Properties used for self-catering are assessed as either liable for business rates, or council tax. The criteria for determining which payment is appropriate changed in April 2023. The assessment is done by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), not the council. To do this, the VOA considers the availability and actual letting arrangements.
The new criteria
In England, your property must be both:
Available for letting commercially (with a view to making a profit) for short periods. These short periods must total 140 days or more in the previous, and in the current year and,
Actually let commercially for 70 days or more in the previous 12 months.
No, but the VOA will look at a property’s letting arrangements during to assess whether the new criteria are met. If the property does not meet the criteria, the property will be removed from the Local Rating List for Business Rates purposes and instead will be included in the Council Tax Valuation list.
The VOA will issue a notice to both the Owner and the Council when a change is made to the Valuation List. The VOA will be doing this as a rolling programme. If the property is moved from Council Tax to Business Rates or vice versa, then a new bill will be issued when the Council has been told.
This is a relief for Business Rate properties under a certain rateable value. For information about the current scheme and an application form please see Business Rates Reliefs.
No. That relief only applies to Business Rate properties. There is no reduction for empty Council Tax properties in Harrow. As the occupation will be for short periods of time only, if you carry on renting it as a self-catering property then, as the Owner, you will be responsible for the Council Tax. For more information property owners can visit gov.uk
Any appeal must be made to the VOA. Details about this will be sent to you when you are told about the change. You must continue to pay your Business Rates or Council Tax as billed, until you are told about the decision.