Trusted Advice

Investor & Developer Approach

Strategic Solutions

No project or strategy to mitigate empty rates is ever the same, the ForeView teams combined experience of over 35 years has covered many different property types and hundreds of different scenarios.

Ed and Sam who lead the ForeView Investor and Developer advisory team have advised some of the largest developers, property companies and funds in the UK in managing their Business Rates liabilities across complex assets and large portfolios in ensuring their rates exposure is minimised.

Overview of Our Services

New developments

Are you due to achieve Practical Completion shortly? Foreview can help you implement a strategy to defer the commencement of your empty rates liability well beyond Practical Completion.

Reaching practical completion shouldn’t automatically be the trigger for an empty rates liability on a vacant speculative development. It is critical that each case is taken on its merits and the Local Authority are guided through the individual circumstances. ForeView provide specialist advice allowing a property owner to be certain they are not paying empty rates earlier than they should.

Empty Rates Liability Exemptions

We have a proven track record in the successful application and justification for securing reliefs and exemptions on behalf of ratepayers.

Not all vacant commercial property should be subject to empty rates. Exemptions are wide reaching and specific to the individual circumstances. The ForeView team have decades of experience in successfully applying specialist exemptions to empty rates liability, dealing directly with the Local Authority on behalf of the owner.

Redevelopment and Refurbishment projects

Are you planning or already undertaking works to a property? We can advise on the scope for removing your liability from the earliest possible date.

At what point is a refurbishment project significant enough to compel the Valuation Office to delete the assessment from the rating list? ForeView proactively work with clients in a refurbishment project to ensure that the works being undertaken will be enough to secure the deletion and removal of the liability. We also provide advice on what additional works or sequencing of works will likely secure a deletion and budgetary advice around the level of savings.

Temporary Occupation / Rates Mitigation

ForeView work with a stable of genuine occupiers to provide a robust solution to our clients whilst maximising savings.

Where we are unable to completely remove an empty rates liability, our method of last resort is a temporary occupation rates mitigation scheme. ForeView work closely with a number of long-established businesses with legitimate occupational requirements. We provide a quick quote for these solutions which detail the gross and net savings. ForeView manage the entire process to ensure seamless delivery that maximises savings.

Budgeting & Forecasting

Our trusted experts can provide detailed budgetary advice to assist with acquisitions and development appraisals.

Empty Rates are an important consideration for all commercial property owners, even when there is no immediate vacancy. If you are looking to acquire commercial property ForeView provide detailed advice on any existing or future empty rates liability and how best to mitigate that liability.

Rateable Value Appeals

Reducing the occupational rates payable across your portfolio can help you drive the value of your assets.

Value appeals are becoming increasingly important to property owners across their portfolios on both occupied and vacant property. On occupied property it’s important to consider whether the tenant is paying more than they should and how reducing their assessment might assist their tenants with occupational property costs. On vacant property, an inflated Rateable Value can impact on the letting prospects. ForeView are able to provide appeal advice across a portfolio allowing you to decide where to take action.

Demolition Strategy

Let our experts handle the administrative process to ensure you stop paying empty rates as quickly as possible.

Full property demolition will of course result in the deletion of the rating list entry, although a formal proposal still needs to be submitted to the Valuation Office. Our strategic advice is tailored to ensuring the deletion and removal of the liability is as early as possible in a project. If planning is preventing full demolition from commencing Foreview can provide advice on early strip out works which will ensure the property is deleted from the list.

Rate Management & Compliance

Outsource your rate payment and management process to our experts and eliminate the risk of non-compliance.

ForeView offer a tailored service, whether checking the accuracy of your rates bills, authorising direct debits, paying rates bills on your behalf or taking control of the entire process. Concise reporting and financial budgetary advice allows for better decision making and planning to ensure there are no unforeseen circumstances. With the impending duty being upon ratepayers to submit annual compliance returns and to notify the Valuation Office Agency of changes to your properties, ForeView are the trusted partner in ensuring all aspects of compliance are covered with forecasting and budgetary advice being at the fore. Eliminate the risk of non-compliance regardless of the number of properties by letting ForeView take responsibility.

Our Specialist Team

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Sam Walters MRICS

Co-Founder

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Edward Searle MRICS

Co-Founder

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Mike Kwiatkowski

Director - Data, Insight & Analytics

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Max Tann MRICS

Director