as experts on Business rates promising reductions and pursuading people to sign contracts which, on closer examination proved to very onerous.
Please be aware. If you are approached by anyone without invitation, check them out first. Are they RICS regulated and qualified? Check they are who they say they are and don’t be rushed in to signing anything. Read through any contract carefully and at you leisure. If you are not 100% satisfied that what you are signing is reasonable and, in particular, that it clearly sets out what you pay if the appeal against the rates assessment is successful, DON’T sign it.
You can go on line and check your new business rate and how the calculation has been arrived at. The figures are based on values in 2008 and may now (given recent events) seem high. This is not a grounds for appeal per se.
Please remember the old adage ‘if it looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is’ .