Business rates exemptions
If you own or lease a non-domestic property which is empty, you do not have to pay business rates for 3 months (6 months for industrial premises). The relief starts from when the property becomes empty. After this time, full business rates will be payable unless your property falls under another exemption class.
If a property has not been in occupation for at least 13 weeks before it becomes empty, an exemption will not be awarded.
Exemption classes
To be exempt from paying business rates, your property must be one of the following:
- empty less than three months
- empty less than six months if a qualifying industrial property
- have a rateable value of less than £2,900 (with effect from 1 April 2017)
- an ancient monument
- a listed building
- one where occupation is prohibited by law
- kept empty by action of Crown or public authority
- the owner is bankrupt
- the owner is a trustee under a deed of arrangement
- the owner is entitled to possession as a liquidator
- the owner is entitled to possession only in his capacity as the personal representative of a deceased person
- the owner is a company in administration
- the owner is a company which is subject to a winding-up order
- In most cases the unoccupied property rate is zero for properties owned by charities and community amateur sports clubs
If the unoccupied property rate for the financial year has been reduced by order, it will be shown on the front of your bill.
Properties exempt from rating
Certain types of property are not included in the rating list for non-domestic rates and therefore are not charged business rates. These properties are shown below:
- agricultural land and buildings
- fish farms
- places of religious worship
- lighthouses, buoys and beacons
- property of drainage authorities
- parks
- properties used by the disabled
- air raid protection works
- sewers
- sporting rights
- swinging moorings
- road crossings over watercourses
- visiting forces headquarters
- crown properties
Related content
Gov.uk – Apply for Business Rate Relief (Exempted buildings and empty buildings)
Contact details
Business rates, local taxation and benefits, Municipal Offices, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0300 3030164 option 4
Telephone opening times: Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm, except bank holidays