Business premises and rates

Home working

bgraham — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 10:09:59 +0000

Home working bgraham Tue, 11/06/2024 - 11:09

Introduction

Use your home as a workplace

Tax implications, financial and legal issues, security, and setting up your work area if you plan to work from home.
Employees working from home

The key issues to consider if you decide that working from home is a possibility for your business.

Links

Use your home as a workplace

Employees working from home

Summary

Best practice guidance on using your home as a place to base your work.

Description

Best practice guidance on using your home as a place to base your work.

Landing page category

Working from home

Display format

Summary View

Content category

Business premises and rates

Migration ID

29749

migration changed

Fri, 31/01/2020 - 14:01

Rates for licensed premises

bgraham — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 09:11:06 +0000

Rates for licensed premises bgraham Fri, 14/06/2019 - 10:11

Business rates: the basics

In this guide:

Business rates and types of premises

Types of property that must pay business rates and those that are excluded.
Business or non-domestic premises include most commercial properties, such as shops, offices, pubs, warehouses, and factories.
Properties excluded from the valuation list for business rates
There are some types of properties that are specifically excluded from the valuation list and therefore not subject to rates:
fish farms
most farmland and farm buildings
most cemeteries and crematoriums
turbary and fishing rights
moveable moorings
public parks
sewers
Properties exempt or partially exempt from business rates
Some non-domestic premises that are exempt or partially exempt from rates include:
places of public religious worship and church halls
district council swimming pools and recreation facilities
charity shops selling only donated goods
ATMs in designated rural wards
Mixed-use properties and business rates
If part of a building is used for business and part for residential purposes - such as a shop with a flat above or a solicitor's office in a domestic property - the part used for business counts as non-domestic premises. So, if you live and work on the same premises, you generally pay business rates on the part of the property used for business and domestic rates on the residential part.
Rental properties and business rates
Special rules apply to landlords, owners, and tenants depending on the level of Capital Value for domestic properties or Net Annual Value for non-domestic properties. Rental properties and business rates.
Working from home and business rates
If you use your home as a workplace, the part of the property used for work may be liable for business rates. You will still have to pay domestic rates on the rest of the property. Whether you are charged business rates or not depends on the degree of business use. You are more likely to have to pay business rates if a room is used exclusively for business or has been modified, eg, as a workshop. Each case is considered individually.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Choosing business property

Property changes and business rates

Help available for business rates

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-rates-and-types-premises

Links
How business rates are calculated

How rates are calculated for business premises and how to get an idea of what your rate bill may be.

Your rate bill is made up of a number of parts including the regional rate, the district rate and Net Annual Value (NAV). Your rate bill is calculated by multiplying the NAV of your property by the non-domestic rate poundage (non-domestic regional rate + non-domestic district rate) for your council area for the relevant year (as shown below):
Regional and district rates
The regional rate is set annually by the Northern Ireland Executive and is applied to each district council area in Northern Ireland. The district rate is set annually by each district council in Northern Ireland.
Find the the 2025-26 non-domestic rate poundages for your council area.
Net Annual Value
Rates for non-domestic or business properties are assessed on their rental value, also known as the Net Annual Value (NAV). NAV is an assessment of the annual rental value that your property could reasonably be expected to be let for if it was on the open market. Each non-domestic property is valued in line with comparable properties in the vicinity.
The current valuation list for non-domestic properties began on 1 April 2023 and is based on rental values as at 1 October 2021.
Find a property valuation for your business premises.
View your estimated rate bill
You can view an estimate of a full annual rate bill for the current rating year by inputting the address information using the Land & Property Services (LPS) online valuation search.
Find a property valuation and view your estimated rate bill.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates or are unsure of your outstanding bill, contact LPS.
NI Reval2026
The short video below explains the latest revaluation process, known as NI Reval2026, which will create a new valuation list that will be used to calculate business rate bills from April 2026.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

Rates calculator

Contact Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/how-business-rates-are-calculated

Links
Rates for retail units

How business rates are calculated for retail units and how this differs from other types of non-domestic properties.

When calculating business rates for retail units Land & Property Services (LPS) assess the Net Annual Value (NAV) by using zoning. Zoning is a methodology used in assessing the rental value of retail units and is used for shops, hair salons, banks, betting shops and most restaurants. LPS use zoning as it helps take into account different sizes and shapes of shops and awkward layouts.
LPS also consider other parts of the property that are ancillary or tertiary spaces such as upstairs offices and store rooms. They are rated but zoning is not applied for these areas of the property. Some spaces are not considered useable retail areas and are excluded from valuation. These spaces include toilets, lobbies, plant rooms and stairwells.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates, contact LPS.
NI Reval2026
The short video below explains the latest revaluation process, known as NI Reval2026, which will create a new valuation list that will be used to calculate business rate bills from April 2026.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Your retail premises

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/rates-retail-units

Links
Rates for licensed premises

How business rates are calculated for licensed premises and how this differs from other types of non-domestic properties.

When calculating business rates for licensed premises, Land & Property Services (LPS) assess the Net Annual Value (NAV) by calculating the correct level of Fair Maintainable Trade (FMT). LPS does this by collecting information about rent, trading receipts, and trading patterns. LPS analyses this information along with the type of premises, the area it is in, and what services it offers.
As there is little evidence of rents for pubs, LPS uses FMT in the assessment to help assess a rateable value or NAV. This is the industry standard and is the approach used across the UK.
LPS applies a percentage to the estimated FMT to assess the annual rent. It is based on factors such as, where the premises are located, the sort of premises they are (bar, hotel, etc.), and the sort of trade carried on. LPS regularly consults with trade associations to ensure its approach continues to reflect how the licensed industry operates.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates, contact LPS.
NI Reval2026
The short video below explains the latest revaluation process, known as NI Reval2026, which will create a new valuation list that will be used to calculate business rate bills from April 2026.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Selling alcohol

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/rates-licensed-premises

Links
Business rates: Occupying, leaving or vacating a property

How your business rates are affected if you occupy, leave, or vacate a property and how to inform Land and Property Services of changes.

