VOA figures reveal 100,000 business ratepayers using the CCA appeal system

New figures recently released by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) have revealed that ratepayers now using the new “Check, Challenge Appeal” system, registered 100,740 ‘Checks’ between 1st April 2017 and 30th June 2019, the first stage of the appeal process.

The VOA also revealed that between the same dates, a total of 89,440 ‘Checks’ in England were resolved with 68% of those (60,500), being either agreed or partially agreed.

The positive to take from these figures is that the number of first stage ‘Checks’ being settled has risen of late but there are still worrying signs that appeals are stuck in a holding pattern at the ‘Challenge’ stage where many could be approaching their deadlines to get to the final appeal stage.

Councils across England are estimating that the cost of the appeals will be £1.1bn for 2019/20, which would amount to approx. 4 per cent of the total £25bn that Councils in England are expected to collect (according to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) in business rates this year.