Successful chain based in East Anglia save on their business rates with RVA Surveyors
Case study:
E-Liquid Chain and Vendor| Cambridgeshire
A successful vape and e-liquids chain with locations across the East Midlands, Essex, and London.
KEY
FACTS
£11,487
SAVINGS
Warehouse
PROPERTY TYPE
The Client
Our client is a successful vape and e-liquid chain with multiple store locations across the East Midlands, Essex and Greater London. With 15+ stores, the client was looking for a business rates reduction specialist to conduct in-depth inspections of the properties and to understand if reductions could be made on their liabilities for each location.
The Problem
During the inspections of all their commercial properties, reductions were found on multiple sites, yet it was their primary location which saw the highest reduction and savings for the client.
Based in Peterborough, the property consisted of two adjoining units within a small business park just outside the city centre which include a warehouse, office space and laboratory to produce their products. Though both units are occupied by the client, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) assessed them separately, which inflated and brought their overall Rateable Value (RV) to £34,250.
The Solution
With both properties adjoined and occupied by the client, a Merge would be viable to bring the two assessments together and create one Rateable Value (RV). Therefore, instead of two separate rates bills, there would be one with one yearly liability. Not only would a merge help to create one assessment, but in doing so could also lead to a tone/m2 reduction across both units.
To ensure a successful merge, an expert surveyor visited the properties and collected evidence to prove the client occupation of the units. Photographs, copies of the lease and rates bills were all used to build a Check to Merge case to be sent to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
The Outcome
Before submission of the Check to Merge, our client paid £17,000 and £17,250 respectively, totaling £34,250. RVA Surveyors were successful in merging the properties to create one assessment, leading to a reduction in Rateable Value to £24,750 and £11,486.75 in savings dating back to the start of the 2023 rating list. Due to the period in which we were successful with the merge and reduction, our clients’ liabilities were not only reduced for this rating list but they have entered the 2026 rating list with decreased business rates and liabilities.
