The Rating Winter Briefing
2025 – A Period of Uncertainty
The winter briefing provides a valuable and technical briefing on rating matters, 6 months after the National Rating Day. This years programme seeks to assist practitioners navigate some of the uncertainties faced by the industry.
| Start Date | Venue | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 January 2025 | Eversheds Sutherland LLP, London | £225 | BOOK |
Note: All prices are to be paid in GBP and are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate
Download and print your full course brochure here
We have had 14 years of Conservative governance and they did bring forward reforms to the rating system and gave the VOA the investment to work more efficiently. This included money to invest in new technology and replace outdated systems aimed at providing a better service for customers and additional future policy flexibility.
But the July election delivered a large Labour majority and Labour were careful not to reveal their hand during the election, other than that they plan to reform the rating system. The National Rating Day in June heard some of the options that could be brought forward, but so far, there have been no policy announcements other than removal of charitable relief for public and independent schools.
Thus, the reforms from the previous administration continue. Workloads in private practice remain heavy, and any uncertainty simply creates anxiety to do the day job.
Speakers
- Richard Williamson MRICS BSc (Hons) IRRV (Hons), National Head of Rating, GL Hearn Limited; President of The Rating Surveyors' Association
- Nick Cooper, Business Rates Revaluation Team Leader, Local Taxation Division, Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
- Myles O'Brien MRICS IRRV (Hons), Head of London Business Rates & Valuer Operations, GL Hearn Limited; Vice President of The Rating Surveyors' Association
- Sarah Sharp, Director of Mass Appraisal, Council Tax Reform and Customer Compliance, Valuation Office Agency
- Dan Walsh, Team Lead - Agent Standards and Compliance Team, Valuation Office Agency
- Simon Griffin BSc (Hons) MRICS, Rating Director, Jones Lang LaSalle; Immediate Past President of The Rating Surveyors' Association
- Alison Gidman Dip Surv MRICS, NDR Customer Journey Owner and CCA Senior SME, Valuation Office Agency
- Blake Penfold BSc FRICS MCIArb, Business Rates Consultant, Blake Penfold Consultancy
- Tim Johnson BSc (Hons) MRICS, Senior Director, CBRE; Past President, The Rating Surveyors' Association
- Karl List BSc (Hons) MRICS Dip.Rating, Complex Appeals and Case Manager, Valuation Office Agency
- James Feltham BSc MRICS, Technical Adviser - Litigation and Technical Policy Team, Chief Valuer Group, Valuation Office Agency
- Josh Myerson FRICS Dip.Rating IRRV (Hons), Partner and Head of Rating, Montagu Evans LLP; Vice Chair of the Rating Diploma Holders' Section of the RICS
- Simon Green, Head of Business Rates, Gerald Eve LLP; Senior Vice President IRRV
- Dawn Bunyan BA (Hons) MRICS, Valuation Office Agency
Programme
Welcome and Introduction from the Conference Chair
What is Happening in the Market?
Policy Uncertainty
Agent Standards, Check Compliance and Challenge Penalties
- Penalties for failing to comply
- Clarity and practicalities on how to comply
- Whose judge and jury?
- What will the appeals regime look like?
Check Uncertainty
- When is the right time to submit your checks?
- What’s inhibiting submitting checks now?
- Are we to repeat the check spike at the end of the existing List?
- What needs to go into the Checks?
Talking Heads Live and In Person – Topical Legal and Valuation Issues
- Fit Out of Offices
- Large vacant shops
- Recent UTLC decisions
- “Locality” for material change of circumstance
- Agricultural exemption
- How to analyse incentives
- The hierarchy of evidence and company voluntary arrangements
The Transparency Uncertainty; How Transparent Do we Have to Be? What Next from the VOA’s Consultation?
Programme followed by a Drinks Reception.