Are business rates still payable on large empty premises?

[Kevin Flowers]

Karl
this might help

A business property is empty for rating purposes when all removable goods and chattels have been removed. Fixtures and fittings for example shop counters or built in display units do not need to be removed.

Empty Properties Rate Liability
The Government reformed empty property relief in 2008 in order to provide a strong incentive to bring empty property back into use. This will help to increase the supply of premises to let, and so reduce business rents and improve the competitiveness of the UK, as well as bringing forward brown field sites for re-development and so reduce the need for new development on environmentally valuable green field land.

So what does this mean for my rates liability?
Once a property becomes empty, the first three months are exempt from rating (six months in the case of an empty industrial property). Thereafter, the full 100% rates are payable.

There are certain types of empty property where no rates are payable even after the three month period expires – examples include properties with a rateable value under £18,000 in 2010/2011 or under £15,000 in 2009/2010 (from 1 April 2011 this limit will revert to its normal level of £2,600, formerly £2,200), listed buildings, ancient monuments, those formerly occupied by companies in administration or a bankrupt person, properties owned by charities or community amateur sports clubs, those where occupation is prohibited by law and those where the owner is the personal representative of a deceased person.

Kev

[Denise Goodfellow]

This might depend upon your council, but we get 50% discount for small businesses.

And then a further 50% discount from the government, which we didn`t know about until recently. we got it back dated and received a refund….

This was on an occupied building too.

[Karl Williams]

Thanks guys. Kev, I wasn’t expecting such an in depth reply mate. Thanks for taking the time for that. 😉

[Kevin Flowers]

Karl
just a cut & paste from local council website hope it helped

Kev