FAQ
Questions, answered.
What are business rates and the rateable value?+
Business rates are the tax on most non-domestic properties. Your bill is based on your property's rateable value, the Valuation Office's estimate of its annual open-market rent. If that estimate is too high, you overpay every year.
How do you know if I'm overpaying?+
We compare your rateable value against measured, like-for-like assessments in the same local list. If it is materially above the evidenced £/m² tone, the checker may indicate a potential overassessment. That is not a conclusion: property facts, scheme and comparables still require specialist verification.
What does it cost?+
Nothing to check, and nothing at all unless the accepted case records a lower rateable value and actual recovery. The standard fee is 25% of the actual billing refund plus the actual annual bill saving multiplied by the time remaining in the list from the decision date, with VAT treatment shown before instruction.
How far back can I be refunded?+
The effective date and billing adjustment depend on the facts, the decision and the current list rules. The checker shows a gross list-start estimate, but your billing authority confirms any actual credit after a successful change.
Do I have to do anything?+
You give written authority, appoint the contracting Ratewise entity through the official service, verify your property facts and provide evidence. We prepare and manage the case, but you remain responsible for ensuring information supplied to the Valuation Office is accurate.
Are you like the agents the government warns about?+
The opposite. Those 'rogue agents' win instructions with inflated promises and file inaccurate claims. We only submit values the evidence supports, a specialist reviews every case, and you can see the reasoning in full.
What if my assessment is actually correct?+
We say when the automated evidence shows no material indication, or when evidence is insufficient. That is not proof every property fact is correct, but we will not manufacture a Challenge from an unsupported screen.
Which areas do you cover?+
The checker covers official rating-list entries in England and Wales. The procedural rules and deadlines are not identical, so the engagement and approved case route must confirm the correct jurisdiction. Scotland and Northern Ireland use separate systems and are not supported.