Business rates question

[fridaypassion]

We have a 1000sq ft Unit for our business thats exempt from business rates. As our business is a little seasonal (sports car sales) it would be good to take on some additional space in the summer which we have a few no ties options locally. The question is if we take on a second premises would we only get relief on the small one? or neither? Or both?

[JimmyConwayNW]

If you put it into someone else's name you will get rate relief.

My business premises and workshop are in my name and my business partners name separately for rates purposes.

[Birkin1932]

I thought it was the size of the rateable value that got you relief. I would bet if you had another same size unit in the same area you would get the same relief surely?

[Chrisgr31]

The small business relief is Rateable Value based, although there is an exemption for 2nd properties that are really really tiny. So you would lose the relief on both units by taking a second unit.

If the second unit was adjacent to the first then you could ask for the assessments to be merged, that way you would probably still get some relief just not 100%.

As regards putting the second unit in a different name it might work, but technically is illegal unless they are ccupoed by two different businesses and even then they have to have different directors.

[JimmyConwayNW]

We have sales at one site and service/repair at the 2nd.

[Chrisgr31]

JimmyConwayNW said:

We have sales at one site and service/repair at the 2nd.

If they are trading under the same name, or are linked you are on dodgy ground. Obviously the local authority either don't know or don't mind.