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Running on empty
In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor has the opportunity to help the commercial property sector and rescind Empty Property Rate legislation in its entirety.

Courts find in favour of legitimate avoidance
The Empty Property Rate debacle rumbles on, but two court rulings in recent months have left councils with little room for manoeuvre.

Ireland paves the way
Business rates need to keep pace with relative changes between locations and property sectors. In the Republic of Ireland, the government has grasped the nettle and a general revaluation is taking place.

Update on Business Improvement Districts
Jacquie Reilly, Director of the National BIDs Advisory Service, has penned a guest article on the challenges facing Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).

Double whammy stings executives into action
Senior executives at John Lewis Partnership, Alliance Boots and Morrisons are publicly expressing dismay at the exorbitant cost of business rates.

Unappealing tactics delay decisions
The log jam of appeals at the Valuation Tribunal service is testament to a bureaucratic mess.

Additional articles – online only

Changes to business rates
The government’s Department for Communities & Local Government has made two important announcements with respect to business rates.

“We must ease the bumps in business rates for a smoother recovery”
Brandon Lewis MP, Minister for Local Government, offers the government’s reasoning for the rating revaluation postponement.

Q&A on revaluation postponement with Brandon Lewis MP
In one of his first detailed statements on the 2015 revaluation postponement, Brandon Lewis MP responds to our questions.