Moving into a new business property
When you move into your new property, you must contact Land & Property Services (LPS) Rating office to let them know, otherwise you may receive a backdated rate bill. You can also advise them of how you wish to pay your rate bill.
Moving into a newly built business property
If you are moving into newly built premises, you must contact the LPS Valuation office. A valuer will come out to assess your property. A rate bill will then be issued based on this valuation. You should be aware that failure to inform LPS could lead to the issue of a backdated rate bill.
You can apply online to have your new property valuation assessed, or you can apply for a new property valusation or review of property valuation.
This is a writable document, which means that you can complete it on screen and send it as an attachment by email to print and send to the LPS Valuation office. You can also print and post it to LPS using the address on the form.
Leaving your old business property
When you move out of your property, you must contact LPS. You should have your Account ID, Ratepayer ID, and details of the new owners or people in your property to hand.
Alternatively, you can use the online form to make changes to your rate account, such as personal information, billing address for your rate bill, notification of a ratepayer's death, or change the assessment period for your rate account.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates, contact LPS.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Buying business property

Property changes and business rates

Choosing business property

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/business-rates-occupying-leaving-or-vacating-property

Links
How Land & Property Services uses your information

How LPS uses customer data and how they protect this data under the legislation.
Land & Property Services (LPS) fully complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Department of Finance's Data Protection Policy. This means that how LPS collects, stores, uses, and discloses/shares the information you provide to them meets the standards of this legislation.
Reasons why LPS collates and holds customer information
LPS holds customer information for:
the purpose of billing
collection and recovery of rate revenue
assessment of benefit/relief claims
the creation and maintenance of Valuation Lists
the Land Registration Public Register
LPS and the National Fraud Initiative
LPS has a duty to protect public funds and may use the information provided for the prevention and detection of fraud.
LPS participates in the National Fraud Initiative, an exercise that matches electronic data within and between audited bodies to prevent and detect fraud.
The use of data by the Audit Commission does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 2018. However, it is controlled to ensure compliance with data protection and human rights legislation.
For more information, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/how-land-property-services-uses-your-information

Links

Rates for retail units

bgraham — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 08:56:40 +0000

Rates for retail units bgraham Fri, 14/06/2019 - 09:56

Business rates: the basics

In this guide:

Business rates and types of premises

Types of property that must pay business rates and those that are excluded.
Business or non-domestic premises include most commercial properties, such as shops, offices, pubs, warehouses, and factories.
Properties excluded from the valuation list for business rates
There are some types of properties that are specifically excluded from the valuation list and therefore not subject to rates:
fish farms
most farmland and farm buildings
most cemeteries and crematoriums
turbary and fishing rights
moveable moorings
public parks
sewers
Properties exempt or partially exempt from business rates
Some non-domestic premises that are exempt or partially exempt from rates include:
places of public religious worship and church halls
district council swimming pools and recreation facilities
charity shops selling only donated goods
ATMs in designated rural wards
Mixed-use properties and business rates
If part of a building is used for business and part for residential purposes - such as a shop with a flat above or a solicitor's office in a domestic property - the part used for business counts as non-domestic premises. So, if you live and work on the same premises, you generally pay business rates on the part of the property used for business and domestic rates on the residential part.
Rental properties and business rates
Special rules apply to landlords, owners, and tenants depending on the level of Capital Value for domestic properties or Net Annual Value for non-domestic properties. Rental properties and business rates.
Working from home and business rates
If you use your home as a workplace, the part of the property used for work may be liable for business rates. You will still have to pay domestic rates on the rest of the property. Whether you are charged business rates or not depends on the degree of business use. You are more likely to have to pay business rates if a room is used exclusively for business or has been modified, eg, as a workshop. Each case is considered individually.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Choosing business property

Property changes and business rates

Help available for business rates

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-rates-and-types-premises

Links
How business rates are calculated

How rates are calculated for business premises and how to get an idea of what your rate bill may be.

Your rate bill is made up of a number of parts including the regional rate, the district rate and Net Annual Value (NAV). Your rate bill is calculated by multiplying the NAV of your property by the non-domestic rate poundage (non-domestic regional rate + non-domestic district rate) for your council area for the relevant year (as shown below):
Regional and district rates
The regional rate is set annually by the Northern Ireland Executive and is applied to each district council area in Northern Ireland. The district rate is set annually by each district council in Northern Ireland.
Find the the 2025-26 non-domestic rate poundages for your council area.
Net Annual Value
Rates for non-domestic or business properties are assessed on their rental value, also known as the Net Annual Value (NAV). NAV is an assessment of the annual rental value that your property could reasonably be expected to be let for if it was on the open market. Each non-domestic property is valued in line with comparable properties in the vicinity.
The current valuation list for non-domestic properties began on 1 April 2023 and is based on rental values as at 1 October 2021.
Find a property valuation for your business premises.
View your estimated rate bill
You can view an estimate of a full annual rate bill for the current rating year by inputting the address information using the Land & Property Services (LPS) online valuation search.
Find a property valuation and view your estimated rate bill.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates or are unsure of your outstanding bill, contact LPS.
NI Reval2026
The short video below explains the latest revaluation process, known as NI Reval2026, which will create a new valuation list that will be used to calculate business rate bills from April 2026.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

Rates calculator

Contact Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/how-business-rates-are-calculated

Links
Rates for retail units

How business rates are calculated for retail units and how this differs from other types of non-domestic properties.

