- Original Poster
- #1
Hi All,
I'm hoping someone can advise me on this as I'm beyond angry and don't think there is anything I can do.
I moved into my retail shop in July 2014 (I signed the lease in April of 2014 which is when my rates were backdated to). The shop had been unoccupied for a year. I've been paying business rates of £18,000 per year. I didn't think anything of it and just assumed that was correct. I know certain businesses can claim relief on their rates but I knew our rateable value was so high that it didn't apply.
On the 23rd September I get a call at work from a company that says they can claim back rates up to 50%. They would take a percentage of this (30%) as payment for their work. I signed up to it and didn't think anything of it, thinking ill probably not get anything back.
It my rare day off today and I was just looking online and found a whole government document on Business Rates Reoccupation Relief, that we were entitled to claim. The reason I'm posting this on here is so I can ask two questions:
1. The last date of application for this was 30th September 2016. This may be a mute point but is there any way I can cancel the contract with the third party and claim the money myself. Do all contracts cover a 14 day cooling off policy or does the contract have to state so? It probably would be to my detriment anyway as I missed the date of application.
2. Does my local council have any duty to let me know that the relief exists? If so I feel like taking to them to court for the 30% I'm going to lose.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I'm hoping someone can advise me on this as I'm beyond angry and don't think there is anything I can do.
I moved into my retail shop in July 2014 (I signed the lease in April of 2014 which is when my rates were backdated to). The shop had been unoccupied for a year. I've been paying business rates of £18,000 per year. I didn't think anything of it and just assumed that was correct. I know certain businesses can claim relief on their rates but I knew our rateable value was so high that it didn't apply.
On the 23rd September I get a call at work from a company that says they can claim back rates up to 50%. They would take a percentage of this (30%) as payment for their work. I signed up to it and didn't think anything of it, thinking ill probably not get anything back.
It my rare day off today and I was just looking online and found a whole government document on Business Rates Reoccupation Relief, that we were entitled to claim. The reason I'm posting this on here is so I can ask two questions:
1. The last date of application for this was 30th September 2016. This may be a mute point but is there any way I can cancel the contract with the third party and claim the money myself. Do all contracts cover a 14 day cooling off policy or does the contract have to state so? It probably would be to my detriment anyway as I missed the date of application.
2. Does my local council have any duty to let me know that the relief exists? If so I feel like taking to them to court for the 30% I'm going to lose.
Any advice would be appreciated.
