Partner Article

North East Offices Rise Up With Reduced Business Rates

Nearly 2,000 regional businesses, including over 456 offices, make significant savings.

Business rates reduction specialist, RVA Surveyors, has announced thousands of commercial businesses across the North East and Yorkshire have made substantial savings, as part of its no reduction, no fee service.

North East offices made up 35% of those able to reduce their business rates liability by engaging RVA Surveyors. Businesses from the high street equated to almost 25%, meanwhile 22% who were able to make savings came from the manufacturing industry.

Food, drink, leisure and hospitality businesses amounted to 15% of North East businesses that RVA has been able to support by guiding them through the government’s Check Challenge Appeal process.

With the government’s pandemic support for businesses ending, thousands of businesses are facing rising operational costs in the coming months. From 1 April 2022, companies currently in receipt of business rates relief, as part of recovery support for business impacted by Covid-19, will revert back to their pre-pandemic rate. This totals more than £26 billion each year.

Steve Hughes, CEO of RVA Surveyors, commented: “As businesses regain momentum after the past few years, it’s great to see so many rebuilding and even thriving with innovative and new ways of working. We’ve seen this trickle down to rethinking their outgoings and even questioning business rates, with many making significant savings with our expertise and guidance.

“It is a common and recurring issue that businesses assume they are paying the correct business rates for their commercial premises. Many will presume they will be notified by the relevant government department if they are paying too much. Unfortunately, it is this level of apathy that makes business rates an archaic and deeply flawed system. Plus, querying your tax liability is a daunting and time consuming process. That’s where we can help, as is evidenced by our latest data from the North East.

“I’m so pleased that we have been able to support nearly 2,000 North East-based companies, including Hedley McEwan, to reduce their business rates liability. A business rate reduction can be an invaluable cash boost that businesses need now more than ever. We have seen first hand the impact this can have here in the North East.”

Duncan McEwan, CEO at Hedley McEwan commented: “Interestingly enough, when RVA first engaged with us regarding our business rates, it had not been long since we’d been through the process with another surveyor (who had managed to achieve some savings). I didn’t think we’d be able to achieve any further reductions, but they were welcome to try. So when even further reductions were made thanks to RVA, I was over the moon.

“We did have a fair bit of money land into our account, which left us with a strange feeling, questioning: ‘why was I overpaying?’ Was it just the local authorities waving their finger in their air to grab a number? As a businessman, you trust that the authorities have this covered on your behalf. Six months ago we were hanging on by our fingertips, right now every penny counts, so these backdated and forward savings will be a welcomed cash boost for the business.”

Established in 2008, Manchester-based RVA Surveyors employs over 100 people and works with a variety of businesses across the UK to help reduce their property’s business rates liability.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Avva Experience .