Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many appeals against business rates valuation the Valuation Office has received since the check, challenge, appeal system was established; and how many of those appeals were successful.

There are three stages to the new Check, Challenge, Appeal system:

• The Check stage allows the business or agent to understand exactly how a valuation has been calculated. It shows all the underlying facts about a property, and allows the business or agent to update the facts about the property if anything has changed. This gives individuals the opportunity to understand and agree the set of facts underlying any valuation, and to resolve any factual issues early.

• The Challenge stage allows people to challenge the valuation calculated on the basis of the facts agreed at the Check stage, if they feel that the valuation is incorrect. The Challenge stages gives the VOA the opportunity to address and resolve the issue without the need for an appeal. The VOA will present the evidence to support their decision.

• If ratepayers are still unhappy, having understood all the evidence and basis for the decision made at Challenge, they can Appeal to the independent Valuation Tribunal for England. This appeal will be undertaken on the basis of all the evidence and arguments put forward from both sides at the Challenge stage.

  While thousands of people have started using the service to question their valuation, the Valuation Tribunal Service has confirmed that, as at 18 July 2017, no appeals have been made.