Government Business Rates Enquiry
The Government would appear to be making some sort of enquiry into Small Business Rates.
It has always been an issue that has been used as a cash cow by successive Governments, without considering the hardship created to small businesses.
Inland Revenue Valuation Department are the people responsible for dictating and calculating this cash cow.
I have had a number of meetings with Valuation Officers, most assumed that if your business looked as if it was doing well that your business rates were too cheap.
The Valuation Department, unless you come face to face with them, in many cases will not reduce your rates.
Their assumption is, if you run a successful licensed business, that your rates should go up, the fact that your business growth has been taken from other businesses, they assume that available business is infinite, in fact it is finite, will they reduce the rates on the businesses that have lost the business, not on your life.
Sadly Pub Co Tied Leases have the same approach in many cases, the rent increase can be used as a yard stick for increasing the business rates.
The Valuation Office, in many cases in meetings use comparables for ease of convenience, a very flawed system in my opinion.
Please have a look at the following links, it will help you understand how questionable the Valuation System on Rates and Rent can be, Link, Link