Petitioner: Mr P Muir on behalf of Colliers International
Status:
Closed
Date Lodged:
01 March 2013
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to review its decision to postpone the 2015 non-domestic rates revaluation to 2017
Summary:
15 March 2013: The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 on the grounds that the Local Government and Regeneration Committee recently considered the Valuation (Postponement of Revaluation) Scotland Order 2013 (draft) and recommended that it be approved. Link to Official Report 15 March 2013 (438KB pdf)
Businesses require the Revaluation to take place in 2015 and not 2017. Recent case law has forbidden the use of current rental levels to secure reductions in Rateable Value between Revaluations.
The delay will mean that ratepayers will have to pay their annual rates liability based on pre-recessionary rental levels. This measure can only lead to the closure of yet more businesses, who have been relying on the 2015 Revaluation to reflect true rental levels.
High Rateable Values on current vacant units will more than ever deter any potential occupier from taking a vacant unit.
This measure, coupled with the recent changes to empty property relief (now enacted legislation), can only increase the suffering for both landlords and their tenants.