Business rates for ltd company

[deanyman70]

Hi all,i had a ltd company 2007 til it got shut down a year ago,i boughjt it as a ltd company, but the lease was put into my personal name.
The original Business rates bill was to the ltd co, but the next year got changed to my personal name without me being informed! I thought nothing of it untill we changed to a decent accountant and she was horrified, and still is that it can be changed.
We have called,written to the council with this matter and so far we have had three different council workers on the case and all giving different advise!
I have since had baliffs posting stuff through my door giving 48hours notice to remove goods.
I cannot find a local solicitor able to give me the answers!
This is making me and the wife ill with worry,as we left debt free apart from this bill as we couldn't get any financial help with the ltd co. and had it all in my name which im still paying cards loans etc.......Can anyone shed some light on this please?????? Thanks

 

[goodguy]

Business rates are for the uk 50yrs ago, most of business is done, in small offices or shops, or over seas and therefore they pay little or no business rates.
And the government wonder why in this country we have a lot of small companies and large companies, because it so difficult to grow, not only with business rates, but also Vat and staffing costs.
The U.K. should go for a local sales tax, at least you only have to pay if you sell something.
This would also would have solved your issue, company closed down, you not selling anything, then no more business tax. As per your situation, they should/will have taken you to court, this would be the time, to argue your case. If they have already and you didn't know about it, try and get it set aside.

 

[businessapprent]

The premises themselves, were they leased to the company or to you personally when you took over? Also when you contact the council, do they make any mention of the business rates account being changed from the limited company to you personally and why it was changed? I'm assuming that whilst you were aware of the change, you've never instructed the council that you wish to start paying the business rates personally? If you've never asked for them to be changed to you, then I suspect the council cant do anything because the debt is with the company and not you.

 

[deanyman70]

Hi the bills were changed to my personnel name as the lease was put in my name,wrongly but couldn't get it altered but it was the ltd company trading from the premises!! I never instructed the council to change details,i thought having a ltd company protected me personnaly against these things? I cannot find a solicitor to help i have been on the law Society site and been through so far approx 15 firms.Most don't get back to me or so uninterested on the phone i give up!! So i have just written with all the details to the Valuation Tribunal in London so they should let me know for sure where i stand here.