The new rateable values for the 2026 Rating List are announced today, 26^th November 2025 and will be available to view on the Valuation Office Agency website click here from 2.30pm. The release is timed to coincide with the Budget so there is a lot for business owners to process and we have put together a useful Q&A with Alastair Fearn, Director in our Business Rates Team to help businesses a guide as to what the rateable value means to them.

When Do the New Rateable Values Take Effect?

The new rateable values, announced today, will take effect from 1^st April 2026 and are intended to last for a period of 3 years.

How Do I Know What The Rates Payable Will Be?

This depends on the size of the rateable value and also whether the business qualifies for Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Relief or Small Business Rate Relief.

How is The Rateable Value Calculated?

For the majority of buildings i.e. Offices, Warehouses, Shops & Restaurants the rateable value is based upon the rate per square metre derived from comparable evidence.  For trading premises such as Pubs, Wedding Venues & Hotels, the rateable value will be based upon the trade performance of the property.  On a very simple basis, the Rateable Value should reflect the rental value of the property as at 1^st April 2024.

Can I Appeal The New Rateable Value?

Yes, you can appeal the rateable value from 1^st April 2026.  This can be done by the Valuation Office Agency website using their system which is known as Check, Challenge, Appeal.

Alastair Fearn, Director in FHP’s Business Rates Team added:-

“We have seen some large increases to rateable values, particularly in the industrial & warehousing sector and the 5 new multipliers, announced in the Budget today, creates further confusion for ratepayers.  Our team are ready to provide advice to any ratepayers who want help in understanding and challenging their new rateable values.”

If you would like any further information on the 2026 Rating List or on how to appeal your existing 2023 rateable value, please contact Alastair Fearn (07917 460025 / alastair@fhp.co.uk) of FHP Property Consultants or one of the team on 0115 950 7577.

ENDS

26 November 2025

It feels like the Budget on 26^th November 2025 cannot come quick enough with growing uncertainty of what may be announced.  We do know that there will be changes to the way business rate charges are calculated and below is a brief rundown of what we expect:-

• 5 new multipliers! – Despite to calls to simplify the business rates system, the Government are intending to introduce 5 new multipliers with the relevant multipliers depending on the rateable value of the property and whether or not you are in the retail, hospitality & leisure industry. 

• Abolition of Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Relief  – Businesses in these sectors currently benefit from a 40% reduction.  However, this is to be removed and will be replaced a lower multiplier as per the above bullet point. 

• New Rateable Values – It is anticipated that the rateable values will be announced on Budget day or shortly afterwards. These new values will come into effect from 1^st April 2026. 

• Transitional Relief Scheme – There will be a new Transitional Relief Scheme implemented to phase in any rateable value increases and there will be no downwards transition so once the rateable values drop will immediately benefit from the reduction. 

• Supporting Small Business Relief – We anticipate that those businesses currently benefiting from Small Business Rate Relief will lose that relief in the 2026 Rating List due to Rateable Value increases will have the increases phased in.

• Empty Property Rates – We are not expecting any changes to Empty Property Rates rules in England despite Scotland & Wales having far more strict regimes. 

Alastair Fearn, Director of FHP’s Business Rates Team commented:-

“It will be interesting to see the new multipliers as I anticipate that the loss of the 40% retail discount will be felt keenly by many operators in that sector. I do not expect the new multiplier for qualifying properties of rateable value £50,000 or more to benefit from much relief although I am happy to be proven wrong.  Once the new rateable values are announced we will be able to provide clients with forecasts and advice on routes to challenging their new rateable values.” 

For further information, please contact Alastair Fearn (07917 460025 / alastair@fhp.co.uk) of FHP Property Consultants.

ENDS

17 November 2025

FHP has announced the senior promotion of two members of its professional services team in Nottingham, as part of its ongoing growth.

The leading property consultancy has promoted Mairéad Gethings and Ian Mitchell to the role of Associate Director.

Mairéad joined FHP in 2016 as a graduate surveyor, having previously worked for the company’s sister firm, FHP Living.

Mairead has since gone on to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor and provides bespoke advice on rating, valuation and landlord and tenant matters for all commercial property types, to a wide range of local and national clients.

Ian is a former business rates manager at Nottingham City Council, where he was responsible for the collection of c.£130 million per year in business rates.

He previously worked at the Valuation Office Agency in the London Borough of Greenwich and provided technical rates assistance at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, before joining FHP in 2017, where he specialises in reducing clients’ business rates liabilities.

FHP Director, Alastair Fearn, said that it is fantastic to be able to make the two promotions, after what has been a challenging year for the commercial property sector.

Alastair Fearn said:

“Mairead and Ian are both great to work with and in different ways made great contributions and responded fantastically to the challenges of the past 18 months. This promotion reflects not only the contribution that Mairead and Ian make to the FHP Team but is also a reflection of the quality of their work”

Mairéad Gethings said:

“To be promoted to Associate Director is a proud achievement. I was grateful to be given the opportunity to undertake work experience at FHP whilst studying at University and since the business has continued to support my professional development. FHP has a great ethos and working environment that I am privileged to be a part of.”

Ian Mitchell said:

“Moving from local authority to the private sector has been hugely positive for me. FHP is a great company to work for and it’s particularly rewarding to be in a position to help businesses at a time when a lot of them are finding the financial environment a challenge.”

FHP is one of the largest private commercial property consultancies in the Midlands, with a strong track record of achieving exceptional business rate savings for a wide variety of clients, including The Linney Group, Sandicliffe, Nottingham Forest Football Club and Nissan.

