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, specialises in industrial grit blasting services. The company occupies a large workshop space, which is essential for their operations.
However, due to ongoing major renovations, a significant portion of the property was temporarily unusable.
The Problem
A site inspection carried out 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 works had been ongoing since November 2023 and were expected to continue until April 2024.
Despite this, the property had been assessed as if the entire 2,056.72m² was in active use by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), resulting in the client being charged full business rates for space that was not operational. Without addressing this issue, the client was overpaying for business rates on an area that was 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 to request the removal of the 720m² area from the business rates liability for the duration of the renovations. This would ensure the client was only charged business rates for the area that was actively being used.
We provided the council with comprehensive supporting evidence, including a detailed summary valuation for the Rating List, photos showing the extent of the renovations, and a floorplan that outlined the usable and non-usable areas. The submission clearly explained how the workshop area was split and highlighted the impact of the ongoing renovation work on the overall usable space.
The Outcome
Following 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 resulted in a reduction in the client’s business rates, ensuring they were only paying for the space that was 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.”
