Simon Tivey Rating is a specialist rating and business rates consultancy providing strategic advice and actions to reduce and plan for business rate charges through reliefs, exemptions, RV appeals and completion notice appeals.

Business rates are now the greatest tax borne by retailers and represent approaching a quarter of taxes borne by ratepayers generally
Source: PwC Total Tax Contribution Survey 2015.

Dealing with local authorities and the Valuation Officer requires an in-depth understanding of rating law, the rules of rateable occupation, rating valuations, legal precedent and more so nowadays the ability to navigate through bureaucratic procedures governing appeals and tribunal hearings. A rating professional with the right experience and skills will be able to provide all the answers and minimise rate charges for you.

Rating is a complex issue and professional advice from a member of the IRRV or a specialist Chartered Surveyor is recommended. The rating system is going through a period of change with full fiscal autonomy being granted to local authorities over the next few years. In addition a new system of appeal will apply from the 2017 revaluation, called “Check, Challenge, Appeal” which will make the rating system even more complex.

Our clients include occupiers of all types of business property. In addition we have a specialist focus on empty rates working with property investors, developers, pension funds as well as trading companies with surplus empty property.

Rate reliefs can play a big part in reducing your rates, particularly when your business is going through a period of change, be it expansion, relocation, investment in new machinery or contraction. Simon Tivey Rating can identify valuable opportunities and negotiate discretionary rate relief for you.

Please read about our rating experience and successful cases on About Us and more about Business Rates.