
Case study:
Aluminium Supplier | West Midlands
KEY
FACTS
9 MONTHS
ACHIEVED IN
£4,299
SAVINGS
Warehouse
PROPERTY TYPE
The Client
Our client specialises in manufacturing premium quality, high-performance insulated glass units, including double and triple glazed units, Supaslim Heritage Units, decorative glass, and integral blinds.
Located at 505 Garretts Green Lane, Birmingham, the client is a family-owned company with over 80 years of experience in the glass industry. Their commitment to quality and safety has established them as a trusted provider in the industry. Ensuring they were paying accurate business rates was an important step in maintaining their financial efficiency and operational sustainability.
The Problem
The client’s premises consisted of two merged properties, each serving distinct functions within their operations. Despite their separate uses, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) had assessed the combined property as a single unit for business rates purposes.
This assessment did not accurately reflect the individual characteristics and uses of each property, leading to a higher overall rateable value (RV) and, consequently, inflated business rates. The client was concerned that this misrepresentation resulted in overpayment, affecting their operational costs and financial efficiency.
The Solution
RVA Surveyors conducted a comprehensive inspection of the client’s property usage and gathered substantial evidence demonstrating the distinct functions of the two merged properties. We then applied to the VOA for a “divide and split” allowance, advocating for the separation of the properties into individual assessments.
Our submission included detailed justification for a 5% dividing split unit allowance, reflecting the specific characteristics and uses of each property.
The Outcome
The VOA reviewed our application and, based on the compelling evidence provided, granted the divide and split allowance. This decision allowed the separation of the properties into two distinct assessments, each with an appropriately reduced rateable value.
As a result, the client experienced a significant reduction in their business rates for both properties, leading to improved financial efficiency and ensuring they were paying fair and accurate rates.
Savings achieved: £4,299
Surveyor comment
“By securing the divide and split allowance, we ensured the client’s properties were accurately assessed based on their distinct uses, leading to fairer business rates and valuable cost savings.”