Unlike Council Tax, there is no exemption from payment of the business rate if a property is uninhabitable. After the three month exemption period given when the property first becomes empty, the 50% empty rate charge is payable.

 

If you think your property is uninhabitable you will need to contact the Valuation Office Agency, not us, and ask for the property to be taken out of rating. You need to do this straight away, as it is unlikely that the Agency will agree to take the property out of the rating list retrospectively.

 

The Valuation Office will let us know if it has agreed with you to take the property out of rating, and we will update our records. You need to carry on paying your business rate until it is decided to take the property out of rating, and you will be sent a refund for any overpayment on your account once the property is removed.

 

You also need to tell us within 21 days of the work being finished and the property can then be reported to the Valuation Office Agency to bring it back into rating.

 

If you want to ask for your property to be taken out of rating the contact details for the Valuation Office Agency are as follows: