Practical guides to rates and surveys.
Written from actual casework rather than generic web filler - what the 2026 rating list means for your bill, how to check your own assessment, and the recurring issues we find on older property.
Guides for ratepayers
Every commercial property in England was revalued on 1 April 2026. These explain what that means and what you can do about it.
Autumn Budget 2026: the £18,000 business rates threshold and what it means for your bill
From 1 April 2027 the Small Business Rate Relief threshold for shops, hospitality and leisure rises from £12,000 to £18,000 of rateable value, tapering to £21,000. What changes, who benefits, and why the figure on your assessment now decides whether you pay anything at all.
Read the guideThe 2026 rating list: what your new rateable value means
Every commercial property in England was revalued on 1 April 2026. What the new figure is based on, why so many assessments are wrong, and what to do about yours.
Read the guideYour rateable value: what to look for
Looking up your rateable value takes two minutes; knowing whether it is right does not. The warning signs we look for first, and the two arguments that never work.
Read the guideThe five business rates multipliers, explained
England moved from two multipliers to five in April 2026. What each one applies to, and why the £500,000 threshold is a cliff edge rather than a step.
Read the guideEmpty property rates: what you pay, and when
Three months relief, six for industrial, and a 13-week reset that catches a lot of landlords out. How empty rates actually work and where the timing decisions are.
Read the guideCheck, Challenge, Appeal: how business rates appeals actually work
A plain-English walkthrough of the three-stage CCA process, the deadlines at each stage, and why it is a job for a rating specialist.
Read the guideNo win, no fee business rates: what you actually get
Two firms can both say no win, no fee and give you a completely different service. Who handles the case, what share is charged and for how long, and when not to proceed.
Read the guideMaterial change of circumstances: when roadworks or a development next door can cut your rates
Roadworks, scaffolding, a closed access road or a demolition next door can reduce a rateable value. What counts, what does not, and why timing matters.
Read the guideHow to choose a business rates adviser in Surrey: the questions to ask
Consultant, adviser, agent or surveyor - the title is not protected. The five checks the government recommends, the warning signs, and the questions worth asking before you sign.
Read the guideLevel 2 vs Level 3 Survey: which do I need?
How to choose between an RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Survey and a Level 3 Building Survey for Surrey and South West London homes.
Read the guideCracks in houses: when should buyers worry?
A Chartered Surveyor's view on hairline cracks, progressive movement, and what really needs investigation.
Read the guideBuying a 1930s house: what a survey usually finds
Wall ties, bay windows, tired roofs, removed chimney breasts and blocked air bricks - the recurring issues on interwar semis across Surrey, and which survey to choose.
Read the guideWhat a house survey costs in Surrey
Our published fees for Level 2, Level 3, valuations, snagging and defect reports, what drives survey prices generally, and why the mortgage valuation is not a survey.
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Topics being written
Each is written from real inspection experience and published as it is ready. If a topic here is relevant to a property you are buying, get in touch and we will discuss it directly.
Common defects found in Surrey Victorian houses
Damp, sash decay, roof slope deformation, chimney movement and the recurring defects we see on Victorian terraces.
Coming soonAsk about thisDamp in older Surrey homes: common causes
Rising, penetrating and condensation damp - how a surveyor distinguishes them and why it matters for budget.
Coming soonAsk about thisShould I get a CCTV drain survey before buying?
When a drain survey is worth it, what it tells you, and how it fits alongside a Level 2 or Level 3 RICS survey.
Coming soonAsk about thisCommon roof defects found during building surveys
Slipped slates, lead flashing failures, chimney stack movement and parapet defects - and what they mean for buyers.
Coming soonAsk about thisThermal imaging during property inspections
What thermal imaging can and can't tell you about damp, insulation and missing cavity fill on a survey.
Coming soonAsk about thisWhat does a surveyor check in a loft?
Roof structure, insulation, party walls, tank rooms and the loft-level evidence a Chartered Surveyor reads on every inspection.
Coming soonAsk about this
Discuss your property with a Chartered Surveyor.
A short, no-obligation conversation is usually enough for us to recommend the right level of report and provide a fixed-fee quote.