Just when businesses are struggling with the effects of the reduction of business due to the oil price reduction the Scottish government thinks it’s a good idea to raise non-domestic rates (also known as business rates).
It’s not a clever move for the 12,000 non-domestic ratepayers in Aberdeenshire.
Rates information can be viewed on the Scottish Assessors Association web site saa@gov.uk and click on non domestic valuation.
Any non-domestic rateable value up to £15,000 will qualify for 100% rates relief under the small business bonus scheme. Between £15,001 and £18,000 the discount is 25%.
However non-domestic rateable values above £51,000 will attract a business supplement of 2.6 pence above the new proposed standard poundage rate of 46.6 pence.
The last revaluation was done in 2010 and related to values on 1 April 2008. This recent valuation relates to values on 1 April 2015 and is effective from 1 April 2017.
There is currently NO provision for transitional relief, but these valuations can be appealed free of charge on the SAA website.
So what can you do if you are facing a huge hike in your non-domestic rates bill?
- Appeal the valuation.
- Contact your regional and constituency MSPs. They will be voting on the Scottish Budget. It has not been passed YET. The easiest way to do that is via the impartial www.writetothem.com/ website
- Lobby MSPs to include transitional relief in the Scottish Budget.
- Contact the local Chamber of Commerce.
Notices will be issued on 15 March 2017.
By the way, although councils collect non-domestic rates, the money goes to the Scottish Government in Edinburgh.