When calculating business rates for retail units Land & Property Services (LPS) assess the Net Annual Value (NAV) by using zoning. Zoning is a methodology used in assessing the rental value of retail units and is used for shops, hair salons, banks, betting shops and most restaurants. LPS use zoning as it helps take into account different sizes and shapes of shops and awkward layouts.
LPS also consider other parts of the property that are ancillary or tertiary spaces such as upstairs offices and store rooms. They are rated but zoning is not applied for these areas of the property. Some spaces are not considered useable retail areas and are excluded from valuation. These spaces include toilets, lobbies, plant rooms and stairwells.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates, contact LPS.
NI Reval2026
The short video below explains the latest revaluation process, known as NI Reval2026, which will create a new valuation list that will be used to calculate business rate bills from April 2026.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Your retail premises

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/rates-retail-units

Links
Rates for licensed premises

How business rates are calculated for licensed premises and how this differs from other types of non-domestic properties.

When calculating business rates for licensed premises, Land & Property Services (LPS) assess the Net Annual Value (NAV) by calculating the correct level of Fair Maintainable Trade (FMT). LPS does this by collecting information about rent, trading receipts, and trading patterns. LPS analyses this information along with the type of premises, the area it is in, and what services it offers.
As there is little evidence of rents for pubs, LPS uses FMT in the assessment to help assess a rateable value or NAV. This is the industry standard and is the approach used across the UK.
LPS applies a percentage to the estimated FMT to assess the annual rent. It is based on factors such as, where the premises are located, the sort of premises they are (bar, hotel, etc.), and the sort of trade carried on. LPS regularly consults with trade associations to ensure its approach continues to reflect how the licensed industry operates.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates, contact LPS.
NI Reval2026
The short video below explains the latest revaluation process, known as NI Reval2026, which will create a new valuation list that will be used to calculate business rate bills from April 2026.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Selling alcohol

Paying business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/rates-licensed-premises

Links
Business rates: Occupying, leaving or vacating a property

How your business rates are affected if you occupy, leave, or vacate a property and how to inform Land and Property Services of changes.

Moving into a new business property
When you move into your new property, you must contact Land & Property Services (LPS) Rating office to let them know, otherwise you may receive a backdated rate bill. You can also advise them of how you wish to pay your rate bill.
Moving into a newly built business property
If you are moving into newly built premises, you must contact the LPS Valuation office. A valuer will come out to assess your property. A rate bill will then be issued based on this valuation. You should be aware that failure to inform LPS could lead to the issue of a backdated rate bill.
You can apply online to have your new property valuation assessed, or you can apply for a new property valusation or review of property valuation.
This is a writable document, which means that you can complete it on screen and send it as an attachment by email to print and send to the LPS Valuation office. You can also print and post it to LPS using the address on the form.
Leaving your old business property
When you move out of your property, you must contact LPS. You should have your Account ID, Ratepayer ID, and details of the new owners or people in your property to hand.
Alternatively, you can use the online form to make changes to your rate account, such as personal information, billing address for your rate bill, notification of a ratepayer's death, or change the assessment period for your rate account.
Further information
If you have a query regarding business rates, contact LPS.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Buying business property

Property changes and business rates

Choosing business property

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/business-rates-occupying-leaving-or-vacating-property

Links
How Land & Property Services uses your information

How LPS uses customer data and how they protect this data under the legislation.
Land & Property Services (LPS) fully complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Department of Finance's Data Protection Policy. This means that how LPS collects, stores, uses, and discloses/shares the information you provide to them meets the standards of this legislation.
Reasons why LPS collates and holds customer information
LPS holds customer information for:
the purpose of billing
collection and recovery of rate revenue
assessment of benefit/relief claims
the creation and maintenance of Valuation Lists
the Land Registration Public Register
LPS and the National Fraud Initiative
LPS has a duty to protect public funds and may use the information provided for the prevention and detection of fraud.
LPS participates in the National Fraud Initiative, an exercise that matches electronic data within and between audited bodies to prevent and detect fraud.
The use of data by the Audit Commission does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 2018. However, it is controlled to ensure compliance with data protection and human rights legislation.
For more information, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/how-land-property-services-uses-your-information

Links

Six tips for choosing the right business property

bgraham — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 11:03:49 +0000

Six tips for choosing the right business property bgraham Mon, 10/10/2016 - 12:03

Choosing business property

In this guide:

Business property specification

Preparing a specification that sets out what you want when starting a search for commercial premises.
Drawing up a list of what you need from your business premises is a good way to start your property search. This list is known as a property specification or property spec.

Property specification

Your property spec might list details on how the following requirements should be met when looking for suitable business premises.

Property size and layout

Do you want an open-plan style office space or individual rooms for more privacy? Do you need additional space for equipment, storage, meetings or socialising?

Property appearance

Both internally and externally. For example, do you need a visually attractive property both from the outside as well as the inside especially if clients and/or customers are going to be visiting your business property?

Property structure

Do you require any special structural property requirements such as high ceilings, upper-floor loading or reinforced foundations?

Premises facilities

You should consider the comfort of employees and visitors - including lighting, toilets, reception areas and kitchen facilities.

Property utilities

This can include things such as power and drainage, and any special requirements - for example, three-phase electricity. Take note of the power and heating/cooling requirements that you may need eg power points for computers and heating and air conditioning for staff and customer comfort. An older building may need to be rewired, a new heating or air conditioning system installed or additional toilet and kitchen facilities built. It is also a good idea to identify the broadband capabilities that you will require.

Planning permission

You should take into consideration that you may need to seek planning permission to use the property for your type of business.

Access and parking

Take into consideration access to the property, is it important for it to be near main roads and/or public transport? Is the property accessible for deliveries or customers, including disabled customers? In addition, do you have a requirement for car parking?

Option to extend or make alterations

Consider how flexible the property is so that you are able to make alterations or expand the property if required.

Long-term business plans

Look at your business plan and weigh up how the business property you choose fits into these plans and business direction.

Property location

You also need to think about where you want your property to be located - for detailed location factors you should consider, see choose the right location for your business premises.

