The Rating Winter Briefing
Revaluation 2026 Readiness – Are You Ready?
This in person winter briefing provides a valuable and technical briefing on rating matters, 7 months after the National Rating Day. The afternoon programme seeks to assist practitioners navigate some of the uncertainties faced by the industry. A drinks reception follows this event.
| Start Date | Venue | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2026 | Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, London | £225 | BOOK |
Note: All prices are to be paid in GBP and are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate
The cyclical nature of Business Rates Revaluations provides a predictable process, albeit, we are still getting used to revaluations every 3 years. Whilst we have heard predictions on what the draft list may look like, we will soon know the actual outcomes. This will therefore be the perfect moment to have a briefing from the VOA and to get industry figures to share insights.
To complete the unpredictability of the Reval, we have business rates reliefs, a plethora of business rates multipliers and new transitional arrangements. All these matters will be addressed in the event.
R2026 is not quite the same as R2023. HMT’s “Transforming Business Rates” paper hovers in the shadows, and seems likely to result in further reforms coming forward perhaps including dealing with avoidance and mitigation schemes; in the form of GAAR (General Anti-Avoidance Regulations) which are likely to emerge following the 2025 Autumn Statement.
This programme seeks to assist practitioners navigate some of the uncertainties faced by the industry.
Speakers
- Myles O'Brien MRICS IRRV (Hons), Partner, Montagu Evans LLP; President of The Rating Surveyors' Association
- Alan Colston BSc (Hons) MRICS Dip.Rating, Chief Valuer, Valuation Office Agency
- Paul Philips, Director of Revaluation, Valuation Office Agency
- Nicola Broadbent, Head of NDR Revaluation Programme Delivery (England and Wales), Valuation Office Agency
- Debbie Warwick, Partner and Head of Rating, Daniel Watney LLP; Vice President of The Rating Surveyors' Association
- Matthew Dix, Senior Policy Advisor, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
- Nick Cooper, Technical Specialist (Business Rates), Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
- Josh Myerson FRICS Dip Rating IRRV (Hons), Head of Advisory, Montagu Evans LLP; Chair of the Rating Diploma Holders' Section of the RICS
- Blake Penfold BSc FRICS MCIArb, Business Rates Consultant, Blake Penfold Consultancy
- Richard Williamson MRICS BSc (Hons) IRRV (Hons), National Head of Rating, WSP GL Hearn; Immediate Past President of The Rating Surveyors' Association
- Simon Griffin BSc (Hons) MRICS, Senior Director, Jones Lang LaSalle; Past President of The Rating Surveyors' Association
Programme
Welcome and Introduction from the Conference Chair
VOA Transformation – An Update
- Next Gen Rating
- We are 6 months out, is there anything else of relevance that may arise?
It's All in the Draft
- The R2026 draft list - key headlines, successes and challenges
- Draft List enquiries
- Preparation for compiled lists
The Ingredients for R2026
- Transforming Business Rates
- Liabilities – multipliers and transitional arrangements
- Changes to the Appeals Regs
The Industry Challenges Panel Discussion: Completing 2023, Dealing with 2026, Preparing for 2029
- The challenge of dealing with the end of list spikes in checks and challenges in R2023
- R2026 – the bulk classes - the prominent shifts and the consequences
- R2026 pre-influencing
- Eying up R2029 preparations
Programme followed by a Drinks Reception.