Simon Alexander Consulting was founded in 2010 and launched smallbusinessraterelief.org.uk in 2014.The company offers a free business rate bill audit and ‘no win no fee’ application for eligible reliefs. Where appropriate, their rating experts will also pursue appeals to reduce or alter rate able values.
The company is able to advise on the various schemes launched or extended over the last year, in addition to Small Business Rate Relief, these include Retail Rate Relief, New Build Rate Relief and Retail Reoccupation Relief. MD Simon Wanderer told us “The government has established a system of numerous business rates reliefs and exemptions aimed at benefiting different classes of businesses and properties. However, the complexity and bureaucracy of the system has prevented many small businesses from taking advantage of the reductions available. This is where we at smallbusinessraterelief.org.uk come in, providing a professional service to ensure your business gets the business rates relief to which it is entitled”.
Simon was able to give us a couple of recent examples where their expertise had helped businesses gain the reliefs to which they were entitled. One case involved an element of restructuring, Simon explained, “We were instructed by 2 businesses who shared premises (and a single rates bill). They split a bill of approximately £5,000 per annum between them. We advised them they would be better placed formally delineating their parts of the property through separate leases. We assisted in drafting the leases and were then able to have the property shown as 2 separate rating list entries, each of
which then fell within the parameters of Small Business Rate Relief meaning both businesses enjoyed 100% rate relief.”
Another circumstance where their knowledge of the system gained a much needed relief was in the case of a social club. Simon told us, “They had not originally been deemed a qualifying business. By a careful review of the government's published guidance, we were able to persuade the council that the club was primarily a 'drinking establishment' and thus eligible for the relief, reducing their rates bill by around 15%.”
Rather than negotiate the maze of reliefs on government and council websites, the smallbusinessraterelief.org.uk process is quick and simple. In an easy to navigate process simply upload your Business Rates bill, or send it over by fax or email, and the team will get to work. Under their no-win-no-fee guarantee they will never charge any fee except a percentage of the amount they save you. No ifs, no buts. You have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.
After all, any relief on your business rates can be a big relief to your business!