Is this a scam ??

cmac

Hi,
I wonder if anyone knows anything about companys that say they can get your business rates reduced. We have been approached by one, and now are unsure of what to do, as they are asking for £460 upfront of us receiving any money.

They have told us in person that we are definatly due a rebate, but in the letter it states "the proposals we submitted on your behalf have now been acknowledged by the valuation office and are now within the re-valuation system"

Should I go with this and pay ? As I am sure Ihave seen something about this kind of thing being a scam ???

Any thoughts will be most welcome, as yes the rebate would be nice, but not wanting to hand money over for nothing.

Have I any way of checking ?

Thanks in advance

Browntoa

its an old old scam I'm afraid

moneypooh

Never give any money upfront to anyone like this!!
We were contacted by a company a few years ago and they said the same thing, yep it was a scam.

You can get your own business rates assessed by going direct, no need to commission a company to do it for you. We had a re-evaluation last year and sorted it all ourselves.

cmac

Thank you, I will try and look into it myself, as our rates are nearly double for this coming year, I guess that was all too easy too be true.

cmac x

YEOVILGOM

Rule of thumb - If you have to ask 'Is it a scam?' it probably is!

pelirocco

check the wording of their gaurentee , I am not sure of the exact phrasing but basically they are promising to get your rates valuation to the appeal stage , ( which anyone can do for free ) but they imply this means you are successful

cmac

I have just checked and pelirocco I think you have hit the nail on the head.

Thank you all. x

Savvy_Sue

There is also a scheme for deferring your business rates, they may be playing on that as well.

I don't remember the details, but we got information through from the local council about how much we could defer, how long for etc. I did the Maths quickly and suggested to my manager that for the piddling sum we would save in the short term, we would spend at least that in bookkeeping to account for it, because it's not as if you're not paying it in the end!

But in your situation it might be more worthwhile. As a charity we get a substantial discount on our business rates to begin with.

ciano125

I'm glad you've been told this is a scam. Any firm wanting money up front (or at least not on a no win no fee basis) is likely to be bad news. Is the company called H****** and T***** by any chance?

Don't believe all the above saying you can deffo do it yourself though, yes, its true, you are allowed to, but a reputable firm of Chartered Surveyors who specialise in Rating will be a much safer bet and you know it will be done correctly. After all, I'm not a hair dresser but COULD cut your hair. Would you want me to?! I don't do my own, I pay someone who knows what they are doing AFTER they've done it.

hells_2

I was just about to post what Ciano posted...about using a professional firm of rating surveyors (not some mickey mouse company).
I hired one about 10-12 years ago for our works offices, the big clever plc I work for was quite unwittingly paying top whack business rates....nice surveyor man has had them reduced every year since for us!

cottager

Gosh, is this one still doing the rounds? OH was caught with it donkeys years ago, can't even remember how long. Don't recall the name, but a firm in Liverpool I think. I would have hoped in all that time something could have been done to put a stop to this, but evidently not.