Expert at property consultancy CBRE says Chancellor should go further and simplify the current appeals mechanism allowing businesses to rectify errors with current rates bills

A bringing forward of the business rates revaluation a year to 2020/21 is good news for businesses across Merseyside, experts say.

In his Spring Statement, UK Chancellor Philip Hammond brought forward the process by which it is decided how much business pay in businesses rates to avoid a clash with the 2022 General Election.

The news was welcomed by Tim Attridge of commercial property consultancy CBRE, who said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s announcement to bring forward the next business rates revaluation and commence more frequent revaluations.

“One reason to bring the revaluation forward is  to avoid a clash with the 2022 election and perhaps gives an indication of the Government’s intent to run a full term.

“We would like to see the Chancellor go further and simplify the current appeals mechanism allowing businesses to rectify errors with current rates bills.

“This need is further exacerbated due to the cuts in staff at the VOA who will now have the added task of preparing for a revaluation, alongside rectifying values on the previous 2010 rating list and the current 2017 list.

“Where Rateable Values, the basis for the business rates tax, have fallen businesses are yet to benefit due to the transitional relief mechanism. We would urge the Chancellor to remove ‘downwards phasing’ at the next revaluation.”