We handle the whole thing
Appealing your business rates is time consuming and confusing, which is exactly why most people never get round to it. Here is how we take it off your hands, and what happens at each stage.
- Free initial check
- We handle everything
- Pricing agreed up front
Ten minutes from you.
Everything else from us.
part
A copy of your rates bill, a few details about the property, and your say so.
The check, the research, the case, the Valuation Office, the negotiation and the result.
- RICS members
- IRRV members
- FSB member
- Based in Cheltenham
- Acting nationally
Business rates are one of the largest bills a commercial occupier pays, and a great many businesses are quietly paying more than they should. Not because anyone has done anything wrong, but because the rateable value your bill is built on is an estimate, and estimates can be wrong.
Putting that right is where it gets off putting. The valuations are technical, the official route is slow, and you have a business to run. So we do the whole thing for you. Our clients often say it feels a lot like using an accountant. You hand it over, someone qualified deals with the authorities, and you get the result.
The five stages
Every case follows the same path. Here is what each stage means for you.
Your free rates check
Send us your latest bill and a few details about the property. We look at what the Valuation Office holds on you, the floor areas, how the space is recorded and what condition it is in, and check that against what is actually there.
Errors in that record are more common than most business owners expect, and they quietly cost you money every year they go unnoticed. It costs you nothing to find out, there is no obligation, and if we do not think you have a case we will tell you so.
Your time: about ten minutes.
We research your local market
Rateable values are built on rental evidence, so the strength of any case comes down to knowing what comparable properties in your area are really worth.
Our team looks at the property market in your region, gathers the evidence and compares your assessment against similar premises nearby. This is the unglamorous part, and it is the part that decides whether an appeal succeeds.
Your time: none.
Qualified surveyors build your case
Everything we have gathered goes to our surveyors, who are members of RICS and the IRRV. They establish the grounds for an appeal and put the case together.
Grounds matter more than most people realise. The right ground with solid evidence is what moves a valuation, and it is not something you get endless attempts at.
Your time: none, beyond signing the authority for us to act.
We deal with the Valuation Office for you
The case is submitted and discussed with the Valuation Office on your behalf. Every letter, every query, every round of negotiation comes to us rather than to you.
You will always know who is handling your case and how to reach them, and we will come back to you when there is something worth telling you.
Your time: none. That is rather the point.
Your bill is revised
Where a reduction is agreed, your local authority issues a revised bill at the lower value. You pay less going forward, for as long as that value stands.
If you have already paid at the higher figure for part of the current rating list, the council can also issue a rebate for the difference, usually within about a month of the reduction being agreed.
What you get: a lower bill, and a rebate where one is due.
That is the whole process. Stage one takes about ten minutes.
Send us your latest bill and we will tell you whether there is a case worth making. It costs nothing, and you are not committed to anything after it.
A note on rebates, so nobody is disappointed
Rebates go back to the start of the current rating list, not indefinitely. The current list only began on 1 April 2026, so at the moment that period is short and the refund will be modest. The real value right now is in the years ahead. A reduction agreed on the 2026 list keeps working for you until 2029.
And it does not stop there
A rateable value is not something to check once and forget. We keep an eye on the accuracy of yours as an ongoing thing, so if your circumstances change, if part of the property goes out of use, or if something in the local market shifts, you hear about it from us rather than finding out three years later.
Who is actually doing the work
Your case is handled by qualified rating specialists with knowledge of the property market in your region, not by a general call centre. The Valuation Office negotiates with rating professionals every day and can tell very quickly whether the person on the other side knows how a valuation is built.
RICS
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors sets the professional standard for property valuation in the UK.
IRRV
The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation is the specialist body for business rates specifically.
Kept current
Both bodies require ongoing training, so the person on your case works from the rules as they stand today.
Our clients often liken us to their accountants. Advice, forms completed, and all the negotiating with the authorities done for you.
What our clients say
What we will need from you
Very little, and you almost certainly have all of it already.
- A copy of your most recent business rates bill
- The property address and, if you have it to hand, the current rateable value
- A few details about how you use the space, including anything that is awkward, unusable or nothing like the rest of the building
- A quick history of any changes, such as an extension, a split, a refit, or a period when part of the space stood empty
- Written authority for us to act for you with the Valuation Office
That last one takes a minute and simply lets us speak to the Valuation Office in your place, so you are not the one sitting on hold.
How long it takes
The early stages are quick. The official stages are not, and we would rather tell you that now than promise you a fortnight.
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Sending us your details | About ten minutes |
| Your free rates check | Usually a few working days |
| Our verdict on your case | Straight after the check, free of charge |
| The formal process | Months rather than weeks, and paced by the Valuation Office rather than by us |
| A rebate, once agreed | Typically around a month, issued by your council |
What we can promise is that you are not the one waiting on hold, and you will not have to chase us to find out where things stand.
The honest bit
Three things we would tell you on the phone, so they may as well be on the page.
We cannot guarantee a reduction
Nobody credible can, and at the point of taking your case on we will not yet have seen all the rental evidence, because the Valuation Office does not release it until a proposal is being discussed. What we can do is tell you honestly whether your case looks strong before you commit.
A value can go up as well as down
If your property has been extended or improved and the Valuation Office has not been told, a review can in some circumstances result in a higher rateable value. This is precisely why we ask about changes at the start. Tell us everything and we will tell you where you stand before anything is submitted.
You do not get endless attempts
The formal route is not something you can keep retrying until it works. A thin case, submitted on the wrong grounds, can close the door on a stronger one. It is the main reason we would gently steer you away from doing this alone.
Not sure whether your case is strong?
That is exactly what the free check is for. Ten minutes of your time, an honest answer, and no pressure either way.
Where your property is makes a difference
In England and Wales, changes to a rateable value go through the Valuation Office Agency using the Check, Challenge, Appeal route. It is the same framework in both nations, though Wales came into it later than England, so some of the detail and timings differ.
What it costs
The rates check, the research and our view on whether you have a case are free, with no obligation to go any further. If you decide to proceed, we will set the fee out clearly and in writing before any work begins. No surprises, and nothing starts until you have said yes.
Frequently asked
Is the rates check really free?
Yes. We look at your property details, compare your assessment and tell you whether we think there is a case, at no cost and with no obligation. You only pay if you decide to go ahead with an appeal.
Can I appeal my business rates myself?
You can, and some people do. The difficulty is that it is evidence led, the grounds have to be right, and you do not get unlimited attempts. Most business owners find the time it takes and the risk of getting it wrong outweigh the saving.
How long does the business rates appeal process take?
The free check takes a few working days and the research a little longer. The formal process takes considerably longer than that, and the pace is largely set by the Valuation Office rather than by us. We will give you a realistic view for your own case at the outset.
Could appealing make my rates go up?
It can, if the property has been extended or altered and the Valuation Office has not been told. That is why we ask about changes before anything is submitted. If a review looks likely to work against you, we will tell you and you can decide not to proceed.
Will I get money back for what I have already paid?
Where a reduction is agreed, your council issues a rebate covering what you overpaid since the start of the current rating list, usually within about a month. The current list began in April 2026, so that period is short at the moment and the ongoing saving is where the real value sits.
What if I am already behind on my rates, or bailiffs are involved?
Speak to us sooner rather than later. Enforcement and an incorrect valuation are two separate problems and both need handling. Our page on business rates bailiffs sets out what to do first.
Do you work outside Gloucestershire?
Yes. We are based in Cheltenham and act for businesses nationally, from single sites to multi site portfolios, with rating specialists who know the property market in your region.
Find out if you are paying too much
A free rates check takes minutes and could save you thousands. No obligation, and no pressure.