Business Rates

[markjay]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...-shopping-in-fight-with-online-retailers.html

What does this mean for businesses who are not High Street retailers? E.g. garages, workshops, and offices?

Or is the whole idea simply to find a new way to tax online retailers?

 

[Charles Morgan]

No idea.

What I do know is that when my friend Simeon at his Bicester premises moved his second workshop from a large barn on the same side of the road into a much smaller building on the other side of the road, he lost his small business exemption as the buildings were non-contiguous so his rates shot up. When he appealed the rates assessor decided the premises were actually under-rated so shoved his rates up even more, and to the joy of all the other businesses on the same complex, did the same to them too. You really do have no friends if you are a small business without the means to fight back.

 

[moonloops]

Government sources stressed that any reforms following the review will not affect overall tax revenues.

So yes I suspect discount on hight streets and loading everywhere elese..

 

[davidjpowell]

No idea.

What I do know is that when my friend Simeon at his Bicester premises moved his second workshop from a large barn on the same side of the road into a much smaller building on the other side of the road, he lost his small business exemption as the buildings were non-contiguous so his rates shot up. When he appealed the rates assessor decided the premises were actually under-rated so shoved his rates up even more, and to the joy of all the other businesses on the same complex, did the same to them too. You really do have no friends if you are a small business without the means to fight back.

Too many people don't take expert advice and rely on the VO being a nice guy. They sometimes are to your face, but behind your back it's the same stacked system....

Building that are non-contiguous can be merged but it depends on type of use and degree of linkage. A toilet on one site only, and staff who move between the two, fetching different tools etc would probably succeed as opposed to staff who are allocated to each site. The VO is going to need someone who know's what they are talking about to be motivated to do this though.... Used to by my specialist area.

If any one is reading this do research surveyors carefully. Anyone from Lancashire or Manchester, be even more careful. There are firms who operate on the fringe of cowboyism in the market.

I'll be surprised if the review does not lead to a few more allowances for retail high street and not much more. The system is so complicated nowadays that it's got to be a tweak or a full rebuild.