Business rates FAQs

How can I pay my business rate bill?

Your monthly instalments can be paid by a variety of methods which are detailed on the reverse of your bill. Our preferred payment option is Direct Debit. This is the only payment method which gives you a choice of four payment dates in each month and allows payment by instalments through until March.

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I do not agree that I am liable for the business rate, what should I do?

If you have received a bill and do not believe you are liable to pay business rates then you should immediately contact the business rate office (Telephone: 020 8430 3250) to resolve the matter. Do not assume that it is a mistake and do nothing.

The details on my bill are incorrect, what should I do?

You should contact the business rate office (Telephone: 020 8430 3250) on receipt of the bill and advise us of any details you believe to be incorrect.

I have received a reminder notice but have paid, what should I do?

You should contact the business rate office (Telephone: 020 8430 3250) to check whether the payment has been received on your account. It may have 'crossed' in the post. Do not assume everything is okay as the payment may have been received by us but not allocated to your account due to a lack of information. It will need to be traced by ourselves once you have provided the payment details.

My property is empty, do I still have to pay?

You should advise the business rate office (Telephone: 020 8430 3250) as soon as your property is completely empty, in order that this can be confirmed by our inspector.

I have received a summons, do I need to go to court?

If you agree that you are liable for the business rate and that the amount shown as outstanding on the summons is correct then you do not need to go to court. Payment of the full amount outstanding before the court hearing date will cancel the action. If you disagree with the amount outstanding or are unable to pay the full amount then you should promptly contact the business rate team as we may be able to offer you a short-term arrangement, however this will incur court costs.

I have lost my bill. Can I get replacement one?

Yes, contact the business rate office (Telephone: 020 8430 3250) and we can produce a replacement bill.

The description of my property includes the words 'and premises'. What does this mean?

Most properties in the valuation list have the words 'and premises' in their description e.g. 'Shop & Premises'. In this case the '& premises' would denote any parts of the shop which are not separately mentioned in the description such as a storeroom, a small kitchen area or staff toilet facilities. It will not include any domestic accommodation above the shop as this will separately be subject to Council Tax.

Does my business rate charge pay for the collection of my business rubbish?

No, unlike domestic refuse collection which is included in your Council Tax payments, businesses have to make arrangements for the disposal of their business refuse and pay for this separately. You should contact our commercial waste section on 020 8430 2000 for further information.

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