Refusal small business relief grant

montrja

Hi all 
I am a self employed mechanic with rented premises I also buy/sell cars 
I applied for the grant and have been told that I’m not entitled as my workshop is not listed on the business rate list saying my workshop basically doesn’t exist.
I have been in the same place for over 8 years and have invoices for my rent etc
is there anything I can do ?
im very close to losing my livelihood now and I’m worried sick
thanks in advance 

Jeremy535897

In your shoes I would first talk to my landlord and ask why the workshop is not on the rating list. It could be that it is on the rating list, but the council haven't been able to identify it. Did your landlord get a grant? If so, could he give you some help with your rent? He can't start eviction proceedings until 1 July 2020 if you can't pay.

If he got the grant and you believe you should have had it, you can try to persuade the council to pay it to you instead, but they will probably not do so. You could try asking for a discretionary top-up grant, if you didn't get SEISS. See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-up-to-local-business-grant-funds-scheme

Did you try to claim SEISS (self employed grant)? Have you applied for a bounce back loan?

daveyjp

Use this link to see if you can find the premises.

https://www.gov.uk/correct-your-business-rates

Grumpy_chap

If the premises is not listed on the business rates list (saying the workshop basically doesn’t exist), have you or someone else been paying business rates for the last 8 years you have been in the property?  It would be an own-goal if you appealed, got the coronavirus grant, but then also a rates bill back for so many years plus ongoing liability for ever in the future.

[Deleted User]

Unless you were registered for business rates and in receipt of Small Business Rate Reduction you will not be eligible, there is unfortunately no flexibility in that. My business lost out on the £10,000 grant because technically our premises are serviced offices, even though they are a separate building on a large site, the whole site is rated as one and the rates are paid by the landlord.
What you might find is that your individual premises is not rated, but if on a larger site then that is, which means you are not eligible. You need to clarify the position with regard to rates with your landlord. However if the building is rated and you have never paid rates you may be charged rates for the period previously unpaid, you need clarity either way. 

[Deleted User]

To add do you have a contract for your rental/lease? It should have a clause in there, either stating that rates are included in the rent, or that you are responsible for the rates. 

daveyjp

MadMattUK said:

Unless you were registered for business rates and in receipt of Small Business Rate Reduction you will not be eligible, there is unfortunately no flexibility in that. My business lost out on the £10,000 grant because technically our premises are serviced offices, even though they are a separate building on a large site, the whole site is rated as one and the rates are paid by the landlord.
What you might find is that your individual premises is not rated, but if on a larger site then that is, which means you are not eligible. You need to clarify the position with regard to rates with your landlord. However if the building is rated and you have never paid rates you may be charged rates for the period previously unpaid, you need clarity either way. 

You may be eligible for discretionary grant support.  Keep up to date with how your Council are dealing with applications.

[Deleted User]

daveyjp said:
You may be eligible for discretionary grant support.  Keep up to date with how your Council are dealing with applications.

Unfortunately we are not, I looked at that, our registered office is not in the same county, so the council say we are ineligible and even if we were they had already run out of funds for the discretionary grants. I have tried again a few times since but also got a no on those occasions. It would have been nice to have, but not the difference between surviving or not so it is not the end of the world. 

Grumpy_chap

@MadMattUK - are you now the OP for this thread?  @montrja
#confused

[Deleted User]

Grumpy_chap said:

@MadMattUK - are you now the OP for this thread?  @montrja
#confused

Nope, was just trying to make the point that the discretionary grants are not available to most companies who try to get hold of one. Perhaps a point not made in a particularly clear fashion.