Garment wholesaler reduces business rates with RVA Surveyors
Case study:
Garment Wholesaler | North West
Specialising in the wholesale distribution of garments and apparel.
KEY
FACTS
ONE YEAR
ACHIEVED IN
£26,021
SAVINGS
Warehouse
PROPERTY TYPE
The Client
Our client operates a wholesale and retail business specialising in clothing and footwear, located at Derby Street, Manchester.
They supply a diverse range of apparel to both retailers and direct customers, with their business model requiring a balance of storage, retail space, and efficient operations. Given the financial impact of business rates, ensuring fair assessments was a priority.
The Problem
In 2023, the client applied for Retail Relief, but the local council refused the request. Upon reviewing council data in 2024, we identified that similar properties in the area had successfully received the relief, despite having comparable business models.
A further assessment of the client’s operations revealed that 58% of their revenue came from retail sales, meaning the business was primarily retail rather than wholesale. Despite this, the property’s valuation and relief status did not reflect its actual use, leading to an unnecessarily high business rates liability.
The Solution
RVA Surveyors engaged with the client and submitted an application for Retail Relief, providing clear evidence that the client met the ‘wholly & mainly’ retail criteria. This prompted the council to conduct an inspection of the property, where they confirmed our findings and approved the relief.
In addition to securing Retail Relief, our team successfully challenged the property’s Rateable Value (RV), obtaining two separate reductions to ensure the business rates accurately reflected the property’s true market position.
The Outcome
Following our support, the client secured significant financial savings. A 75% Retail Relief deduction was granted for the 2024/25 period, followed by a 40% deduction for 2025/26. Additionally, two separate RV reductions were achieved through our surveyor’s efforts.
These reductions ensured that the client’s business rates liability was fair and manageable, while avoiding unnecessary costs in the future.
Combined savings achieved: £26,021
Surveyor comment
“Through forensic retail analysis, we corrected classification errors and secured a fair rateable value reduction.”
