Business Rates Guide

Business Rates for Offices

Office valuations are based on price per square metre — but many offices are valued higher than comparable properties nearby. Check yours for free.

Free, instant check. No email required.

VOA-Registered Agent
Free bill review
£29 council letter + VAT
Conditional VOA fee capped at £399 + VAT

Common Issues for Offices

These are the most frequent problems we find when checking business rates for offices.

1

Remote and hybrid working has reduced demand for office space, but many valuations have not adjusted accordingly

2

Office rates are based on price per square metre, and even small differences in the rate can mean large overpayments

3

Many serviced and flexible office spaces are paying rates based on traditional office valuations

4

The 2026 revaluation will use April 2024 rental evidence — if your market has softened, your rates should too

Reliefs That May Apply to Your Office

We check every available relief as part of your property assessment. These are the most common for offices.

Small Business Rate Relief

Up to 100%

Up to 100% off the main property where its RV is under £15,000; additional properties can be permitted within individual and aggregate RV limits.

Supporting Small Business Relief

Cap on increase

Caps your annual bill increase at the higher of £800 or the transitional cap if you're losing Small Business Rate Relief (or 2025-26 RHL relief).

Empty Property Relief

100% (time-limited)

No rates to pay for the first 3 months your property is empty (6 months for warehouses and industrial).

What a review establishes

For a office with a listed rateable value of £32,000, we first test the valuation and eligibility evidence.

Listed RV

£32,000

VOA starting point

Evidence review

Required

area, use, tone and relief facts

Bill result

After verification

full statutory calculation

Payable bill and savings are only shown after verification of the complete bill, including transition, relief interactions and local charges.

How We Help Offices

1

Check

We compare your office's rateable value against VOA data for similar properties and check for Small Business Rate Relief, Transitional Relief.

2

Challenge

If we find you're overcharged, we write to your council to claim the relief you're owed.

3

Protect

Free property monitoring flags relevant changes. Any council or VOA work is scoped and priced separately.

Clear service pricing

Review free. Pay only for the next step you choose.

Council correction letter: £29 + VAT. Separately authorised VOA Challenge: 10% of confirmed liability savings, capped at £399 + VAT; £0 if there is no confirmed liability reduction.

Check Your Office's Rates in 60 Seconds

Free, instant check. No email required. See your savings potential and find out if you are overpaying.

Offices: Frequently Asked Questions

How are office business rates valued?
Offices are typically valued on a price-per-square-metre basis using Net Internal Area (NIA). The VOA compares rental evidence from similar offices in your area to set the rate. Different floors, facilities, and locations within the same building can attract different rates.
Has hybrid working affected office valuations?
The shift to hybrid working has affected office rental markets in many areas, but VOA valuations are based on the antecedent valuation date — not current market conditions. The 2026 revaluation (using 1 April 2024 evidence) may better reflect post-pandemic office markets.
Can I challenge my office rates if comparable offices pay less?
Yes. If similar offices in your area have lower rateable values per square metre, this can be strong evidence for a Check or Challenge. We automatically compare your property against the VOA data for comparable offices to identify discrepancies.
Do small offices qualify for any reliefs?
If your office has a rateable value below £15,000, you may qualify for Small Business Rate Relief, which can reduce your bill by up to 100%. This is one of the most commonly missed reliefs for small businesses operating from modest office space.