The business improvement relief supports businesses to invest in their property.

You can apply for a business improvement relief if: 

• you have increased the size of, or improved the physical state of an existing property
• you have occupied the property every day since the improvement works started

You can apply by emailing: business-rates@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 

In your email you must include:

• floor plans
• photographic evidence of improvements made
• your business rates account number 

A business rates inspector will visit the premises to assess if improvements have been made.

This assessment will be taken to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). They will make the final decision about whether the relief can be awarded.

A certificate showing the new rateable value will be issued by the VOA by post or email.

How much relief you can get

The business improvement relief ensures that no ratepayer will have to pay higher business rates bills on their property for 12 months.

It's possible that improvement works lead to the split or merger of a property, creating a new property. The value in the certificate is the change in rateable value from the improvement works and not from the new hereditament being larger (due to a merger) or smaller (due to a split).

The certificate can be amended during the 12 month period if further improvement works take place.