Business rates review consultation concludes: what you need to know

The government has wrapped up its technical consultation for changes to business rates reviews, a 12-week endeavour that shared more detail on the actual implementation of the new plans.

The consultation comes after October’s Fundamental Review of Business Rates, which promised some rate relief and a change to the revaluation process. While the review outlined the changes, the consultation was focused on the practicality of the initiatives and how they would look in practice.

Here’s a breakdown of five key points from the consultation:

1. Failing to provide information within 30 days of signing a new lease or a lease renewal agreement, or a change in rent could result in steep fines. For businesses with a rateable value of up to £15,000, it’s a fixed penalty of £300, with a second penalty of £60 per day until you reach compliance.

2. Similar fines await if you fail to provide changes to occupation or property characteristics – as in having a new occupant, extending a property or a change of use of the building. In these cases, you could face a fine of 2% of the rateable value change – which would have a minimum of £300.

• Place North West Insight: Richard Roberts of Roberts Vain Wilshaw on the business rates review fines

3. There’s some good news – if a ratepayer provides the required information within 14 days of a penalty notice, the value of that penalty will be halved.

4. An online service will be available for all ratepayers, through which they can both confirm the properties they’re responsible for and edit valuation information. A sanctions regime to support people to use the online service is expected to be introduced at some point in 2026 or after.

5. The business rates review process is far from over, with more consultations expected on digitalising business rates and a possible online sales tax.

Read the full technical consultation.

• Place North West Insight: Key things to know from the business rates review final report