Business Rate Relief

The following types of rate relief are available:

 

 

 

There are limits on the percentage by which a bill may increase/decrease each year. Special rules deal with changes in rateable values and the merger or division of existing properties.

If you are entitled to transitional relief or subject to transitional surcharge the calculation will be shown on your bill.

 

For further information please contact the Local Taxation Section on 01748-827100  http://www.mybusinessrates.gov.uk/

 

 

01 April 2010 - 31 March 2015

 

Eligible businessess with rateable values of below £6,000 will get 50% rate relief on their liability. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale by an estimated 1% for every £120 of rateable value over £6,000,up to £12,000.

 

The relief is available to ratepayers with either:

In addition to this relief on liability, eligible businesses with rateable values of between £12,000 and £17,999  will have their liability calculated using the small business multiplier. For 2011-12 this is £0.426p.

 

The Small Business Rate Relief scheme is funded by a supplement on the rate bill of those businesses not eligible for the relief. This supplement is built into the standard multiplier.

 

If your business ceases to be eligible on a day during the financial year, the relief will cease on that day.

 

You must notify the Council if you become a ratepayer on an additional property(s) within four weeks.

 

FURTHER ONE-YEAR INCREASE IN SMALL BUSINESS RATE RELIEF

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced at the Budget extra help for small businesses.
 
The current temporary increase in Small Business Rate Relief, which started on 1 October 2010 and was due to end on 30 September 2011, will now continue for a further year (1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012).

The measure doubles the usual rate of relief so that ratepayers with rateable values below £6,000 pay no rates at all for the period, while ratepayers with rateable values between £6,000 and not more than £12,000 receive tapered relief from 100% – 0%.

There are no other adjustments to the scheme - the eligibility criteria remain the same. The Government has confirmed that it will meet the costs of the increased levels of relief.

 

You need take no action. Once the legislation is in place, you will be sent a revised bill. In the meantime, you must continue to pay your current instalments, if you have any. Current collection and enforcement procedures will continue to apply to ratepayers who miss scheduled instalments.

 

There will be no changes to the multiplier so those businesses that do not fall within the eligibility criteria of the scheme will see no change in their bills.

 

For further information please contact the Local Taxation Section on 01748-827100  local.taxation@richmondshire.gov.uk

 

From 1st April 2011 most property with a rateable value above 2,600, that has been empty for more than three months, or in the case of industrial property, for more than six months does not receive any relief and has to pay full business rates.

Empty properties with a rateable value below 2,600 do not have to pay these empty property rates.

Are there any exemptions to this charge?

After the initial three or six month rate free period expires, empty property will be liable for 100% of the basic occupied Business Rates unless:-

It is held by a charity and appears likely to be next used for charitable purposes.
It is held by a community amateur sports club and appears to be next used for the purpose of the club.
The owner is prohibited by law from occupying the property.
The owner is prohibited by action taken by the Crown, or any other local or public authority from occupying the premises.
Listed buildings and ancient monuments
The owner is entitled to possession only in his capacity as the personal representative of a deceased person.
Properties whose owner is a company which is subject to a winding-up order, a company in administration, or in liquidation.
Properties whose owner is subject to a bankruptcy order within the meaning of section 381(2) of the Insolvency Act 1986.

Can I have my property removed from the rating list?

If your property is not capable of beneficial occupation - for instance, if it is in poor condition and cannot be economically repaired - your Valuation Officer may judge that it should be taken out of the rating list altogether.

Please be aware, however, that if the state of your property is damaged for the purposes of avoiding rates, under new anti-avoidance legislation introduced by the Government your valuation officer will be required to disregard the change in the property’s state when assessing its rateable value.

So for instance, if the roof is removed from an empty property for the purpose of avoiding rates, it may be valued as if the roof had not been removed.

Partly occupied property relief

A ratepayer is liable for the full non-domestic rate whether a property is wholly occupied or only partly occupied. Where a property is partly occupied for a short time, the local authority has discretion to award relief in respect of the unoccupied part.

 

For further information please contact the Local Taxation Section on 01748-827100 or email local.taxation@richmondshire.gov.uk

 

Charities are entitled to relief from rates on any non-domestic property that is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes. Relief is given at 80% of the bill. Local Councils have the discretion to give additional relief of up to 20% of the remaining bill.

 

Local Councils also have the discretion to give relief up to 100% for property occupied by certain non-profit making bodies.

 

For further information please contact the Local Taxation Section on 01748-827100 or email local.taxation@richmondshire.gov.uk

 

You are entitled to a 50% reduction in the rates bill if you are:

You may also be eligible for further discretionary relief on the remaining bill.

 

Relief can be considered on certain other properties in a rural settlement where the rateable value is less than £16,500.

 

For further information please contact the Local Taxation Section on 01748-827100 or email local.taxation@richmondshire.gov.uk

 

The local authority has discretion to give relief in special circumstances.

For further information please contact the Local Taxation Section on 01748-827100 or email local.taxation@richmondshire.gov.uk