The 2017 Rates Revaluation forms are starting to hit the doormats

For those new to self-catering, this is a very detailed and personal form to have to complete, and comes as a shock to many.

The unfriendly 14 day deadline is in place due to the Lands Valuation (Scotland) Act 1854.   Your Assessor knows that this is a challenge for us to meet, so a note back to the Assessor saying that the forms will be returned would be helpful.

By law, the Assessors have to arrive at rateable values for self-catering businesses.   Normally, Assessors look at the rent which businesses pay for their premises, but self-catering units, unlike shops and factories, just do not have a sufficient amount of let subjects, so the Assessors have to seek a typical income and expenditure pattern for our sector.   Given that investments can come in large chunks, they ask for three years of figures so as to iron out troughs and peaks.

In an industry sector which has a mix of lifestyle businesses with the more commercial, the Assessors ask about Quality Grading and ASSC membership as a guide to where a business sits.   Assessors tell us that they are genuinely seeking middle ground, and there is no question of high achievers being penalised.   Rateable Values are set per bed space to a formula agreed with ASSC.

Your proposed 2017 Rateable Value will be notified to you by your local Assessor, and can also be found on the Assessors’ portal at www.saa.gov.uk where the rateable value (and Council Tax banding) of any property in Scotland may be found by simply by putting in a postcode.

ASSC Members are advised to check their new valuations against those of other similar establishments and to tell the Assessor, and the ASSC, if there appears to be a big discrepancy in values. Default acceptance can raise the overall ‘tone’ of the Roll and make it more difficult for unfair valuations to be adjusted, so it is important to appeal any ‘out of line’ Revaluation Notices within six months.

ASSC has been working closely with the Assessors for many years, and it is significant that few self-catering businesses had to make an appeal before the Valuation Appeal Committee for the 2010 revaluation.   Hopefully, things will go smoothly for 2017.

There is more detail on the Council Tax and Rates Guidance Sheet, including information about the Small Business Bonus Scheme. Access to Guidance Sheets is exclusive to Members of the ASSC.  Join now!