Property costs

Your choice of commercial property will also depend on your budget. Whether you rent or buy business premises, costs can include:

initial purchase costs, including legal costs such as solicitor's fees and professional fees for surveyors

initial alterations, fitting out and decoration

any alterations required to meet building, health and safety and fire regulations

ongoing rent, service and utility charges, including water, electricity and gas

business rates

continuing maintenance and repairs

building and contents insurance

Compare the costs of buying business property with the costs when renting commercial property.

Energy performance of the property

Sellers and landlords are obliged to provide prospective buyers or tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). An EPC indicates how energy efficient a building and its services are and can act as a good indicator of likely energy costs. For more information, see Energy Performance Certificates for business properties.

If your property requirements are too specific, you may find that your choice of premises is very limited or you cannot afford them. Think about which requirements are essential and which are desirable, and prioritise them accordingly to make your property decision.

Working from home

After drawing up your list of property requirements, you may decide that working from home could suit you better. However, there are important legal and practical issues you need to take into account - see use your home as a workplace for further guidance.
Also on this site

Commercial property finder

Renting commercial property

Buying business property

More Case Studies

Choosing the right premises to suit our business needs - Totalmobile

Find a case study

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-property-specification

Links
Choose the right location for your business premises

Identify the advantages and disadvantages when deciding on a suitable location for your commercial property.

A good location for your business is vital, but choosing the right one can be something of a balancing act. Ideally, the location should be convenient for your customers, employees, and suppliers - without being too expensive for your business. You should weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of various locations when deciding on a suitable place for your business property.

Location factors for business property

In order to judge the best location for your business you should consider key location factors and how important each of these are for you and your business priorities. You should consider:

Footfall

Depending on the nature of your business, the amount of passing trade can have a huge impact on the success of your venture especially if your business operates in the retail sector.

Competitors in the area

Although some businesses, like estate agents, can benefit from being located in a cluster of similar businesses, for many others having too many close competitors can have a severe impact on sales and profitability. It is always worthwhile surveying the local area to see if there are potential competitors in the vicinity and considering how this could impact your trade.

91�㽶��ɫ��Ƶ links and parking

Good public transport links and local parking facilities make it easier for employees and customers who don't live within walking distance to access your business.

Delivery restrictions

These can cause problems for your suppliers, so you'll need to make sure that your premises are easily accessible if you expect to have regular deliveries.

Planning restrictions

Make sure you check whether you're allowed to use the premises for the commercial purpose you have in mind.

Business rates

These can add greatly to the ongoing costs of locating in a particular area, which may make the premises less desirable from your point of view - see estimate your rate bill to get an idea of what you may have to pay.

Local amenities

Employees generally prefer working in areas with good local facilities, and you may need to make regular trips to the bank or a postal depot.

Type of area

The image of your business may well be affected by the nature of your location and whether crime or anti-social behaviour is .

Making a decision

Whatever option you go for, there are likely to be advantages and disadvantages to the business location that you choose. An office in a rural setting might be relaxing, but could be awkward for staff or suppliers making deliveries to access. Being right in the middle of the city could be very convenient, but might also be expensive in terms of property cost and business rates payable. It may also be costly and inconvenient for car parking within city or town centres.

Location has a major impact on business costs. If you need property in a prime location the extra costs may be justified.

Actions

Find a commercial property in Northern Ireland

Also on this site

Buying business property

Renting commercial property

Use your home as a workplace

More Case Studies

Choosing the right premises to suit our business needs - Totalmobile

Find a case study

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/choose-right-location-your-business-premises

Links
Legal considerations when choosing business property

Key legal obligations and restrictions to consider when choosing commercial premises.
If you own or occupy a business property, you need to understand the legal obligations and restrictions that may affect you. For example:

The property must have planning permission that allows it to be used for your type of business.

You must comply with building, fire, and health and safety regulations. See fire safety and risk assessment.

Stamp duty is payable on commercial leases and you are likely to be liable for business rates, though in rented premises these may be paid by the landlord.

You are responsible for the health and safety of employees and visitors. See workplace welfare facilities and healthy working environment.

You also need to provide a suitable working environment.

If you provide goods or services to the public, you must take reasonable steps to make your premises accessible. See disabled access and facilities in business premises.

You need to comply with the terms of any lease or licence agreement. See commercial property: landlord and tenant responsibilities.

For some businesses, you may require a licence to operate or to sell certain products.

There may be restrictions on certain periods of time throughout the day or week when deliveries are allowed. There may also be limits on noise and pollution levels that you must meet. You may also have to consider how you or your customers dispose of waste.

Whatever premises you choose, you need to ensure that you are properly insured. See insurance: business property and assets.

If you are in any doubt about your legal obligations, you should seek professional legal advice from your business adviser or solicitor. Choose a solicitor for your business.
Actions

Building regulations

Health and safety in offices - HSENI guidance

More Case Studies

Choosing the right premises to suit our business needs - Totalmobile

Find a case study

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/legal-considerations-when-choosing-business-property

Links
Deciding on the right premises for your business (video)

Short video outlines key factors to consider when deciding on suitable business premises.

Short video (2 minutes 30 seconds) outlines important factors to consider when making decisions about your business premises such as cost, location, facilities and infrastructure.

Actions

Deciding on the right premises for your business

Also on this site

Choosing business property

Buying business property

Renting commercial property

Commercial mortgages and lenders

Use your home as a workplace

More Case Studies

Choosing the right premises to suit our business needs - Totalmobile

Find a case study

Content category

Business premises and rates

Select subtype
Video

Source URL
/content/deciding-right-premises-your-business-video

Links
Search for commercial property

Specifying what you want when searching for business premises and where you can search for suitable commercial property.

It's worth starting your property search by drawing up a business property specification or 'spec', clearly setting out your business property requirements. This will help distinguish between what is essential and what is desirable in a property for your business. It will also identify the order of priorities when it comes to factors influencing the type and location of the commercial property you desire.