FHP Property Consultants are pleased to confirm the appointment of Jon ‘Magic’ Marriott to increase FHP’s presence in the Advisory Services Sector. Jon had previously worked at FHP from 2015 to 2020, and has now re-joined the firm after a year in the Public Sector.

Despite the changing world, the need for valuations has continued unabated, which has necessitated the need for further valuation professionals.  Jon will continue to grow the valuation presence of FHP throughout the Midlands, picking up from where he left off advising national, regional and local clients on all their valuation requirements. Jon will work alongside other members of the FHP Valuation Team; Steve Gillott, Cameron Butler, Tim Richardson, Mairead Gethings, Alastair Fearn and Andrew Chapman.

Cameron Butler, Director and Head of the FHP Valuation Team at commented:-

“We are so pleased to welcome Jon back to FHP not only because of the additional skills and knowledge that he brings to our Team but also because he is great to work with. 

Over the past 12 months we have experienced a significant increase in demand for our Valuation Services across a wide range of areas. This has not just been for secured lending but also including Valuations for Academies, Residential Developments and from the Fire & Police Emergency Services.”

Jon Marriott commented:-

“I am super excited to be re-joining FHP, continuing where I left off, offering valuation advice to a wide range of clients.  It is a pleasure to be back working for such a great regional company, who have a fantastic reputation and a great team ethos.  I will be advising a variety of clients and offering my skills in the Midlands region.”

Leading property consultancy, FHP, has strengthened its business rates team by investing in the appointment of two new hires.

Business rates expert, Steve Bicknell joins the company as a specialist rating consultant, following a 31 year career with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).

Steve will be based at FHP’s Nottingham office and will have responsibility for advising FHP’s portfolio of national shopping centre clients on how best to reduce their business rates liabilities, including empty rates mitigation and Rateable Value appeals.

He will also work with a number of Fire and Rescue authorities in relation to their business rates liabilities.

A vastly experienced property valuation specialist, Steve was formerly responsible for setting the basis of valuation for properties across the Midlands in his role with the VOA and has dealt with large volumes of appeals on all sorts of property, including complex valuations.

Reece Pritchard joins FHP as a business rates account manager and will deliver a range of services to the consultancy’s shopping centre clients, including bill management and forecasting, covering business rates and empty property rates liabilities.

Reece has specialised in business rates for more than seven years and was previously a Rate Account Manager at Colliers International, servicing national clients including WeWork and The Restaurant Group. He will be based at FHP’s Colmore Row office in Birmingham city centre.

Steve Bicknell said: “When I was at the VOA, I always admired FHP because they were one of the few agents that would actually value the property rather than ‘chance’ the system as many did. Now that I am working in private practice, I believe that my knowledge and experience in setting and defending Rateable Values will stand me in good stead and help achieve results that others without this knowledge would not be able to. I’m excited to be part of the FHP team.”

Reece Pritchard said: “I am very pleased to have joined FHP and am excited to be part of a successful team. I feel that I have plenty to offer and that my skills are well suited to FHP”.

Alastair Fearn, Director FHP said: “We are very happy to have added Steve and Reece to our team. To have someone with Steve’s knowledge and experience from inside the VOA is invaluable. Reece brings a unique set of skills that we did not have previously in the business which will enable us to offer a broader range of services to our clients and improve the rates forecasting work that we undertake.”

Andrew Chapman, FHP Director added: “Whenever we recruit we are always trying to attract people who can enhance our knowledge and offering. There is absolutely no doubt that with Steve and Reece joining us that we have achieved exactly that.”

FHP is one of the largest private commercial property consultancies in the Midlands, with three offices located in Nottingham, Derby and Birmingham. The firm has a strong track record of achieving exceptional business rate savings for a wide variety of clients, including The Linney Group, Sandicliffe, Nottingham Forest Football Club and Nissan.

At the start of this “lockdown” I had no firm idea how such a unique situation was going to develop.

However, its business as usual for the FHP Block team! We are holding board meetings on Zoom or the conference call facility set up, which has been really useful and we have two team meetings a week so are currently speaking to Rob our boss far more than we normally do ?

Clients have been amazing and appreciative that we are working hard to keep all essential services going. A shout out for Barry our maintenance back up who continues to work tirelessly, responding at the drop of a hat and pick up any urgent call outs and regular checks on all the city center blocks.

Despite being couped up in apartments, residents have set up whatsapp groups, some of which we have joined, with offers of help for groceries, competitions and even a new lockdown book club!

We have stepped up together to cover new issues including increased sanitation, safeguarding for cleaners, contractors and visitors to our sites, leaks, difficulties with payments and increased pests at one particular site because the pest control company had unavoidable onsite  restrictions in place .

I miss seeing my colleagues every single day but the view from my window compensates a little!

Rachel Serio

Associate Director

FHP Block Management Team

Email: rachel@fhp.co.uk

In response to COVID -19 much help has been given by the government to ratepayers of occupied commercial property, with new reliefs, exemptions and grants made available, but there is no such help for landlords of empty properties who are expected to continue paying their rates.

FHP can help though.

Depending on the circumstances we can assist you with the following possible approaches in order to reduce or eliminate your empty-rate liability:

• Deletion of the property from the Valuation List. This can be backdated.
• Exemption from empty rates during the crisis.
• Re-setting the clock to obtain a further 3 or 6 month exempt period.
• Reduction in Rateable Value.
• Audit of your business rates bills.

Our fees are purely success related and based on the amount we save you. if we do not save you anything, there is no fee.

Please contact the FHP Rates team rates@fhp.co.uk