Rates appeal system unsatisfactory

 Rates appeals system unsatisfactory

The Government’s revamp of the business rates appeals process has received an overwhelming thumbs down from businesses. A freedom of information request to the Valuation Office Agency reveals that 71% of companies were "very dissatisfied" while less than 3% said that they were "very satisfied". The Federation of Small Businesses, which had warned that the system "seemed designed to be hostile" to companies, said that the figures "set out starkly how badly small businesses are being treated". Mike Cherry, national chairman of the FSB, said that businesses were being "forced to navigate a bureaucratic platform beset by glitches. You"re given no in-person support whatsoever, no phone line to ring or live chat where you can ask questions. Uploading supporting material is time-consuming and there"s limited detail around what constitutes the right supporting documents."

Source:   The Times (24/04/2018)