The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for assessing all non-domestic and business property and giving each one a rateable value. Rateable values are provided to local authorities, which use them as the basis for the calculation of business rate bills.

If you own business property that is currently empty, it will probably already have a rateable value, assessed by the VOA.  You can check the rateable value of your property in the rating lists.

Previously, most types of empty property were subject to rates at 50% of the normal charge. Local authorities, not the VOA, levy rates, including empty property rates.

Recent changes to modernise this form of rate relief, which came into effect on 1 April 2008, aim to provide strong incentives to bring vacant premises back into use by removing these reductions to the business rates bill.

The main change has amended the Local Government Finance Act 1988, to increase the empty property rate from 50% to 100% of the basic occupied business rate, after initial void periods have elapsed. For most properties, excluding industrial, the void period is three months. For industrial properties, the void period is six months. The change is intended to encourage owners to re-let, re-develop or sell empty non-domestic buildings.

Properties owned by charities and community amateur sports clubs are not liable to empty property rates if the properties' next use is likely to be wholly or mainly for charitable purposes or for the purposes of a sports club.

Communities and Local Government (CLG), the government department responsible for drafting the changes to the legislation, carried out a consultation exercise, 'Modernising Empty Property Relief', which closed on 1 October 2007.  The summary of replies to the consultation and the Government's response is available on the CLG website.

What do you want to do now?

Check the rateable value of your property in the VOA’s 2005 rating lists

Get an indication of how much your business rates bill is likely to be at www.businesslink.gov.uk

Find out what to do if you disagree with your rateable value

Find out what to do if you believe your property is incapable of use

Get contact details for your local authority at www.businesslink.gov.uk

Go to the CLG website

Go to www.businesslink.gov.uk

Go to mybusinessrates.gov.uk/wales