Questions
Is the check really free?
Yes. Search your property and you see its 2026 rateable value, how the Valuation Office valued it, and our verdict with an estimated saving. No sign-up. You only pay if you want the evidence pack.
Where does the data come from?
From the Valuation Office’s own published 2026 rating list and summary valuations (the same figures behind GOV.UK’s “Find a business rates valuation”). We refresh from each new data release. Figures can change between releases, so always check your property and the comparables on GOV.UK before you submit anything.
What do I get for my money?
A PDF evidence pack built for the GOV.UK Challenge form: up to 12 comparable properties with their VO references, floor areas and prices per m²; the reasoning; a proposed rateable value and effective date; a draft supporting statement written only from the facts; and a checklist of what you must add yourself. Plus a step-by-step guide and deadline reminders. £99 for rateable values under £51,000, £199 from £51,000 to £149,999, £349 from £150,000 to £499,999. VAT included. Above that, or for pubs and hotels, speak to a RICS-regulated surveyor.
Do you submit the challenge for me?
No. You submit it yourself through your free GOV.UK business rates valuation account. That keeps you in control, and it means you never share your login or pay a share of your savings. Our guide walks you through each screen.
Can you guarantee a reduction?
No, and nobody honest can. The Valuation Office decides. A challenge can lower a rateable value, leave it the same or, occasionally, raise it. If our free check says your valuation already looks fair or favourable, we will tell you not to buy the pack.
What is the £29 Check-stage pack?
GOV.UK makes everyone raise a Check (confirming the property details) before a Challenge. The Check-stage pack gives you a line-by-line list of what to check and pre-written Check answers. If you then buy the Challenge evidence pack for the same property, with the same email or from your case page, the full £29 comes off it. There is no time limit on the credit.
Can you check my reliefs as well?
Yes, free. The relief check looks at small business rate relief, the lower retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier, pubs and live music relief, rural, charitable and empty property relief in England, and the Welsh equivalents. If something looks due, a £29 relief claim pack gives you a letter to your council and the rules it relies on. The council decides.
What if small business rate relief already covers me?
In England, if your property is your only business property and its rateable value is £12,000 or less, small business rate relief usually means you pay nothing. A lower value would not save you money, so we do not sell packs at a rateable value of £12,000 or less. Check your relief with your council instead.
What is the difference between a Check and a Challenge?
A Check asks the Valuation Office to confirm the facts about your property (size, use, layout). You must raise a Check and get a decision before you can Challenge. A Challenge is where you argue the value is wrong and upload evidence. You have 4 months from the Check decision to Challenge.
How long does it take?
Claiming your property in the valuation account can take up to 15 working days. Check decisions often take a few months. If the Valuation Office has not decided your Check after 12 months, you can Challenge anyway. We track each date and remind you.
Is it better to use a rating agent?
For complex, high-value or specialist properties a RICS-regulated surveyor can be worth it. Many agents work on commission, often 25% to 50% of the savings (some charge less, from 10%), sometimes for the whole three-year list. For a shop, office, workshop or warehouse with clear local comparables, a fixed one-off fee can cost much less, depending on your saving.
Do I need to tell you the truth about my property?
Yes, and so does the Valuation Office. Giving false information knowingly or recklessly can lead to a penalty. Our pack only states what the published data says and what you tell us, clearly labelled. Read every line before you submit it.
Does it work in Wales?
Yes for the check and the pack: the 2026 list covers England and Wales. Welsh multipliers and relief rules are different, so bill estimates for Welsh properties are rougher; confirm reliefs with your council.
Who is behind Rightly Rated?
Rightly Rated is a product of ABT Ventures LTD (company 12437106), a small UK software company in Lancashire. We are not affiliated with the Valuation Office, HMRC or any council.