Potential savings after reliefs, before backdated payments
Your unit looks set above similar properties (about 23% above the median), but we had to widen the search beyond about 1 km to find enough comparables — treat this as indicative, not firm. A surveyor would want closer evidence before challenging. This is an estimate, not a formal valuation.
Same use class and scheme, within about 0.9 km. The tall bar is you.
£/m² (overall) — rateable value divided by floor area, so properties of different sizes can be compared like-for-like, before anything is applied to it: the multiplier, reliefs or your final bill. This is a broad-brush screening check, not a floor-by-floor valuation. Source: VOAThe government body that sets every property's Rateable Value. From April 2026 the VOA is part of HMRC (see below), but 'VOA' is still the common name for the valuation side of the work. 2026 Rating ListThe public register listing every business property's Rateable Value. The current list is the '2026 list', based on rental values from 1 April 2024..
All comparables match your use class — but we couldn’t find enough within about 1 km, so the search is widened to about 0.9 km. Treat the comparison as indicative.
| Comparable | Distance | Floor area | RV | £/m² (overall) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 140 m | 116.7 m² | £8,000 | £69 | 75% | |
| 210 m | 166.6 m² | £10,000 | £61 | 94% | |
| 230 m | 154.5 m² | £11,750 | £77 | 99% | |
| 310 m | 117.8 m² | £5,400 | £46 | 75% | |
| 860 m | 129 m² | £12,250 | £95 | 82% | |
| Your property | — | 156.6 m² | £14,250 | £85 | — |
Median comparable £/m² (overall) ≈ £69/m². Your unit is assessed at £85/m² — about 23% higher. Distances are approximate and measured from your property.
The one thing we can't see is your actual measured size. Rateable value is built from floor areas measured to a standard code — and overstated areas are the single most common error we find. Pace out your unit (or check the VOA's published measurements against reality). If the area they hold is bigger than your real floor space, that alone can cut your rateable value, whatever the rate says.
With a rateable value of £14,250, you likely qualify for Small Business Rate Relief — up to 100% off your bill if this is your only business property (under £12,000), tapering to nothing at £15,000. Relief isn't always applied automatically — check your bill and ask your council if it's missing. This is a discount on the bill, separate from whether your rateable value is right.
We couldn't find enough matches within about 1 km, so we've widened the search to about 0.9 km. Treat this comparison as indicative, not firm — distant comparables carry less weight, and a surveyor would want closer evidence before challenging.
Everything you need to challenge your rates with confidence — or to hand straight to a surveyor. One report, yours to keep.
Official VOA data · no account needed
This is an estimate, not a guaranteed saving. Business Rate Checker compares your property against similar ones in the official rating list to flag where your rateable value looks high. The figures shown — including any suggested rateable value, annual saving or backdated refund — are indicative and depend on the evidence the Valuation Office Agency (VOA, now part of HMRC) accepts. The actual outcome could be higher, lower, or nil, and in rare cases a review can leave a value unchanged or increased. Nothing here is a valuation, financial or legal advice; it's information to help you decide whether to look into your bill further.
Independent service — not endorsed by the VOA/HMRC. Business Rate Checker is an independent service. We use published rating-list data under licence, but the Valuation Office Agency (now part of HMRC) does not endorse, back, verify or take any responsibility for this site, our comparisons or our estimates. Official rateable values and any formal decisions come only from the VOA/HMRC.