Business rates for empty properties

Find out how business rates are affected if your property becomes empty or partly occupied.

Empty properties

If your business property becomes empty, you may not need to pay business rates on it for 3 months. After 3 months, you will normally have to pay the rates in full. 

This doesn't include industrial properties, for example, warehouses, which are exempt for a further 3 months.

The following properties also stay exempt until they are no longer empty:

  • listed buildings
  • properties with a rateable value under £2,900
  • properties owned by charities, if the next use of the property will mainly be for charity
  • community amateur sports buildings, if the next use will mainly be for sports

You can contact the Business Rates Team to find out if your property is exempt.

If your property is empty, you are still responsible for its upkeep. This includes making efforts to prevent it from being graffitied. Find out what to do about graffiti.

Partly occupied properties

We may give you a discount on your business rates bill if your property is only partly occupied for a short time. This could be due to a fire or if the property is closed for refurbishment.

Contact the Business Rates Team with the following information:

  • which parts of your property are empty
  • why your property is partly empty
  • how long you think it'll be empty for

We'll then let you know if you can get a discount on your bill.