Industrial automation company reduces business rates with RVA Surveyors
Case study:
Industrial Automation Company | East Suffolk
Specialising in automation solutions for various industries, including ocular, medical, pharmaceutical, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and industrial packaging.
KEY
FACTS
FIVE MONTHS
ACHIEVED IN
£5,218
SAVINGS
Warehouse
PROPERTY TYPE
The Client
Operating from Ellough Airfield in Beccles, Suffolk, the client specializes in industrial grit blasting services. They occupy a large workshop space that is crucial for their operations.
However, due to ongoing major renovations, a significant portion of the property was temporarily unusable.
The Problem
An inspection by RVA Surveyors revealed that 720m² of the property, nearly 40% of the total floor area, was currently unusable due to extensive renovation work. These renovations, which began in November 2023, were expected to continue until April 2024.
Despite this, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) had assessed the property as if the entire 2,056.72m² was in active use, leading to the client being overcharged on their business rates for space that was not operational. As a result, the client was overpaying for business rates on an area undergoing significant renovations and was temporarily out of use.
The Solution
After discussing the situation with the client, RVA Surveyors proposed submitting a S44A application to East Suffolk Council. This would request the removal of the 720m² area from the business rates liability for the duration of the renovations, ensuring the client only paid business rates for the space actively in use.
We submitted comprehensive supporting evidence to the council, including a detailed summary valuation for the Rating List, photographs showing the extent of the renovations, and a floorplan outlining the usable and non-usable areas. The submission clearly explained how the workshop space was divided and highlighted the impact of the renovation work on the overall usable space.
The Outcome
After several rounds of correspondence with East Suffolk Council, the S44A relief was successfully applied. The council agreed to adjust the business rates for the period between November 2023 and April 2024, effectively removing the liability for the 720m² area under renovation.
This decision led to a reduction in the client’s business rates, ensuring they only paid for the space actively in use.
Savings achieved: £5,218
Surveyor comment
“The S44A relief ensured that the client only paid for the space that was actively in use, resulting in a fairer and more accurate business rates assessment.”