You can then circulate your property specification to estate agents and surveyors that handle commercial properties in your area. They can then let you know if any properties are currently available that match or come close to meeting your requirements.

Searching for commercial property

You can search for business property in Northern Ireland using our commercial property finder.

You may also decide to search for suitable business premises yourself. Commercial property is listed online by estate agents on their own websites or on third-party property listing websites such as PropertyPal, Rightmove, Zoopla, or PrimeLocation, as well as many others.

Check any potential properties against your specification and eliminate any premises that don't at least meet all your essential requirements. Then you can draw up a shortlist of potential business properties to visit.

Professional advice

At this stage, you may want to seek the advice of a surveyor or solicitor. For example, a surveyor can assess the condition of a property and give you an idea of their value. See buying commercial property: using a surveyor.

When you're ready to make an offer or agree the terms of a lease, your solicitor can help negotiate the property deal and complete the legal work. See buying commercial property: using a solicitor.

Actions

Find a commercial property in Northern Ireland

Also on this site

Buying business property

Renting commercial property

Choose a solicitor for your business

More Case Studies

Choosing the right premises to suit our business needs - Totalmobile

Find a case study

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/search-commercial-property

Links
Six tips for choosing the right business property

Six tips to help you find a suitable commercial property to buy or rent for your business.

Top tips to help you find suitable commercial premises

1. Draw up a list of what you need from your business premises

How important is property size, layout, location, facilities, structural requirements, and parking to your business needs? Also, think about your long-term business plans and how these might affect your choice of business premises. For example, you might want to expand or alter the property in the future. Order your list by prioritising your desired requirements from the top down. This will help you visualise what the most important factors are for you and your business when deciding on a suitable commercial property. See business property specification.

2. Location, location, location

Choosing the right location for your business premises can be a bit of a balancing act. You may want to choose a location that is convenient for your customers, employees, and suppliers, but isn't too expensive. Some factors you might want to consider when deciding on location include, footfall, where competitors are located, delivery restrictions, parking restrictions, and business rates.

3. Determine whether to buy or rent a business property

You will need to determine whether either buying or renting a commercial property is best for your business needs. You should compare the advantages of renting commercial property with the advantages and disadvantages of buying business property This short video will also help you to weigh up the pros and cons when deciding whether to rent or buy business premises (video).

4. Business rates

Before agreeing to buy or rent a commercial property you will want to get an idea of what you are likely to pay in business rates - estimate your rate bill. You may be eligible for assistance with business rates. See help available for business rates.

5. Legal considerations for commercial property

There are a number of legal considerations when choosing business property including planning permission, health, safety and fire regulations, insurances, accessibility and licences. You will probably need to pay stamp duty if you purchase the property or if you rent a commercial property you will need to comply with the terms of the lease. Ensure you get advice from a solicitor when buying or leasing business premises.

6. Search for commercial property

You can search for commercial property through local commercial property agents, visiting potential areas to see commercial properties for sale or rent, or searching our commercial property finder. Check potential premises against your requirements to create a shortlist of the business properties you might want to view.

Also on this site

Buying business property

Renting commercial property

More Case Studies

Choosing the right premises to suit our business needs - Totalmobile

Find a case study

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/six-tips-choosing-right-business-property

Links
Choosing business property

Choosing the right premises to suit our business needs - Totalmobile (video)

Video case study explaining how Totalmobile found the right premises to suit the needs of their growing business.

Malcolm Thompson, Chief Operating Officer of software provider Totalmobile, explains how they chose new premises to suit the needs of their growing business.

As Totalmobile expanded and their requirements changed, the business decided to move from its premises in the Antrim Technology Park to new rented premises in Belfast. The business had to consider various factors in order to make the right choice.

Here Malcolm and Chief Executive Colin Reid discuss how the business identified the right premises and overcame the challenges of the move.

Case Study
Malcolm Thompson

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/choosing-right-premises-suit-our-business-needs-totalmobile-video

Links

Cyber insurance

bgraham — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 15:03:13 +0000

Cyber insurance bgraham Tue, 19/07/2016 - 16:03

Insurance: business property and assets

In this guide:

Commercial property insurance

Types of property insurance available to business owners, including all risk and standard contracts.
If you have business property, taking out a suitable insurance policy will ensure you are covered for damage from a variety of causes. While you should check the policy details carefully, most standard insurance contracts will cover your buildings and premises for a range of risks including:

fire and lightning

explosion

riot

malicious damage

storms

floods

damage caused by vehicles

Responsibility for insuring business property

If you are a tenant, ask your landlord who is responsible for insuring the premises. Normally the responsibility is with the landlord. The tenant, however, is usually responsible for shop fronts. See commercial property: landlord and tenant responsibilities.

If you are responsible for insuring the property, you could opt for 'all risk' insurance. These insurance policies do not name the risks covered, instead, they list any risks excluded - so all unnamed risks are automatically included. Property insurance policies do not cover:

wear and tear

electrical or mechanical breakdown

any gradual deterioration specified in the policy

You should tell your insurer if your business property is left unoccupied for any length of time. Insurance cover is likely to be reduced to fire only and may not include malicious damage caused by vandalism.

Reinstatement value

You need to insure your business property for the full rebuilding cost, known as reinstatement, rather than just the market value. This is because you will only be able to claim the cost of what you have insured - regardless of the amount of damage.

A chartered surveyor will be able to help you to calculate the reinstatement value.

As well as insuring the building itself, you should also consider taking out public liability insurance if members of the public visit your premises.

