Catalyst Rating is a specialist business rates consultancy that advises property occupiers and investors in England.
Business Rates in England raise over £25 billion per annum making it one of the highest commercial property taxes in the world. Continuous tinkering of the appeal process, legislation and reliefs over recent years has created a convoluted tax where only a fraction of rate payers appeal. Further significant changes are due in 2026, meaning professional rating advice is now more crucial than ever.
We help reduce the burden of business rates no matter your property type, size or location.
Services
If you pay business rates, Catalyst Rating can help mitigate your ongoing liability and maximise historic savings. We undertake a thorough review of the Rateable Value (RV) applied to your property and help navigate the Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) process.
Occupier Services
By working closely with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and local Councils, we explore all potential avenues for business rates savings including:
- Factual inaccuracies such as excessive measured areas
- Tone of the list – where rental evidence or comparable properties support a reduction in the rate per square metre
- Material Change in Circumstances – such as temporary discounts to reflect nearby disruptive building or road works
- Splits and mergers – for example merging contiguous office floors can often reduce the overall RV
- New occupiers – we ensure the Rateable Value is correct and as low as possible from the outset, including checking rates are not paid prematurely
- Empty property relief – full and partial vacant property relief or exemptions for listed buildings
- Valuation Tribunal – in the rare scenario that your case is not agreed at the Challenge stage, we have a successful track record of taking cases to Valuation Tribunal
Advice & Management
As part of our ongoing service, we also assist with:
- Budgeting – annual rates liability advice and bill checking including forecasting for the 2026 Rating List
- Completion of request for rental information forms and compliance with Duty to Notify from 2026
- Legislative updates that may impact your business rates liability or the appeal process
Owner Services
If you are a landlord or developer with an empty commercial property, we can help mitigate ongoing rates costs. We formulate a custom and proactive strategy which includes:
- Deletion Appeals – for property under refurbishment, being stripped out or complete demolitions
- Rates mitigation – temporary occupation to secure successive periods of empty rates relief
- Completion Notice Advice – ensuring business rates on new properties are not paid prematurely
- Occupation prohibited by law – exempting properties from business rates that pose a health or safety risk
