Today the DCLG has announced its intention to drop plans to reform the rating appeals system from October 2014.
Under the proposed reforms making a rating appeal was to be made more onerous on ratepayers supposedly in exchange for greater access to information as to how the Valuation Office had arrived at a rateable value.
David Cownie, CBRE’s Technical Director of Rating, comments, “The proposal was unpopular since it became apparent that the additional information to be made available was so superficial it was of very little use to a ratepayer. Therefore the net effect of the proposal was just to make serving a valid appeal more difficult.”
He goes on to observe that, “The DCLG would perhaps have been mindful of the receipt of a very persuasive legal opinion from a leading rating QC which did not support the rationale relied upon by the DCLG”. Mr Cownie notes, “Whilst this decision is welcomed, we will continue to lobby for real reform and greater transparency and accountability with of the rating system on behalf of ratepayers”.