# Business Rates on Private Stables?



## Maloo (25 November 2009)

Not sure where is the best place to post this but I need some help / advice...
We have had stables at home for over 10 years since we bought a bit of a field next door to us.  the advice from our council at the time was to apply for change of use from Agriculture to Amenity land and then apply for permission to put up 3 stables a feed room and hay store.. which we did.

Well a couple of months ago we had a card stuck through the door from the valuation officer wanting to come and value the stable for non domestic rates (WTF?) when quizzing them on the phone the stables as they are not in the curtailage of our garden need to be rated separately (anyone else in this situation??) but not to worry as it would only be a nominal amount for a couple of hundred pounds.  Imagine my shock when on receiving a bill for well over £500 for this year and now the value has come through for next year as Business Rates and are over £1,500 !!!  
Now we do not run a business from home - in fact there is a covenant on the property to stop us from running a business, also when applying for planning permission it was clearly stated that is would only be for personal use..

So has anyone else had an experience like this? 
Does anyone elses have stables in a field next to their house (separated by a muddy unadopted track) and are charged rates as a separate bill to their house? 

Am really struggling with this as it is pushing OH over the edge - he is all for getting rid of the horses and bulldozing the stables!!!!!

Any help advice gratefully received (even if its to tell me to stop moaning and that you have been paying extra for years!)

Thanks


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## dieseldog (25 November 2009)

Not quite the same situation as you as our stables did use to be a Riding School/livery yard.  But it hasn't been a business for about 5 years.

It is actually cheaper to keep paying the rates than to declare the buildings no longer business use as there is no such thing anymore as empty property rates.

We can claim Small Business use (something like that) that will half your rates bill - I think it is for anything under £10K rateable value.

Our rates that we physically pay is soewhere between £1-2.5K not too sure.

Phone the BHS as they really helped us in the past with getting the rates reduced.


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## Booboos (25 November 2009)

Get yourself a planning consulting asap! My experience of the council and planning is that they will try to get away with anything they can and you need someone knowledgeable fighting your corner! I have been told rubbish more than once from the local planners only for them to 'change their minds' once my planning consultant had written to them demanding for proof for their claims.


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## oofadoofa (25 November 2009)

Have just had a word with one of the planning consultants here (told them it was for a friend, not that I'm on HHO!!).  They said as long as the planning permission is not for commercial use and is for equestrian/amenity then you should not have to pay rates and you can appeal.


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## lizziebell (25 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
Have just had a word with one of the planning consultants here (told them it was for a friend, not that I'm on HHO!!).  They said as long as the planning permission is not for commercial use and is for equestrian/amenity then you should not have to pay rates and you can appeal. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto - appeal against this. The VAO sometimes need a helping hand in getting things right. We have had numerous problems on our business rates with them over the last 6 months. Had them visit twice and they still couldn't get our bill right. We had to work it out oursleves and then tell them what we should be paying !!


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## Maloo (25 November 2009)

Ooooh thanks for all that - currently trying to put a letter to them now along the lines what are the rates based on - ie commercial livery yards in the area etc (as per advice received via BHS) as it can never be rented out on a commercial basis, the valuation officer firstly went down the route of non domestic and now the latest states business rates - all a far cry from the first convo of only being a couple of hundred pounds  GRRR!!


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## carthorse (25 November 2009)

I have a field with 5 wooden stables on ,I have planning for these stables but it says I can't run a business there. Next door they have they same amount of land and stables but no planning. I pay [ and have for 20 years ] non domestic rates , they pay nothing. I asked the council about this and they came out and said my rates were correct and did I want to complain about next door , which of course I didn't.
They did say that if they were connected to my house it would be valued together maybe they should do that with yours but not sure we ever win. good luck.


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## Fiona (25 November 2009)

When we bought our place 7 years ago it was rated as a business as the previous owner had run shooting supplies shop from one of the outbuildings.  Obviously one of the first things we did was to call the council to come out and re-rate it as private which was done with no problems (although our bill still went up a bit as the property hadn't been valued for so many years).  Our stables are built on a piece of ground that was not within the original cottage curtilage (was purchased about 30 years ago by the previous owner) and nothing like what you say was ever mentioned to us.

Good luck in wording your letter back to the planners/council.

Fiona

PS - how is your lovely grey keeping now.  Is he feeling any better???


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## Maloo (26 November 2009)

Thanks all for your advice - letter almost completed!

Fiona - my grey is on the mend - albeit slowly (latest update in Vets)

Maloo


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## Willcocks (6 October 2010)

Sadly the law governing business rates (The Local Government Finance Act 1988) is different to the Town and Country Planning Act which governs planning Law, this is "Great" Britain and you should expect such anomalies, in brief s.66 of the LGFA defines domestic use (ie Council Tax) as within the domestic curliedge and the VOA tend to interpret this as needing to be in the garden! All other property is subject to Non Domestic Rates (often known as business rates). The system is totally unfair, archaic and inconsistent. Do consider appealing against this but ensure you seek the guidance of a chartered suveyor, I specialise is such issues through my firm Clark & Willcocks Ltd and a local surveyor will be a safer bet and often cheaper than one of the Rating Cowboys who act like ambulance chasers. Remember that on appeal you might end up paying more. If your RV (Rateable value is less than £15,000 speak to your local authority and apply for small business rate relief this could save you up to 50% if your RV is under £5,000 and for the current year 100%. 
More importantly this is another hang up from our last government and all stable owners may well end up paying thousands a year for the priviledge of owning a stable or two. Time for the country to stand up properly and let the government know that we will not be pushed around. Time also for the horse magazines to publicise this issue better. If you are not rated, keep your head down and do not let the Valuation Office near your land without proper representation handy. This is a rating matter not a planning matter. Best of Luck... Nicholas Willcocks


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## Minstrels19 (29 January 2011)

We have just finished building a holiday let and when they came out to rate it they took photographs of our stables and sand school and yes, they have rated it separately, really jaw dropping, I thought they were joking at first as we have four elderly equines  they are apparently classed as non domestic animals, though I am quite prepared to let them live  in the house if they'll drop this ridiculous charge, I know countless people struggling to care for horses on their own land who aren't even aware this tax exists, the joke is that we all get land so that we don't have to pay huge livery fees.


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## FRESHMAN (31 January 2011)

Sorry folks whilst I do not agree with it the VOA, are working within the law. If you do not have either:
A. Private Dwelling with stables within the curtilage (sp) of your home ie garde You are required to pay NNDR (National Non Domestic Rates)
b. If you do not have a dwelling whatsoever with the stables ie : a seperate yard you pay NNDR.
Which is why I get on my high horse when I speak about those that are renting out & not paying NNDR. Of course they can do it on the cheap !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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