/ Rates Appeals
Reduce your rateable value. Reclaim overpaid business rates. Save 1000s on future rates charges.
RICS-qualified surveyors handle the entire Check, Challenge and Appeal process on your behalf — backdated refunds from 1 April 2026, lower rates for the rest of the 2026 rating list.
/ Apply Rates Appraisal
Find out in 5 days if you're overpaying
Send us your latest rates bill. We run a free desktop review against the VOA list and comparable assessments — and only proceed to formal appeal drafting if there's a real saving on the table.
- RICS-qualified surveyors
- Fixed drafting fee
- 10% success fee only on savings
/ Start your Business Rates review
Upload your rates bill.
Send us your latest business rates bill and we'll run a free desktop review against the VOA list and comparable assessments — and contact you within 24 hours.
£18k
Average annual saving per property
62%
Of our appeals reduce rateable value
6 yrs
Of overpayments potentially recoverable
10%
Fee on savings achieved (yearly)
/ Grounds for Appeal
Six reasons your rates bill may be wrong
The 2026 revaluation reassessed every commercial property in England and Wales. The VOA bulk-valued nearly 2 million properties from desk data — errors are common, and overpayments are widespread.
Rateable value too high
Comparable properties in your locality are assessed lower per m². We benchmark against the VOA rating list and find the evidence.
Physical changes to the property
Building works, layout changes, partial demolition, change of use or new neighbouring development that materially affects value.
Material change of circumstances (MCC)
Roadworks, scaffolding, flooding, loss of footfall or anything outside your control reducing the property's rental value.
Factual errors in the assessment
Wrong floor area, incorrect zoning, missed reliefs, ignored vacancy periods, or mis-classified property use.
Empty / partial occupation relief
Unclaimed empty property relief, retail discount, small business rate relief or charitable relief on dormant space.
Transitional relief miscalculations
Errors in the transitional cap or supplement calculation following the 2026 revaluation. Often missed and worth £000s.
/ Process
Check. Challenge. Appeal. Refund.
The statutory Check Challenge Appeal (CCA) process is procedural and unforgiving — miss a deadline and the case is dead. We run the entire process end-to-end so you don't have to.
- 01
Free desktop review & qualification
Send us your latest rates bill and we run a free, no-obligation appraisal against the VOA list and comparable assessments in your locality. We research your property, locality and grounds to qualify the appeal before any formal work begins. Result in 5 working days.
- 02
Set up your Government Gateway
You set up your online Government Gateway account — this is your secure portal for managing the appeal with the Valuation Office Agency. We guide you through every step of the setup and verification process.
- 03
Composing & drafting your appeal
Our specialists compose and document your appeal as a professional PDF submission. We gather all evidence, comparable data, surveyor reports and statutory grounds into a complete, compliant appeal package ready for upload. A fee applies for this drafting work.
- 04
Upload to Government Gateway
You upload the drafted appeal to your Government Gateway account and submit it to the VOA. We stay with you throughout this phase — checking the upload, confirming receipt and handling any technical queries from the portal.
- 05
Check, Challenge & Appeal
The VOA reviews the submission through the statutory Check stage. If unresolved, we escalate to Challenge and, if needed, represent you at the Valuation Tribunal. We support you through every phase until the appeal is decided.
- 06
Refund & ongoing savings
Successful appeals generate a lump-sum refund from your local authority (backdated to 1 April 2026) and lower rates going forward. We charge a 10% fee on savings achieved, billed yearly. No savings means no ongoing charges.
/ Properties We Appeal
Every commercial property type
/ FAQ
Business rates appeals — frequently asked
How far back can I reclaim overpaid business rates?
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Successful appeals against the current 2026 rating list are backdated to 1 April 2026, generating a lump-sum refund from your local authority plus lower rates going forward. Older overpayments under the previous 2023 list may also be recoverable in limited circumstances.
How much does a business rates appeal cost?
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We charge a fixed fee for composing and drafting your appeal into a professional PDF submission ready for the Government Gateway. Once your appeal succeeds, we also charge 10% of the savings achieved each year. If we don't reduce your rates, you only pay the drafting fee — there are no further charges.
What if my Check is rejected by the VOA?
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Most of our cases settle at Check stage, but if rejected we proceed to Challenge and, if needed, Appeal at the Valuation Tribunal. Our RICS surveyors represent you all the way — there is no extra fee for escalation beyond the initial drafting cost.
Will appealing increase my rates?
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No. The Valuation Office Agency cannot increase your rateable value as a result of a Check or Challenge you submit. The worst outcome is no change.
How long does a business rates appeal take?
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Simple factual Checks settle in 3–6 months. Contested Challenges typically take 12–18 months. Refunds are paid by your local authority within 30 days of the VOA confirming a reduction.
Do I qualify for small business rate relief?
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If your rateable value is under £15,000 you may qualify for partial or full relief. We audit eligibility for SBRR, retail/hospitality discount, empty property relief, charitable relief and transitional relief as part of every appeal.
/ How It Works
We draft your appeal. You submit it.
Our end-to-end service handles the complex work of researching, qualifying and professionally documenting your appeal as a PDF — then guides you through uploading it to your Government Gateway account and seeing the process through.
What we do for you
- Research your property, locality and comparable assessments to qualify the appeal
- Compose and draft a complete, professional PDF appeal document with all evidence and statutory grounds
- Support you through every phase — Check, Challenge, Tribunal — until the appeal is resolved
What you do
- Set up your Government Gateway account (we guide you step-by-step)
- Upload the drafted appeal PDF to the Government Gateway and submit to the VOA
- Receive your refund from the local authority and enjoy reduced rates going forward
Pricing
Appeal drafting fee
Fixed cost
One-off fee for composing and documenting your appeal as a professional PDF submission.
Success fee
10% of savings
Charged yearly on the rates savings achieved. No savings means no ongoing charges.