Seeking advice on business insurance

To decide on the appropriate level of cover, you should seek professional advice from a regulated insurance company or broker. Insurance brokers, advisers, and other insurance intermediaries are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

If you choose to deal directly with an insurer, it's worthwhile checking that they are a member of the Association of British Insurers.
Help

FCA Helpline

Actions

FSA guide to SME insurance brokers

Surveyor search tool

Also on this site

Buying business property

Insurance

Commercial rental property: landlord and tenant responsibilities

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/commercial-property-insurance

Links
Business contents insurance

Replacement as new, business interruption and indemnity contents insurance available to business owners.

Property insurance only covers the physical building, so you will also need separate insurance cover for stock, machinery, and contents. You have the choice of either replacement as new insurance or indemnity insurance.

Indemnity insurance

Many business owners choose indemnity cover, which deducts the cost of any wear and tear when settling an insurance claim. Contents are also covered against theft, providing there has been forcible and violent entry to, or exit from, the business premises. See protect your business against crime.

You can also choose a business interruption policy that insures against loss of profit and higher overheads resulting, for example, from damaged machinery.

Seeking advice on business insurance

To decide on the appropriate level of cover it's a good idea to seek professional advice from a regulated insurance company or broker. Insurance brokers, advisers, and other insurance intermediaries are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and you should make sure that your adviser has FCA authorisation. Find insurance through the British Insurance Brokers' Association.

If you choose to deal directly with an insurer, it's worthwhile checking that they are a member of the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Help

FCA Helpline

Actions

FCA guide to SME insurance brokers

Also on this site

Protect your business against crime

Business insurance: the basics

Liability insurance for your business

Insure your business: people, life and health

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/business-contents-insurance

Links
Specialist insurance for businesses

Specialist types of commercial assets insurance that might be relevant for your business.

Depending on the type of business you run, it may be wise to take out specialist insurance for your business assets. There are many types of commercial insurance you may wish to consider:

Loss of cash insurance

Provides cover to an agreed limit for the loss of money, whether in transit or from business premises.

Goods in transit insurance

Covers goods against damage while being moved. See insuring goods in transit.

Travel insurance

Essential if you or your employees travel abroad. Ensure that you are covered for working abroad as well as travelling, if necessary. See insure your business - people, life and health.

Commercial legal insurance

Covers legal expenses that may arise out of a change in legislation or penalties resulting from non-compliance.

Credit insurance

Insures you against debtors who are unable to pay you as a result of bankruptcy. See factoring and invoice discounting.

Engineering insurance

Provides specialist cover for machinery, including computers. By law, some types of machinery must be inspected regularly. An insurer will be able to tell you if this applies to your business and will often arrange inspection visits. To insure off-site machinery, you will need to purchase all risks cover.

Glass insurance

Covers the replacement of glass following malicious or accidental damage.

Professional indemnity insurance

Covers you against compensation claims if you have been negligent, resulting in damage or loss to a client.

Data processing insurance

Provides cover for electronic media and electronic data processing equipment.

A fidelity guarantee

Insures against any loss of money or stock as a result of staff dishonesty, such as theft.

Tradesman's tools can often be added to a liability package. See liability insurance.

Find insurance for your business. If you choose to deal directly with an insurer, it's worthwhile checking that they are a member of the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Help

FCA Helpline

Actions

FCA guide to SME insurance brokers

Search the Financial Services Register

Also on this site

Factoring and invoice discounting

Insurance for exporting and importing

Business continuity and crisis management

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/specialist-insurance-businesses

Links
Commercial vehicle insurance

Type of motor insurance you will require for business vehicles or if employees use their own vehicle for business purposes.
By law any vehicle used on the road or other public place must be covered by a motor insurance policy. See motor insurance explained.

Vehicle insurance for business

If you, your employees, or anyone else working for your business uses a vehicle for work then you should check that:

all vehicles owned by your business, such as cars, vans, or lorries, are covered by appropriate insurance

any employees' vehicles used for or in connection with business have their insurance extended to cover use for their employer's business

any personal vehicle insurance that you may have also covers business use

You should also make sure that the insurance cover provided by the policy is appropriate as there are different classes of business use. For example, travelling sales people or commercial representatives are considered differently from those making only occasional business trips, or who carry your products or other business assets.

See commercial motor insurance.

Business fleet insurance cover

If you own several vehicles you may be able to get business fleet cover that might offer better terms. Your insurance broker will be able to advise you on this. Find an insurance broker.

You need to check the licences of all your drivers and advise your insurers of any motoring convictions. Otherwise, you will not be properly insured. You will also need to tell insurers of any motoring convictions that happen after any insurance policy is in place. See fleet management.

If you choose to deal directly with an insurer, it's worthwhile checking that they are a member of the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
Help

FCA Helpline

Actions

Motor insurance - what insurance do I need?

FCA guide to SME insurance brokers

Business insurance

Also on this site

Business insurance: the basics

Liability insurance for your business

Insure your business: people, life and health

Fleet management

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/commercial-vehicle-insurance

Links
Working from home: business insurance

Specialised insurance for homeworkers is essential as general household insurance will not cover your business.

If you work from home, you may need a specialist insurance policy. Household insurance will not cover any loss of office equipment, nor will it provide public liability cover.

Your standard household insurance may even be invalid if you work from home, although most household insurance policies can be extended to cover this. Similarly, you should check the terms and conditions of your mortgage, as lenders often need to be informed if you use your home to run a business.

Consult your insurance broker about which insurance policy would best suit your business needs and which will evolve with your business as it develops. Find an insurance broker. If you choose to deal directly with an insurer, it's worthwhile checking that they are a member of the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Help

FCA Helpline

Actions

FCA guide to SME insurance brokers

Also on this site

Liability insurance for your business

Employees working from home

Use your home as a workplace

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/working-home-business-insurance

Links
Cyber insurance

Cyber liability insurance helps you recover data losses, damage to IT systems, and costs if your business is the victim of cyber crime.

The vast majority of businesses will rely on IT systems to store and process valuable operational data and customer information. IT systems are vulnerable to cyber security risks such as scams, fraud, information theft, and malware or virus attacks.

