Client Receives Over £49,940 in Backdated Savings Through RVA.
Case study:
Self-Storage Centre | Greater Manchester
Self-Storage Centre for both personal and commercial use based in Tameside, Greater Manchester.
KEY
FACTS
£49,943.95
TOTAL SAVINGS
Warehouse
PROPERTY TYPE
May ’26
REVIEW COMPLETED
The Client
Based in the Tameside area of Greater Manchester, our client is an independent self-storage centre for both commercial and residential purposes. With multiple storage options, including both indoor and outdoor units, they have become a go-to for many across the Manchester area.
Near the end of the 2023 rating list, they assigned RVA Surveyors to conduct an in-depth review of their premises before the start of the current list to identify any possible reductions in their business rates.
The Issue
An expert surveyor from RVA visited the property to inspect the warehouse and premises, yet the surveyor found no grounds to proceed through Check Challenge Appeal (CCA).
Every property reviewed by RVA Surveyors will also undergo a forensic review, where our specialist audit team conduct further investigations into potential savings on a client’s account, and it was during the audit team’s search that potential savings were identified.
Our client had no previous reliefs on their account, yet our audit team found they could be entitled to backdated Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) Relief due to our client having a shop area and offering in-person services.
The Solution
The local authority is the body that decides if a commercial property is eligible for any form of relief. So, on behalf of the client, our audit team worked directly with them to apply for the backdated RHL Relief.
For this to be successful, evidence had to be provided which showed customers could visit the premises. This included photographs of the customer reception area and signage, the shop where packing materials can be purchased and a collection of reviews which stated customers visiting the premises.
The Outcome
Once the local authority had received the evidence and findings for our client to receive backdated RHL Relief, they accepted our submission and awarded the relief dating from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2026 totalling £40,858.50.
However, as we were successful in applying for the backdated RHL Relief on our client’s behalf, this also made them eligible for Supporting Small Business (SSB) Relief, adding £9,085.45 in savings, bringing their total to £49,943.95.
The success of the backdated RHL Relief application has provided our client with substantial savings and further security from the increases in business rates throughout the 2026 rating list.
