How to Appeal Your Business Rates: Check, Challenge, Appeal
Written by Scott Jones, founder of CommercialPropertyKiln · Last updated
Spot something wrong? Report an error. We reply within 48 hours.
If your rateable value looks too high against market evidence, you can challenge it through the VOA's Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) process. Getting the rateable value reduced cuts the bill for the life of the rating list.
Step 1: Check
Register a business rates valuation account with the VOA and claim your property. You then submit a Check, confirming or correcting the facts the valuation is based on, such as floor areas and use. Allow time for the property claim to be approved.
Step 2: Challenge
Once the Check is complete you can submit a Challenge. You normally have 4 months from the Check decision to do so, extended to 16 months from the Check submission where the Challenge is about a change in the surrounding area, such as long-term roadworks. This is where you argue the rateable value is wrong, supported by evidence: comparable rents, the physical state of the property, and any material change of circumstances. Include plans, photographs and comparables.
Step 3: Appeal
If the Challenge is rejected you can appeal to the independent Valuation Tribunal. You must appeal within 4 months of the VOA's Challenge decision. If the VOA has not decided your Challenge within 18 months, you can appeal without waiting for it. A fee applies, and professional representation is strongly advisable at this stage.
Material change of circumstances
A material change, such as long-term roadworks or a change to the property or locality, can be grounds for a reduction. If a Challenge succeeds, the reduction normally applies from the start of the rating list, so overpaid rates are refunded.
Getting help
Reputable rating surveyors work on this, but be wary of firms making unrealistic promises or demanding large upfront fees. For the wider picture, see the 2026 revaluation and the new duty to notify the VOA of property changes.
What are the three stages of a business rates appeal?
Check (confirm or correct the facts), Challenge (argue the value is wrong with evidence), and Appeal (to the independent Valuation Tribunal if the Challenge is rejected).
When does a reduced rateable value take effect?
If a Challenge succeeds, the reduction normally applies from the start of the rating list, so overpaid rates are refunded.
What is the deadline to challenge my business rates?
You normally have 4 months from the Check decision to submit a Challenge, extended to 16 months from the Check submission where it concerns a change in the surrounding area. You then have 4 months from the Challenge decision to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.