A business is responsible for its own cyber security but in the event of a cyber attack, the right insurance policy that covers cyber liabilities may help your business recover. See cyber security for business.

What is cyber insurance?

Cyber insurance or cyber liability insurance is a type of insurance cover that aims to protect your business from IT threats and covers you if your systems or data has been lost, damaged or stolen in the event of a cyber attack.

See cyber risk insurance.

What does cyber insurance cover?

Most cyber insurance policies generally cover first-party and third-party costs relating to a cyber-attack.

First-party cyber insurance

First-party cyber insurance covers damage to your business such as the cost of investigating the cyber crime, restoring IT systems, recovering lost data, reputational damage, extortion payments demanded by cyber criminals and costs relating to business shutdown.

Third-party cyber insurance

Third-party cyber insurance covers the assets of others, typically your customers and any potential claims against you including damages and settlements as well as legal costs to defend your business.

Does my business need cyber insurance?

If your business uses, sends, or stores electronic data you could be vulnerable to cyber crime. Cyber insurance could help you with financial and reputational costs if your business is ever the victim of a cyber attack.

Find cyber insurance for your business.

Also on this site

Protect your business online

Business insurance: the basics

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/cyber-insurance

Links
Get the right insurance cover for your business

How to choose an appropriate insurance policy for your business, minimise costs and use insurance brokers.
There are many different types of insurance cover your business may require depending on what it does, how it operates, and where it does business. Each type of business insurance is designed to cover a different set of risks that you face in the course of running your business including:

liability insurance

commercial property insurance

business contents insurance

commercial vehicle insurance

cyber insurance

working from home: business insurance

specialist insurance for businesses

See also business insurance: the basics.

Using an insurance broker

Few business owners deal directly with insurers. Most prefer to go through an insurance broker for impartial insurance advice. Insurance brokers can advise you on whether a single insurance policy or a combination of single insurance policies would be more appropriate. Be sure to give all relevant information to the insurer, otherwise, an insurance policy may not be valid.

Find an insurance broker.

Insurance brokers, advisers and other insurance intermediaries are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and you should make sure that your adviser has FCA authorisation. Read the FCA guide to SME insurance brokers.

If you buy products or services from insurance intermediaries, you have the right to ask the intermediary how much commission they get for selling the product or service to you.

Dealing directly with an insurer

If you do choose to deal directly with an insurer, it's worthwhile checking that they are a member of the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Some key points to consider when buying insurance are:

quotes - get quotes from several different insurers or ask your broker to do so

comparisons - compare the levels of cover in various insurance policies to make sure you get the right level of cover that your business requires

tailored insurance - talk to your broker about whether you need an insurance policy tailored to your specific needs

What to consider when buying insurance

Other factors to take into account when choosing an insurance policy are:

what the insurance policy will cover

service

cost

whether there is a no-claims bonus

whether the insurer offers 24-hour legal advice and emergency helplines

the level of excess - the amount of each claim that you will have to pay yourself

the extent of excess to be retained by your business
Help

FCA Helpline

Also on this site

Business insurance: the basics

Choose an insurance adviser for your business

Insure your business: people, life and health

Insure your business against flooding

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/get-right-insurance-cover-your-business

Links
Making an insurance claim

Prompt contact with your insurer makes the process of making a claim for damage or loss of assets easier.
As soon as you discover a loss or damage to your business assets, you need to report it to your insurance provider. If you think that the loss or damage is due to a criminal act, you should report it to the police immediately. You should write down as many details as possible about what happened and when.

Information you need to provide to insurers

You will also need to provide your insurers with:

estimates for repairs

proof of the cost of any emergency repairs that were required, eg to make equipment or premises secure

proof of ownership

the cost of the items you are claiming for, with valuations and/or receipts

a police crime reference number, if you think that your business has been the victim of a crime

the opportunity to inspect any damaged assets if required

If you need to make emergency repairs, do so and advise your insurers of what you have done. If possible, advise insurers before going ahead, but it is most important that you prevent further damage that might increase the claim.

Loss adjuster

For large or complicated claims, the insurance company will often employ a loss adjuster. They will inspect the damage and check insurance claims for quantity, description, and pricing. Loss adjusters are impartial experts who can advise both the insurer and the policyholder.

They can also advise you on:

how to improve security and safety

areas of cover you may have overlooked

repair techniques and specialist companies that can carry out such work

Loss assessor

You could employ a loss assessor who will negotiate and settle the insurance claim on your behalf. However, since they will charge a fee, it is usually only worth considering if you are likely to make a substantial insurance claim.
Help

FCA Helpline

Also on this site

Business insurance losses and claims

Choose an insurance adviser for your business

Insure your business: people, life and health

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/making-insurance-claim

Links

Business premises and rates | Mega-Menu Promo

bgraham — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 11:17:46 +0000

Business premises and rates | Mega-Menu Promo bgraham Fri, 01/04/2016 - 12:17

Menu area

Business premises and rates

URL

Business rates help and guidance

Migration ID

17165

migration changed

Sun, 17/05/2020 - 12:54

Rent business property

amulvenna — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 16:03:56 +0000

Rent business property amulvenna Thu, 05/11/2015 - 16:03

Introduction

Renting commercial property

Key factors to consider when choosing to rent property to meet your business demands.
Commercial property leases: renewing and ending a tenancy

The rights of tenants and landlords to end or renew a business tenancy and the help and advice that is available.
Commercial rental property: landlord and tenant responsibilities

Responsibility for health and safety and maintenance duties in business properties.
Domestic rental property: landlord and tenant responsibilities

Advice for landlords and tenants on the rules for renting out private properties.
Commercial property finder

Find suitable commercial property for your business operations.
Rental properties and business rates

Guidance on who is responsible for paying rates on rental properties and the allowances available.

