Sanderson Weatherall offers a comprehensive business rates advisory service, from appealing rateable values and mitigating empty rates to checking bills and auditing payments made, our team of professionals are here to help.
We have been providing property taxation advice for nearly 100 years and our expertise means that we have the knowledge and skills to deliver the best results.
We offer businesses a bespoke service tailored to their specific needs, whether this is in respect of a single property or a national portfolio, placing appeals, managing accounts, providing reports and recommendations or appearing as an expert at Tribunal.
Rates Appeals – Valuing and contesting business rates assessments throughout England, Wales and Scotland, we can ensure rateable values are kept to a minimum. Factual errors, incorrect analysis of evidence, revisions to statute and case law or physical changes in a locality, can lead to inaccuracies in business rates valuations and our surveyors can assist in getting these corrected.
Empty Rates Mitigation – Rates payable on empty commercial buildings are an unwelcome burden for property owners, investors and tenants moving in or out of a property. Through knowledge of the law surrounding this we can provide solutions to significantly reduce this cost.
Rates Management – Receiving all bills, checking liability dates and reliefs are correct, ensuring payments are made on time and dealing with all communication with Billing Authorities frees up time for our clients and gives them the peace of mind that their rates are correct. This service also assists clients in providing payment schedules, budgets and forecasts.
Historic Rates Audit – Through a review of historic rates payments made and reconciliation of this against information from the Billing Authority, along with ownership/occupation records, we are able to identify any retrospective billing errors and seek the recovery of any amounts incorrectly paid or demanded.
We advise a wide variety of private and public sector clients and have a number of specialist classes of property we advise on, including; Offices, Industrial & Logistics, Retail, Leisure, Theatres, Education, Automotive & Roadside, Minerals & Waste, Holiday Parks, Power Generation, Stadia.
With 9 offices in the UK, we operate nationally and our team are comprised of Members and Fellows of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and Institute of Revenues Rating & Valuation. Heading up each region are Matthew Midwinter (London & South), Rob Cohen (Yorkshire & Midlands), Richard Farr (North East) and Simon Heather (North West), with Graham Isle leading our Rates Management and Audit team
Business rates are perhaps the most feared and generally the most misunderstood of all taxes on UK property. Our rating surveyors are professionally qualified to fully investigate all possible rates scenarios.
We negotiate with both the Valuation Office Agency and local billing authorities to mitigate the impact caused by this significant property outgoing. We also check, authorise and can arrange payments of clients’ rates bills and carry out a full Rates Audit of past liabilities, recovering principal overpayments, interest and tax certificates.
We advise a variety of clients ranging from major PLCs with national property portfolios to local authorities, landlords and small individual businesses.
Business rating advice is highly cost effective and more often than not, our professional fees on appeals are fully met from the cash savings achieved. No upfront charges are ever made before advice is given. We can also provide non-contingency fee consultancy advice at fixed rates where the client so requires.
