1 October 2007
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) have been recognised for a partnership project, which has resulted in an easier, more efficient, and cost effective system for the administrative handling of appeals against rating assessments.
The system provides an electronic link between the VOA and an agent’s database allowing information regarding the rating appeal to be simultaneously validated during the process. The VOA and agents have access to more reliable, up-to-date information, enabling them to progress discussion and resolution more effectively and at a reduced cost. Appeals via an ‘online form’ on the VOA website are treated in the same way as information communicated via email.
The project has been nominated for an award at this year’s IRRV conference due to the benefits the system has delivered. It has reduced the need for manual inputting of information increasing efficiency that, together with the need for less hard copy correspondence and storage, has produced savings for the VOA and agents estimated to be in excess of £1.2 million since the system was initially launched in April 2005 (from a VOA investment of £110,000).
An agent can now be kept updated with progress on a case from acknowledgement of the appeal by the VOA, to the start date at which detailed consideration will be given to the case, and on to target date for either agreeing the correct assessment or when work has started on preparation for hearing and determination by a Valuation Tribunal. Any amendments are also communicated to the agent direct to their records.
David Park, Director, Local Taxation at the Valuation Office Agency said:
“There is no doubt that without true teamwork between the VOA and agents this project would not have been so successful. Once the benefits of full e-communication had been recognised there was a very high level of co-operation between all parties to establish the necessary IT schema to deliver the project. Such teamwork has been encouraged and achieved by the RICS and other professional bodies being represented on the VOA board for this project. We now have a platform from which further improvements can be made, including the addition of facilities to link up with the Valuation Tribunal Service for 2010.”
Charles Partridge, RICS e-representative commented:
“The success of this project demonstrates how joined up thinking between organisations can achieve real results. Any innovation which speeds up the rating appeal process is good for the rate payer, for business and for the market. The rating industry has stepped into the 21st century and recognition by the IRRV for this project is evidence of how far the industry has come.”
- Ends -
Notes for editors:
- The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an Executive Agency of HM Revenue and Customs. Its main responsibilities are assessing rateable values for the purpose of non-domestic rating (business rates) and valuing domestic properties for council tax purposes in England and Wales.
- RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) is the mark of property professionalism worldwide. It covers all aspects of property, construction and associated environmental issues. RICS has 140,000 members globally and represents, regulates and promotes the work of property professionals throughout 121 countries. RICS is governed by a Royal Charter approved by Parliament which requires it to act in the public interest. It is also a professional regulatory body approved by Government (HM Treasury).
- The VOA and RICS are joint nominees in the Excellence in IT category, at the IRRV Performance Awards being held on the evening of 11 October during the annual IRRV conference at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel Further information at www.irrv.net.
Media enquiries:
|
