Clearview National March 2015 - Issue 160 | Page 89
businessnews
In-house Legal Protection
For many window and conservatory companies,
dealing with employment issues and legal
requirements of running a business can be stressful,
time consuming and expensive; and getting
professional legal advice is often no different.
»»With this in mind, lawyer and
senior partner at Stormcatcher Law, Philip
Harmer, is spearheading the launch of a new
business support service designed to provide
the benefits of an in-house legal department
without the costs.
Philip says that the accessibility and
affordability of legal advice is central
to preventing and resolving employee
concerns, helping give the peace of mind and
confidence to focus on the business.
Contrary to the traditional arrangement,
the new service is geared to convenience
and certainty; where the lawyers come to
you or you can get instant advice tailored to
the circumstances at any time via the advice
line.
There are no hourly rates as it comes on
an “unlimited calls and usage” monthly
tariff. As well as all aspects of employment
law, tribunal representation, business law,
legal documents and dispute resolution, the
service includes help with “small claims” and
contract checking.
‘stressful, time consuming
and expensive’
For further information call 0333 700 7676
or email [email protected]
1st April 2015 deadline fast approaching
for business rate refund appeals
»»Businesses face losing out on
five years’ worth of refunds on their
business rates because of the Government’s
controversial imposition of a looming deadline
for appeals; warn real estate advisors, Colliers
International, who is spearheading a campaign
to draw attention to the fact that any business
paying Business Rates only has a number of
weeks to appeal any overcharged payments.
Companies need to lodge their appeal by
1st April 2015. This applies to any owner/
occupier or commercial property landlord,
so impacts on all types of business premises.
There are around 1.9 million commercial
properties across the UK, and in an average
year, there might be around 120,000 appeals.
This year though, more than 250,000 are
expected. But many companies will lose out
because most businesses are unaware of this
deadline or their right to appeal.
John Webber, Head of Rating at Colliers
International, fears most businesses are
unaware of the Government-imposed deadline
of 1st April 2015 for appeals on their business
rates valuations. The deadline was “almost lost
in the small print” of the Chancellor’s Autumn
Statement in December 2014 with “certainly
no attention drawn to it,” said Mr. Webber.
‘businesses could lose
out on five years’
worth of rebates’
He explained: “Despite having extended the
time period for the revaluation of businesses
on the ratings list from five to seven years
(extended to 2017) they haven’t extended
the period where businesses are entitled to
appeal.
“This means that whilst businesses will
still be able to appeal between April 2015
and 2017, any refunds or savings will only
be backdated to April 2015, meaning that
businesses could lose out on five years’ worth
of rebates.
He said: “Most businesses won’t be aware
of these changes. They haven’t been publicised
and there are genuine concerns that less
business rate savvy companies will really lose
out.
“We worry that the new deadline will
cause panic with ‘cowboys’ in the industry
persuading clients to appeal en-masse to the
Valuation Office without the due diligence,
which could result in an increase in rates
liability, ironically also dating back five
years.”
Mr. Webber feared that the Valuation
Office, which sets the rateable value for nondomestic properties, will be unable to cope
with a flood of appeals prior to 1st April 2015,
having only recently cleared a backlog of
appeals made prior to September 2013.
He added, “No-one is ready for the
impending change, neither businesses nor
the Valuation Office, and the Government
doesn’t want the appeals to be made so it’s not
highlighting this deadline to businesses.”
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