Flooding business rate relief.
You may have heard the Prime Minister announce during a recent visit to some of the areas hardest hit by the current floods, that rates relief would be granted, saying, on 12th February, that “all affected businesses will get 100% business rate relief for three months and will also get an extra three months to pay the business taxes they owe to HMRC as they get back on their feet.”
The same “Business Rates Information Letter” (BRIL) that was recently issued by DCLG, that confirmed the 2014-15 English rates in the £, was also headed “Flooding business rate relief”. Sadly however, this is all that the letter had to say on the subject: “The Prime Minister has announced a new temporary relief for businesses affected by flooding. The measure will be delivered through local discount powers, with central government meeting the costs. We will be publishing guidance to local authorities very soon, to help councils deliver support for affected businesses.” In other words, watch this space!
If your business has been adversely affected by the recent flooding, please email us to that effect and our Rating expert Michael Blank will then forward to you, as soon as we receive it from DCLG, details of the relief scheme. Otherwise, we strongly recommend those who have been affected, to take as many (digital) photos as possible, of the damage caused to your premises and business by the flooding, and to make careful notes of any other measurable damage etc caused to your business/your business premises by the floods.
The more evidence you have to prove your entitlement to this relief the better off you will be even though it may take your council some time to process such claims.
For more information please e-mail: info@tenantag.co.uk