Case study:

Cable Supplier | Buckinghamshire

Specialises in the import, distribution, and sale of radio frequency cables and associated products.

KEY
FACTS

THREE MONTHS 
ACHIEVED IN

£50,526
SAVINGS

Warehouse
PROPERTY TYPE

The Client

Our client based in Aylesbury, England, specialising in manufacturing cable and antenna systems, had been operating from their site for years, supplying essential building products to local and national businesses.

With rising operational costs, they wanted to ensure they were not overpaying on their business rates but lacked the expertise to review their valuation effectively.

The Problem

The client’s rateable value (RV) had been assessed based on the entire land and property within their lease. However, unknown to them, their valuation included land they were subleasing to a nearby company.

Upon examination, we found that a portion of the land was subleased, meaning it should not have been included in their valuation. This meant they had been overpaying on their business rates for an area they didn’t fully occupy. Without the knowledge or resources to investigate further, they had unknowingly continued to pay more than necessary.

The Solution

During the Check phase of the Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) process, RVA Surveyors carried out a comprehensive inspection and review of the client’s lease agreement to determine the exact extent of their occupation.

The on-site surveyor gathered supporting evidence, including documentation and site plans, and submitted a case to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), demonstrating that the land should be removed from the client’s assessment entirely.

The Outcome

Following our submission, the VOA revised the client’s assessment, removing the subleased land from their valuation. This adjustment substantially reduced their business rates liability, ensuring they were only paying for the space they actually occupied.

The outcome not only provided immediate financial relief but also underscored the importance of regularly reviewing business rates assessments to avoid unnecessary costs.

Savings achieved: £50,526  

Surveyor comment

“Identifying and correcting inaccuracies like this is exactly why a thorough business rates review is so important. In this case, the client had been unknowingly overpaying for years. Removing the subleased land from their assessment made a real difference for the client.”