Rates Plus Rating
RV finder for local authorities in England and Wales
Rates Plus Rating offer RV finder services, losses on appeals calculations and more for local authorities in England and Wales. Contact us today to find out more about what we do.
Losses on appeals calculations
Our losses on appeals calculations service is based on direct extrapolation from the whole VOA database, and specialist analysis of the headline VOA data for the Billing Authority. Line by line analysis of hereditaments within the Billing Authority area allows trend analysis by premises type and reporting to the client is by overarching report in both hard copy and electronic format.
- This service engages fully with Council Revenues and Finance based specialists in order that emerging findings establish the inputs of all relevant parties.
- Final trial conclusions of losses calculations are not finalised without a finance sense check, in which local preferences can be factored in.
- Full audit evidence and audit support included, whether by email/remote questions or direct interview.
- Losses audit includes full business case in respect of very complex and unusual premises like major fibreoptic network premises.
RatesFinder
Our consulting specialists have been at the forefront of effective tax base building services since the start of Rates Retention in 2013. Key examples of premises which are known to be at risk of undervaluation and of omission include:
- Missing floors, and undervaluation of offices.
- Missing retail units and business parks.
- Missing premises at otherwise agricultural land.
- Undervaluation and missing Telecommunications premises.
There are some features of our Rates Finder service which are simply not available elsewhere. In addition to the specialist diagnostics which have been successful in locating higher value errors with often national scope, we agree at the set-up of every assignment which workstreams will be in-scope of our work and which premises types will be excluded. This typically includes lower value premises below an RV cut off limit and may include local authority premises. All reports will be finalised for Council sign-off before submission to the VOA and supported by all evidence to ensure reports are fully complaint with the adopted VOA Bar Standards.
Consulting services
Our consulting team also has the best track record of solving more complex cases and demanding assignments, which typically do not lend themselves to being paid for on a contingent fee basis. Where we agree to complete professional services like this, we will calculate a fee proposal for the consideration and sign-off of the Council before beginning work. All fees will be fully visible to the Council before commencement because we will estimate the total number of days required and sign that off as a maximum fee at the start. Examples of assignments that have been successfully tackled in this way include:
- Support to complex Rating cases, and to cases eagerly contested by Ratepayer agents in which a contingent fee mechanism would be counterproductive.
- Contesting cases and supplying evidence at the VT.
- The effective support of Local List assessments in which there is a real risk of loss to the Central List and in which continent fee would not demonstrate best value to the local taxpayer; and:
- A wide range of specialist Local authority Revenues and Benefits consulting services.
For professional RV finder services, contact us at simon.horsington@ratesplusrating.co.uk
