Business rates in Cardiff: is your bill too high?
13,771 business properties in Cardiff have a 2026 rateable value. The middle one is £8,600. See how yours compares with similar properties nearby, free.
Typical values by property type
Medians across Cardiff. Price per m² is rateable value divided by floor area, where the Valuation Office publishes a summary valuation.
| Type | Properties | Median RV | Median £/m² | Middle half £/m² | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| shops | 2,798 | £10,750 | £150 | £104–£204 | More |
| offices | 4,056 | £6,600 | £140 | £113–£178 | More |
| workshops | 811 | £9,200 | £63 | £51–£73 | More |
| warehouses | 895 | £20,500 | £62 | £48–£74 | More |
| factories | 90 | £35,375 | £47 | £40–£63 | More |
| restaurants | 312 | £36,125 | £164 | £110–£258 | More |
| cafés | 101 | £12,500 | £145 | £113–£188 | More |
| pubs | 166 | £59,675 | — | — | More |
| hair salons | 144 | £7,200 | £148 | £118–£182 | More |
| vehicle repair workshops | 138 | £8,300 | £63 | £51–£78 | More |
| day nurseries | 61 | £22,250 | £120 | £112–£131 | More |
Towns in Cardiff
Questions about business rates in Cardiff
How are business rates worked out in Cardiff?
Your council multiplies your rateable value (set by the Valuation Office) by a multiplier, then takes off any reliefs. For 2026/27 in Wales the multipliers are 35p for retail properties under £51,000, 50.2p standard, and 51.5p for rateable values over £100,000 (Welsh Government).
Is my business rates bill too high in Cardiff?
The quickest way to tell is to compare the price per m² the Valuation Office applied to your property with similar properties nearby. Our free check does that in seconds using the published 2026 list.
Can I challenge it myself?
Yes. You claim your property in a GOV.UK business rates valuation account, raise a Check, then Challenge within 4 months of the decision. Our evidence pack (£99) gives you the comparables and statement to upload.
Many no-win-no-fee rating agents charge 25% to 50% of what you save, sometimes for every year of the list.
Illustration: if a challenge cut a bill by £2,000 a year for three years, a 35% fee would be £2,100. Our RV under £51,000 pack is £99. Your result could be higher, lower or nothing.
- RV under £51,000
- £99
- RV £51,000–£149,999
- £199
- RV £150,000–£499,999
- £349
One-off, VAT included. You keep 100% of any saving.
Fee terms published by UK rating agents, surveyors and a trade-body partner service, checked October 2026. Some agents charge less (from 10%, sometimes capped) and some add upfront fees. Agents do the work for you, and RICS-regulated surveyors can be worth it for complex or high-value properties. Full comparison.
Aggregate statistics computed from the Valuation Office’s Rating List Downloads (2026 list) for non-domestic rating purposes. Individual properties are shown only through the free check. Not affiliated with the Valuation Office. Data notice