- Original Poster
- #1
I have leased an industrial unit for my business from the local authority for 9 years - we’ve always been eligible for SBRR.
In 2021 we took on the additional lease of next door, as we were a growing business.
We continued to receive SBRR on both units and were billed by the LA £0 each year.
A couple of months ago, I was contacted by the LA and made aware that when 2 or more leases for the same business are undertaken, rates relief ends. I hadn’t spotted this when we took on the second unit, however, it also appears that the LA hadn’t spotted it either.
They have chosen to bill me for those lost years, backdating one unit to 2021, and one unit to 2023. This is now a considerable sum to be paid back, which they’re requesting to be paid by the end of play in April 25.
I sought some advice from the FSB at the time and was told the council are allowed to ‘make mistakes’ and were allowed to backdate as far as they wanted. I challenged the LA at the time and explained that it would be difficult to make these payments and we’d never have taken on the second unit had we known, however, it was met with a court summons. We agreed a payment plan.
Today I have been reading around the topic a bit more, as these monthly payments are increasingly difficult for a small business like mine. It appears that there has been some success with legal battles over back dated business rates, where the LA made the error.
I just wondered if anyone had any advice or experience of this. It appears a fairly niche issue and information online is limited.
Thanks in advance
In 2021 we took on the additional lease of next door, as we were a growing business.
We continued to receive SBRR on both units and were billed by the LA £0 each year.
A couple of months ago, I was contacted by the LA and made aware that when 2 or more leases for the same business are undertaken, rates relief ends. I hadn’t spotted this when we took on the second unit, however, it also appears that the LA hadn’t spotted it either.
They have chosen to bill me for those lost years, backdating one unit to 2021, and one unit to 2023. This is now a considerable sum to be paid back, which they’re requesting to be paid by the end of play in April 25.
I sought some advice from the FSB at the time and was told the council are allowed to ‘make mistakes’ and were allowed to backdate as far as they wanted. I challenged the LA at the time and explained that it would be difficult to make these payments and we’d never have taken on the second unit had we known, however, it was met with a court summons. We agreed a payment plan.
Today I have been reading around the topic a bit more, as these monthly payments are increasingly difficult for a small business like mine. It appears that there has been some success with legal battles over back dated business rates, where the LA made the error.
I just wondered if anyone had any advice or experience of this. It appears a fairly niche issue and information online is limited.
Thanks in advance
