Business Rates Audit & Recovery
You Might Be Owed a Business Rates Refund.
We audit your business rates for missed reliefs and errors — for commercial tenants, landlords, and Airbnb-style operators.
Free Eligibility Check
Answer a few simple questions so we can see if you may be eligible.
We Handle The Paperwork
We manage all required documents and submissions from start to finish.
Receive Your Refund
Once your claim has been reviewed, approved funds are released.
Simple 3 Step Process
What Is a Business Rates Audit?
Thousands of businesses overpay business rates every year — we review your account, identify errors, and recover what you’re owed.
If you operate from a commercial property — or you own a property that is charged business rates — there is a strong chance you may be entitled to relief or a refund.
This applies to:
Businesses (retail, hospitality, leisure, offices, warehouses)
Commercial property owners / landlords
Airbnb, serviced accommodation and short-stay rental operators
Many accounts are overcharged due to incorrect valuation, missed reliefs, or administrative errors.
We review up to six years of billing history, identify any opportunities for adjustment, and manage the correction process directly
1. Missed Reliefs
Many councils don’t apply relief— even when a business qualifies. We check eligibility for Small Business Rate Relief, Retail/Hospitality/Leisure relief, and more.
2. Incorrect Valuation
Properties are often assigned the wrong rateable value. We review your valuation and liaise with the Valuation Office if corrections are required.
If you’ve moved, expanded, downsized, or renovated, billing errors can occur. We review up to 6 years of records and request adjustments where appropriate.
3. Historic Overpayments
4. Administration Errors
Incorrect multipliers, missed updates, or delayed valuation changes can result in overcharging. We handle the audit and administration with your council.
How We Work
No complexity. No chasing. We confirm eligibility, manage the admin, and ensure your refund or saving is processed as quickly as possible.
Quick Check
Answer a few questions so we can confirm eligibility.
We Handle The Paperwork
We manage everything end-to-end.
Receive Your Funds
We finalise everything so funds reach you quickly.
How long does it take to receive my funds?
Timeframes vary depending on the authority and the type of claim:
HMRC refunds typically take 2–8 weeks once processed.
Business Rates refunds or reductions depend on the local council’s assessment timeline.
We’ll update you at each step.
How will I receive my refund?
Where allowed, we request the refund or saving to be paid to us using a nomination / deed of assignment.
This allows us to deduct our agreed service fee and transfer the remaining balance to you automatically.
If the authority does not accept nomination or assignment, the refund or saving will be paid directly to you.
In that case, we simply invoice for our service fee once funds have been received.
For a full breakdown of payment processes and applicable fees, please refer to our Terms and Conditions.
Do I need to pay anything upfront?
No. There are no upfront costs to start your claim or audit.
You have a 14-day cooling-off period from the date you sign our agreement.
If you cancel within those 14 days, you won’t be charged anything.
After the 14-day cooling-off period:
An administration fee may be charged to cover work already carried out, and
If the claim/audit has already been submitted to HMRC or the local authority, the full success fee remains enforceable, even if you later choose to withdraw.
For full details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions.
What is your fee?
Our fee is success-based and clearly explained before you proceed.
Our standard fee is 32.5% of any refund or saving, plus VAT (39% total).
There are no upfront costs, and the fee is only payable once your refund, saving, or adjustment has been successfully processed.
For Business Rates Audits, if a reduction or refund is approved, the fee is applied to the saving or refund amount.
Full details on fees, cooling-off rights, nominations/assignments, and cancellation policy are set out in our Terms and Conditions.
Am I guaranteed funds?
Not everyone will be eligible. That’s why we carry out a quick check first.
What information do you need from me?
Just a few basics so we can confirm who you are and check eligibility. We guide you step by step.
Typically this includes:
Pension Tax Refunds: National Insurance number, contact details, date of birth, and brief employment/pension details.
Business Rates Audit: Business name, trading address, ratepayer status, and your council account number (from a recent bill).
We only ask for what’s necessary, and your data is handled securely and confidentially.
Do I need to use Crownstead Services ?
No — you are not required to use Crownstead.
You can make a claim or submit an audit request directly to HMRC or your local council at no cost.
8.6 Billion of relief was granted from business rates in England for the 2024-25 year.
Of this, £2.1 billion was awarded under the Small Business Rate Relief scheme in that year
Our Focus
We specialise exclusively in identifying missed reliefs, errors, or overcharges in business rates.
Every audit is managed from start to finish — with no fees unless a saving is secured.
Our Process
We complete a full review of valuations, historic billing and relief eligibility.
All documentation, communication, and submissions are handled on your behalf.
Our Support
You receive a dedicated point of contact for updates throughout your audit.
No chasing, no jargon — just clear communication and a smooth experience.
Talk To the team
Call us free on 0113 4032675 or complete the form below, and a member of The Crownstead Services team will be in touch.
