Business Rates

Empty Properties

Most empty business properties are exempted from business rates for the first 3 months that they are empty. Industrial and warehouse properties qualify for a further 3 months exemption from business rates and no longer receive exemption from rates. After that empty property will be liable for 100% of the basic occupied business rate, unless it:

• Qualifies for the new zero rate provided by the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007

From 1st April 2008 the rate liability of empty property that is held by a charity and appears likely to be next used for charitable purposes, or

is held by a community amateur sports club and appears likely to be next used for the purposes of the club will be reduced from 10% to zero.

• Qualifies for an exemption from rates under the NNDR (Unoccupied Property) Regulations.

Empty property is held by companies in administration or liquidation.

Empty property is listed or subject to a building preservation notice.

• The period of exemption from business rates for empty properties with a rateable value of less than £15,000 was extended for 1 year from the 1st April 2009 until 31st March 2010. The Chancellor has further extended empty property relief in 2010-11 so that all empty proerties with a rateable value below £18,000 are exempted from business rates.