Business Premises: Empty Property

(asked on 18th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will ensure that commercial landlords are subject to full business rates in the event that the property is unoccupied.


Answered by
Kemi Badenoch Portrait
Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
This question was answered on 25th November 2021

The business rates system ensures that the owners of most empty buildings pay 100% of the business rates bill once the property has been unoccupied for three months (or six months for industrial buildings). But we recognise that avoidance and evasion of business rates on empty properties are important concerns for local government so we are undertaking further detailed work and will consult on measures next year.

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