Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to further support landlords of commercial properties by extending the Business Rates Expanded Retail Discount to owners of vacant retail premises.
Properties which were closed temporarily due to the Government’s advice on COVID-19 should be treated as occupied for the purposes of the business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
The Government maintains an Empty Property Relief (EPR) to support property owners between the reoccupation of vacated premises.?? Under EPR, owners of retail properties do not normally have to pay business rates on newly vacated buildings for three months.