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• Business Rates and how they are calculated.
• I think that the Rateable Value is too high.
• Small Business Rate Relief.
• I cannot afford to pay my business rates.
• What happens if the bailiff visits for unpaid business rates?
• What can the bailiff take from my business?
• How can I check if the bailiff’s fees are correct?
  

I cannot afford to pay my business rates

Under Section 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, the local authority were granted discretionary powers either to write off or reduce the amount owed for occupied or unoccupied rate charges on the ground of hardship. Each case must be considered on its own individual merits.

By visiting the Letters section of our Downloads area you will see that we have provided a letter that can be adapted to suit your own personal needs that can be sent to the Local Authority to ask if consideration could be given to writing off all, or part of your Business Rates.

In order to be considered for this, the Local Authority usually require the following:

• Copies of the last two years audited accounts.
• The most recent profit & loss account together with a trading forecast for the forthcoming period.

If your business is for instance; a shop, post office, or maybe a children’s nursery or daycare centre etc, which is in a rural area and which is vital to the local community, many local authorities will give serious consideration to either writing off, or reducing your Business Rates in cases of Hardship. You will need to provide some evidence of this when making your application.