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If you live in the United Kingdom and own a property that is used for business purposes, then this article is a must-read for you. In the United Kingdom, every property used as a business space is charged a business rate that VOA determines.
Business properties are evaluated and assessed by a valuation office agency. This agency estimates every non-domestic business and gives them a rateable value. As per the rateable value, the owners are required to pay the business rate.
More Information About VOA Business Rates
VOA (Valuation Office Agency) is a part of the government that gives them advice on property and valuation of the premises. The rateable value described by the valuation office agency is for use as a part of taxation and benefits of the society.
The particular property is either characterized as domestic or non-domestic. If your property is characterized as non-domestic and is used for business purposes, then you are entitled to pay the business rate prescribed by VOA.
If you have a property but do not use it for business purposes, you will not be required to pay the business rate. However, if that particular property is not registered as domestic, you will have to pay the business rate just like any other non-domestic property.
VOA Business Rates Revaluation
After assessing the business rates of the business properties, VOA reassesses and changes the rateable values of the business properties every five years. This process is known as revaluation.
The process of revaluation done by the valuation of his agency is done to keep the entire process transparent and fair. It also ensures that the amount paid by the owners of the business properties as a business rate is distributed and redistributed correctly.
It reflects significant changes in the market. There are chances that after the revaluation, the business rate of your property can increase or decrease, but it does not create a significant difference in the overall revenue.
Certain buildings are exempted from business rates. Such buildings are religious buildings, commercial buildings used for the benefit of disabled people, farm buildings, or land. If the property is an office for the farm business, the business state will apply to it.
VOA Business Rates Reduction
The business rates prescribed by VOA can be reduced with business rates relief. There is plenty of business rates relief as per different categories. As per the eligibility, you can apply for any one or more small business rate relief, and after the evaluation of your appeal, the discount will be granted to you.
Once the documents are appropriately assessed, the business rates relief is granted automatically, and the price is detected from your overall bill. In most business rates relief, you have to submit a form, but specific rate reliefs are granted automatically without filling any form.
Some of the Business Rates Relief
- Hardship relief
- Enterprise zone relief
- Small business rate relief
- Rural rate relief
- Partly occupied rate relief
- Charitable relief
- Local newspaper relief
These are some of the business rates relief that you can apply for, and there are more reliefs that you can get information about from the government website. There are specific rate relieves that you can apply together, but it’s not possible in some cases. For example, if you have used rural rate relief, you cannot apply for small business rate relief.
VOA Business Rates and Business at Home
Many people run their businesses from their homes. Since the house is considered a domestic property, many people get confused about whether the business rates are applicable on that property or not. If you occupy a small part of your house for the business property, the business rate will only apply to that small fraction. But there are certain circumstances in which you will not be required to pay the business rate.
But if your business service is below a domestic property, for example, having a flat above a shop, you will have to pay the business rate. Another factor in which you will be bound to pay the business rate is employing people at your property and selling your goods and services to the people who come to your place.
Calculate VOA Business Rates
VOA states the business rates, and they also prescribe a multiplier that you can use to calculate the property’s rateable value. There are plenty of websites available online that you can use to calculate the business rates of your property, and if you have more confusion, you can contact the local council of your area.
The local council is responsible for sending you the bill and granting you the business rate relief on behalf of VOA. The council can brief you about the eligibility criteria for the business rate relief and if you are eligible for the discount or not.
Summing it Up
Business Rates are an essential aspect of the UK economy. Being the authoritative agency responsible for the proper formulation and conduction of the business rate, VOA keeps everything transparent and straightforward. On almost all the government websites related to the business rates, you can get the information related to the various business rates relief available and calculate the value of your property without any hassle.
If you are involved in property development or any business, you must have complete knowledge about the business rates. In this article, we tried to give you a comprehensive guide related to VOA business rates, and we hope this article was informative for you.