Business Rates Grant Disqualification

nikkidrew0902

I own a business that is a limited company, but as I pay my business rates to the landlord and not direct to the council they told me I am not eligible for any support. I was advised to write to my MP and she did responded to say the Chancellor would be looking in to changes for this as there were many people in the same situation. I am a leisure business so would have been eligible for a grant if I did not share the business rates with the landlord upstairs. Anyone heard anymore info on this at all?

Jeremy535897

Nothing has been announced.

joeellis22

Hi I have a limited company that has an office at an address but haven’t yet received a rates demand notice Which means we cannot apply for our business grant. I’m querying this with the council but where do we stand with this? The council are saying they because we are not on the system we cannot apply. What makes it increasingly frustrating is they I had correspondence with the council about this in November last year to get us on the system and nothing has been done. Any help would be much appreciated.

Jeremy535897

I suggest you read the detailed guidance at
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878084/V4_Master_Small_Business_Grant_Fund_and_Retail_guidance.pdf
in particular paragraphs 32 to 42.

joeellis22

Thanks Jeremy - on a separate note is there any assistance available for limited companies who's working office is at the domestic home?  

davecurness

This applies to all park cafes in the country. Park cafes do not have a business rate number. If we did we could apply for SBRR and not pay anyway but it’s an anomaly we don’t have a number. As a result we get no grant from the council even though an equivalent high st cafe would. All being offered is 3 month rent relief which does not cover utilities and other debits. Many park cafes will go out of business. Many of us offer the only toilets  refreshments in the park. Councils are being very unhelpful and offering no support. We are instructed but councils to trade through winter even though we tend to lose money at this time. Spring and summer makes the business viable. Losing Easter is already catastrophic and it will get worse. With no support many will close. All we need is an emergency business rate no. Councils are being very short sighted. 

joeellis22

I Understand there will be many grey areas but hopefully they will put something together whereby we can contact someone for special cases?

Galloglass

Aren't park cafes a licence (no rates) rather than a lease (pay rates). As with many of these issues it comes down to what type of legal arrangement in place. 

The guidance is based on the existing legislation (as parliament isn't in operation) and the legislation points to those paying rates (lease holders) and not license holders. If a Secretary of State wants to amend any legislation to include "special cases" he/she has mechanisms to do it but it would be odd to do it for the 3 months this is forecast to be in place. 

Councils are "uphelpfull" and neither are politicians. It's just that everything has to be legal and within the legislation - why should it be otherwise.   

lincroft1710

For rating purposes, public parks are what is known as "land struck with sterility", and as such are exempt from being rated. From memory (I am ex VOA) buildings on that land where there is no other access than through the park are also exempt. Thus you cannot get a business rate no. as the property you occupy is exempt from rating

lincroft1710

Galloglass said:

Aren't park cafes a licence (no rates) rather than a lease (pay rates). As with many of these issues it comes down to what type of legal arrangement in place. 
  

Whether a property is owner occupied, occupied on licence, tenancy or lease does not affect its rateability. The only thing that may happen is that if there was an occupation on licence of part of a larger property, then that part held on licence may not be separately rated but included in the whole

joeellis22

I just cant understand that because a business may not have a demand statement, they are not able to claim for the £10k even though they are an established limited company with a registered office in exactly the same position as everyone else?!