South Gloucestershire Council

Rateable Value Appeals

All non-domestic property have a rateable value which is set by the valuation officers of the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), an agency of HM Revenue and Customs. They draw up and maintain all rateable values and compile them into a rating list, the national non-domestic rating list is available to be viewed on their website at gov.uk.

The rateable value of your property is shown on the front of your bill. This broadly represents the annual rent the property could have been let for on the open market on a particular date. For the 2017 revaluation that came into effect on 1 April 2017, this date was set as 1 April 2015. For the 2023 revaluation on 1 April 2023, this date was set as 1 April 2021.

You can appeal against the rate at which your premises have been valued. This is call the check, challenge and appeal process which is carried out by the Valuation Office Agency.

You will need to register for a business rates valuation account and link your property to begin the check process. You can find out more about this process by visiting the check and challenge step by step guide.

If you wish to discuss this process or your valuation, below are the contact details for the Valuation Office Agency

Email: ratingsouthwest@voa.gsi.gov.uk

Phone: 0300 0501 501

Valuation Office Agency

If they cannot agree, the appeal is passed to an independent valuation tribunal. For more information about the appeals process, visit the Valuation Tribunal Service website.

Note that an appeal is not grounds for non-payment of business rates. Continue to pay your business rates as per the rate demand notice you receive from us, until an alteration is made by the Valuation Office Agency. Any overpayments as a result of a back dated alteration will be refunded.

Rating advisors

Ratepayers do not have to be represented in discussions about their rateable value or their rates bill. Appeals against rateable values can be made free of charge. However, ratepayers who do wish to be represented should be aware that members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS – website www.rics.org ) and the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV – website www.irrv.net ) are qualified and are regulated by rules of professional conduct designed to protect the public from misconduct.

Before you employ a rating advisor, you should check that they have the necessary knowledge and expertise, as well as appropriate indemnity insurance. Take great care and, if necessary, seek further advice before entering into any contract.