Business rates during building works
Discussion
I was at one of my company 'offices' yesterday, accompanied by a surveyor and a local commercial property agent.
A previous tenant, now bust, had used it as laboratory space. It was left like this:
It requires a hefty refurbishment / modernisation which will take in the region of 8 weeks.
Surveyor and agent concur that this is required prior to the space being marketable. There is currently no heating, working electrics, ceiling (aside from one small section), WC facilities or finished floors etc. When the subject of rates came up, they suggested that I should not be paying whilst the property was in this state.
From google, I see a lot on this topic:
"The test of whether a property is capable of beneficial occupation is whether the premises are ready for occupation as a building, it was not whether the premises are fit to be used by a specialist occupier or for some special purpose."
Does anybody have any recent experience of claiming a nominal valuation during works of this nature?
PS - previous tenant used up the full vacancy allowance, so that's a no-go.
A previous tenant, now bust, had used it as laboratory space. It was left like this:
It requires a hefty refurbishment / modernisation which will take in the region of 8 weeks.
Surveyor and agent concur that this is required prior to the space being marketable. There is currently no heating, working electrics, ceiling (aside from one small section), WC facilities or finished floors etc. When the subject of rates came up, they suggested that I should not be paying whilst the property was in this state.
From google, I see a lot on this topic:
"The test of whether a property is capable of beneficial occupation is whether the premises are ready for occupation as a building, it was not whether the premises are fit to be used by a specialist occupier or for some special purpose."
Does anybody have any recent experience of claiming a nominal valuation during works of this nature?
PS - previous tenant used up the full vacancy allowance, so that's a no-go.
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