Business Rates relief removal threat

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FelicityA
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Business Rates relief removal threat

Post by FelicityA »

Following on from another thread where I thought this discussion might get lost.....
Anyone who watches Prime Minister's question time on Wednesdays will have seen Steve Double MP for a Cornish constituency put the point that Business Rates Relief for FHLs are a "loophole" to be closed. For anyone who wants to watch on catch up it is fairly near the end of the question time slot on the BBC parliament channel

For one who appears, on his website, to be a champion of business, I find this incredible so I wrote to him asking to explain why he seems to be saying we are not worthy. I suspect he has in mind those who have holiday homes in Cornwall and do the odd AirbnB in order to make it a business. They would still of course have to have it available for the minimum number of days per year to qualify (but that could be fudged). So I think (and hope) he is talking about fraudulent claims but it seems that he is pushing for the relief to be removed from all of us.

I wrote to him at his mp email address (not his local Cornish one). steve.double.mp@parliament.uk

However, I have an automated reply that says ....."Parliamentary protocol states that I can only assist those resident in St Austell and Newquay.

MPs receive hundreds of emails every week from groups such as 38 Degrees. These take a disproportionate amount of time to respond to and my policy is not to provide individual replies."......


So, I suppose that means we won't get an answer unless we are in his constituency. Hopefully, I have at least made a point.

Is anybody here in his constituency who could challenge him more effectively?

The person who was standing in for the Prime Minister didn't actually seem that impressed and reiterated the criteria for business rates relief. Conservatives are (supposedly) champions of small businesses. I hope they will leave us alone.
Drax
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Post by Drax »

I watched Steve Double raise this issue on Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday and was surprised that a Conservative MP should want to penalise holiday home owners by wanting us to pay full Council Tax.
There is resentment and envy amongst some of the population in popular holiday 'hot spots' against second homes and owners of holiday lets and perhaps he is trying to 'tap' into this resentment in an effort to win votes at the next election.
The business rate concession that we currently enjoy could be under threat especially if a socialist government came into power.
However I believe MP's should be looking into the real reasons why Council Tax is so high and local councils are still struggling with their finances and I do not think it us holiday home owners for not paying our 'fair share'.
I should imagine the real reason is an 'elephant in the room' that no MP would dare raise because it would probably end their career.
Keep your powder dry.
russellt
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Post by russellt »

It's the use of the word 'loophole' that eats at me. I was told by the VOA 10 years ago that I had to register for business rates if i was likely to meet the criteria set by HMRC.

I contacted him at his Cornish website to suggest he focuses on genuine abuse of the system, including gas certificates and proper insurance.

Given his avoidance of contact with real folk at his Parliamentary email address, I doubt we'll hear anything from him on this.

The friends of small business? Pah!! :?
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

It's sad to target a particular part of the business community that is the lifeblood of tourist areas and I wonder if he has done his due diligence on the numbers involved.

The only reason an FHL won't pay either Rates or Council Tax is if they qualify for SBRR and there are reasons why some people won't. I also know that many second home owners are unaware firstly that they need to register for rates if they fulfill the criteria or secondly that SBRR exists!

He really is tarring genuine FHL business owners with the same brush as second home owners who simply do enough to meet the minimum qualifying days to register for rates but without meeting all the other necessary legislation.
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