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Small firms in Fife are being warned to think before they take up any offer of help with the Small Business Bonus Scheme and to complete the application form themselves. Allan Traynor, Revenue Services Manager, Fife Council said: " "Businesses are constantly targeted by unscrupulous firms who attempt to charge high fees for services which the legitimate business may be able to access free of charge or at a more competitive rate. Our advice is to stop and give yourself time to think. Make sure that the firm that has contacted you clearly understands that you are not taking up their offer. and that you would require details in writing from them before you would consider entering into any contract with them. "This might seem an attractive offer to a busy small business person but it really isn't necessary. The forms are simple and straightforward and you can contact the Council at any time for free and impartial advice. " Although it can be hard to spot rogue advisers, it is possible to make background enquiries. Check with the professional bodies they claim to belong to, ask for the names and contact details of past clients, don't believe claims about huge reductions before an investigation of your property has been undertaken, ensure you get a written contract and check it carefully to establish how much you will be liable to pay and when. Your local valuation officer can discuss your rateable value and provide an appeal form for free. Information is also available on the Valuation Office Agency website http://www.voa.gov.uk/ The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors http://www.rics.org/ also operates a business rates helpline offering a free half hour consultation on business rates appeals: 0870 3331600 . Fife Businesses can contact Trading Standards on 08451 55 55 56 for advice or to report unfair trading practices. One local Fife business that has already successfully made a claim explains how satisfactory he found the process. John Todd of The Queen's Gait Coffee Shop in North Queensferry wrote to Fife Council recently and said: : "Thank you for looking into this matter for me, and an even bigger than you for the resultant repayment of overpaid rates. I can assure you that for a very small business the overheads such as rates, water, gas and electricity, do take a very large amount of your profit, and this rebate will make a difference." The Small Business Bonus Scheme was introduced in Scotland on 1 April 2008. Its aim is to reduce the tax burden on Scotland's smallest businesses for which rates relief makes the biggest difference. |
