Business Rates
Non-domestic rates (Business Rates) are charged on all non-domestic properties according to the rateable value of the property. Although the Council collects this, the money goes to the government which re-distributes it in proportion to the adult population of an area.
Business rates are how users of non-domestic property contribute towards the cost of providing council services in the area, but rates are not a direct payment for services received.
Further information is available on pages 35-38 of the Council Tax leaflet 2011/12 which you can access from the Related Information box as an e-leaflet or from the Linked Documents box on the right of this page in a different format.
Who has to pay the rates?
Rates are normally paid by the occupier of non-domestic property – usually this is the owner-occupier or leaseholder. If the property is empty, the owner or leaseholder will be liable.
To notify us of a change of address you can use the online forms in the Related Information section; Business Rate Occupation form and Business Rate Vacation Form. Alternatively you can download a Change of Address form from the Linked Documents box.
How much will you have to pay?
Every non-domestic property has a rateable value unless it is exempt from rating, for example, places of religious worship and agricultural buildings.
The Council calculates your rate bill by multiplying your rateable value by the multiplier set each year by the government.
For 2011/12, the multiplier is set at 43.3p so if your rateable value is £20,000, the Council would multiply this by 43.3p and the bill for the year would be £8660.00. This amount could be reduced by any transitional or other relief's you may be entitled to.
If you are entitled to Small Business Rate Relief then the multiplier applicable for 2011/12 is 42.6p.
See the Rate Reductions and Reliefs page for further information.
The non-domestic rating multiplier
The multiplier changes in line with inflation. This is so the amount collected in rates stays the same each year and the government can finance the same level of service from local councils. The multiplier for this financial year is 43.3p.
Direct Debit Payments
Payment by Direct Debit is the most convenient and cost effective method for paying your Business Rate bill and approximately 70% of our customers choose to pay by this method.
Ring us on 01480 388030 with your bank details ready or download the Direct Debit form in our linked documents and return it to us today.
Your reference number must be quoted when returning the form to this office. This is shown in the black box on the top right hand corner of your bill and is a seven digit number starting with a 2 or 3.
We also have an online payments service that can be accessed from the Online Payments option in the Related Information box on the right of this page.
If you require any assistance in obtaining your reference number please call us on 01480 388030.
Further details of all methods of payments available can be found using the payments link in our related information.
Rateable values
Apart from properties that are exempt from Business Rates, each non-domestic property has a rateable value which is normally set by valuation officers of the Valuation Office Agency (V.O.A), an agency of HM Revenues & Customs (H.M.R.C). The rateable value of your property is shown on the front of your bill. This broadly represents the yearly rent this property could have been let for on the open market on a particular date. For the revaluation that came into effect on the 1st April 2010, this date was set as 1st April 2008.
An information leaflet which was included with the 2011/12 bill is also available to download from our Linked Documents box.
Valuation and Appeals
The values of all rated properties are shown in the local rating list. You can inspect the list by using the link in the external links section of this page.
The Valuation Office that covers the area of Huntingdonshire is:
The St Albans Group, St Peters House, 45 Victoria Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3WZ Telephone: (01727) 774700.
The Valuation Officer may change the value of a property if he thinks the circumstances of the property have changed. The ratepayer and others who have an interest in the property may also propose a change in the value.
If the ratepayer and the valuation officer do not agree, the matter will be referred to an independent valuation tribunal.
Details on how to appeal against your rateable value are available from the local valuation office at the above address, or at the website, where you can now complete an appeal form directly on-line.
Business Link
The Valuation Office and the Department of Communities & Local Government have developed a website called Business Link and the link can be found in the external links box on the right-hand side of this page.
The site is designed to bring together all the information on business rates, that ratepayers might want, in one place. It is also designed to be in an easily accessible format and in jargon-free, everyday language.