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The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) now has the power to levy a
civil penalty on anyone who fails to provide the information it
requires to value properties for Business Rates. The VOA today
reminds ratepayers that those who do not supply the necessary information
within the time limits will be liable to penalties.
The new legislation was announced in September '03 but the VOA
granted business ratepayers a short period to get to understand
the new arrangements before the application of penalties. The VOA
needs information from ratepayers to ensure that rating assessments
are accurate, so that ratepayers do not pay any more in Business
Rates than they have to.
David Tretton, Director of Rating, VOA, adds, “Our priority
is to obtain the information we need. We do not intend to apply
the civil penalty unless we have to. If ratepayers send us the
information we request within the time limits, the civil penalty
will not affect them.”
Some ratepayers will have to complete a standard form, which is
available in hard copy and online. For individuals and companies,
and their agents, who are responsible for more than one property,
the VOA has developed a special facility for sending large amounts
of information electronically – this is accessible from the
VOA website.
Ratepayers who employ an agent to handle their rating liability
are encouraged to make sure he or she has the information necessary
to complete the form. It is the person to whom the form is sent,
not their agent, who is liable to penalties.
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For further information please contact the Valuation Office Agency
Press Office:
About the Civil Penalty
The civil penalty is a series of fixed penalties that the Valuation
Office Agency (VOA) can impose on individuals who do not supply
the rental information it needs to value properties for Business
Rates. The Local Government Act, which came into effect on 18 September
2003, gives the VOA the authority to do this. Where the Valuation
Officer formally requests information, the new civil penalty legislation
allows 56 days for completion and return of the relevant form.
This is more than double the time allowed under the previous system.
Once this period has expired, a fixed penalty of £100 can
be applied; if the information remains outstanding after a further
21 days, another £100 may be levied and, thereafter, a charge
of £20 per day is payable until the form is returned.
About the Valuation Office Agency
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an Executive Agency of the
Inland Revenue. Its main responsibilities are assessing rateable
values for the purpose of non-domestic rating and valuing domestic
properties for Council Tax purposes in England and Wales. It
is also involved in establishing capital values for the Inland
Revenue in connection with capital gains tax and inheritance
tax as well as carrying out a range of property related services
for other government departments and public sector bodies. It
has around 4,500 employees and a network of 80 offices throughout
England, Wales and Scotland, which provide a local service.
About Non Domestic Revaluation
The Valuation Office Agency has a statutory duty to review rateable
values in England and Wales every five years; the last revaluation
took place on 1 April 2000 and the next is due to come into effect
on 1 April 2005. In broad terms the rateable value is a professional
judgement of the open market annual rental value of a property
at a fixed date. Using the same date – 1 April 2003 for
the next revaluation – means that all properties have rateable
values assessed on the same basis.
The rateable value is not the amount to be paid but is a key factor
used in the calculation of Business Rates.
Website: www.voa.gov.uk
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