Business Rates (also known as non-domestic rates) are a tax levied by the government on all commercial premises. The Rateable Value of a property is set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and collected by your local authority.

Suffolk County Council is the local authority responsible for the county of Suffolk. Suffolk County Council business rates are charged on most non-domestic premises. This includes most commercial properties such as manufacturing firms and warehouses, which make up the typical economy in the Suffolk region.

A typically large industry is the retail sector, which can also be subject to business rates in Suffolk. Properties such as shops and offices in the retail sector can be incorrectly valued as usually their use can change over many years, and information may not have been updated with the VOA. This can have a huge impact on business running costs, as business rates can be in the top five costs for a business.

Suffolk also relies heavily on the business administration and support sector, contributing to the estimated overall GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of £22 billion in 2019 for the region. Suffolk business rates relief could apply to many businesses in the business administration and support sector. Another large contributor to the economy in Suffolk is the manufacturing industry, which works with heavy machinery and lorry’s making deliveries across the UK. Your business rates in Suffolk can be affected by any disruption or adverse access to your property and backdated savings could apply to the beginning of the Ratings List.

RVA Surveyors offers a ‘no reduction, no fee’ service, giving reassurance to all businesses when tackling their business rates in Suffolk. This means that unless RVA are able to find a reduction in your Suffolk business rates, there is no cost to the business. Whether commercial property owners or tenants, RVA are able to help business rates payers achieve reductions in their business rates across Suffolk and the rest of England and Wales.