If you make certain improvements to your property, you may get relief from higher business rates bills.
An improvement relief:
- helps businesses that have improved their property
- stops your bill from going up because of the improvements
- lasts for 12 months after the work is finished
You do not need to apply for this help or do anything differently. If you meet the rules, we will add the discount to your bill.
To qualify, you must have approved improvement works and meet the occupation rule.
You can find out more about which improvements are eligible on the GOV.UK website.
How does improvement relief work?
- you will receive a certificate from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) if you have qualifying works; the VOA will give the same information to the council
- the council will apply the relief and send you a revised bill if they are satisfied that you meet the occupation requirements - this means that you have occupied the property during and after the improvement works
I have received a certificate from the VOA – what does this mean?
- if you have received a certificate of qualifying works from the VOA, this means that you may be eligible for improvement relief
- improvement relief provides relief from higher business rates bills, where the increase in your bill was due to making certain improvements to your property
- the VOA will send this information to the council
- the council will apply the relief to your business rates bill if you also meet the occupation condition
I think my certificate for improvement relief is wrong. Who should I contact?
- the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) values qualifying works and issues certificates to ratepayers
- there is no right of appeal against the certified values, however, you should let the VOA know if you think there is something wrong with your certificate
- you can contact the VOA using the email address on your letter