Links

Renting commercial property

Commercial property leases: renewing and ending a tenancy

Commercial rental property: landlord and tenant responsibilities

Domestic rental property: landlord and tenant responsibilities

Commercial property finder

Rental properties and business rates

Summary

Guidance and tips on renting business property in Northern Ireland including commercial leases and landlord and tenant responsibilities.

Description

Guidance and tips on renting business property in Northern Ireland including commercial leases and landlord and tenant responsibilities.

Landing page category

Choosing the right business property

Display format

Summary View

Content category

Business premises and rates

Migration ID

16826

migration changed

Thu, 26/07/2018 - 17:46

Secure your business premises

amulvenna — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:43:03 +0000

Secure your business premises amulvenna Fri, 28/08/2015 - 14:43

Protect your business against crime

In this guide:

Business security survey

How to protect your business internally and externally by performing a survey to reveal weaknesses in security.
To protect your business premises, you should first assess the local environment, eg street, business park or shopping centre. You can look at the level and types of crimes that are being carried out in your area using the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI's) official crime statistics.

Business security survey

This assessment will form part of your first steps to performing a full security survey. A business security survey should include both an external and an internal assessment of any crime risks to your business. Try the onion-peeling principle, which involves thinking about your business and its premises as a series of layers, to conduct your survey.

Preparation for security survey

When using the onion-peeling principle, you should take security measures at each layer to delay and deter the criminal and to protect or remove any potential targets for crime. There are three types of physical targets in most businesses:

buildings - eg stores and garages

property - eg cash, stock and equipment

people - ie staff, security guards and visitors

Your aim at each layer is to:

reduce the potential rewards of crime

reduce any potential provocation to commit crime

remove any potential excuses for criminal behaviour

You should concentrate on all areas of security and consider all potential targets and the effects on them, such as financial loss, temporary closure, inability to deliver goods, or staff morale. Other risks to consider include: fraud, violence, graffiti, computer data theft, etc.

When preparing your security survey, you should take into account:

the amount and types of crime in the area

whether anyone nearby has been a victim of crime

whether any business crime partnerships exist in the area

Use a map to identify access to your business property and potential entry and escape routes. You need to consider any escape routes for offenders that may not be easily seen.

Carrying out a security survey

Consider using a security checklist when undertaking a safety survey to ensure that you cover all areas of concern.

You should keep notes on your security survey to help future security plans and make them more effective.

There are four areas to consider for your security survey:

Environment

The area around your business - eg the street or alleys bordering your premises.

Perimeter

How someone could gain access to your business property from the public space.

Outer shell

For example, doors and windows that could provide access to your buildings.

Interior

Consider inside the building, and how this could be protected from criminal activities.

You should walk around the boundary of your business property and check for any weak areas, both during the day and when dark. Identify opportunities for crime, such as:

walls or fences that could be climbed

bins or other objects that could be used to climb or could be targeted for arson

tools or materials left out that could be used to break in

possible hiding places

any poorly lit areas that could be used as cover for a break-in

Fencing and property boundaries

Steel fencing, railings or walls of at least 2.5 metres in height can make effective boundaries for your business property. You could also use barbed or razor wire, rotating vanes or electric fence alarms at the top of fences or walls, and anti-climb paint to make access harder.

When dealing with the shell, you should think about security measures that will delay an attempted break-in or put off potential offenders.

You should pay particular attention to the:

roof, especially a flat roof

cellar

loading bay

side of your business

back of your business

You should think about how a criminal might view the business when open and closed, during the day or at night.
Help

Crimestoppers

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Actions

CPNI business security advice

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Protect your business online

Cyber security for business

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-security-survey

Links
Secure your business premises

Secure your business property by applying the right security measures to deter criminals.

In order to protect your business property from crime, first carry out a business premises security survey. Once you have determined the main security risks to your business, you can decide what actions you should take.

Which security measures should I take?

The basic idea is to introduce measures that will delay and deter potential offenders from seeing your business as an easy target for crime. We have outlined below security measures that you could apply to protect your business:

Secure access points

Have strengthened doors fitted, ensure all windows have locks, install strengthened shutters, and ram raid barriers if necessary.

Secure the perimeter

Ensure gates are secure and fences aren't damaged or provide opportunities for access. Applying anti-climb measures can also be effective, however, you must have signs to state you have them installed.

Access control

Control access to the business by keeping a record of who has keys or passes and ensure employees that leave hand them back.

Lighting

Install security lights at dark points that will come on when movement is detected.

Alarms

Fit intruder alarms.

Secure property

Secure equipment with asset tags and record details of serial numbers. You should also consider securing devices such as laptops and tablets to larger equipment such as desks. Secure your business assets.

Stock control

Protect stock by keeping regular tabs on stock levels.

IT security

Address IT security issues such as hard-drive encryption, off-site data storage, and software security updates. Protect your business online.

Sensitive information

Carefully dispose of any sensitive documents or information by shredding sensitive paper waste.

Security cameras

Install CCTV surveillance and regularly check that your cameras are in full working order.

Any measures that you take should be legal, appropriate, realistic and cost-effective.

For further guidance on securing your business property see the National Security Inspectorate's workplace security safety guidance.

Professional security consultants can offer a comprehensive risk assessment of any premises and can recommend security measures to meet the risks faced.

Help

Crimestoppers

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Actions

Securing your business premises - PSNI guidance

Business crime safety - PSNI advice

Search for a security consultant

Security product suppliers search

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Cyber security for business

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/secure-your-business-premises

Links
Business security: protecting staff

How to provide a safe workplace and develop strategies that will protect employees from criminal and violent behaviour.
As an employer you have a employers' health and safety responsibilities. Bringing in measures to improve staff safety and making employees and customers aware of their responsibilities can also improve the security of your business.

Improve staff security

Steps you can take might include:

checking visitor and delivery personnel identities

always checking the identity of people you deliver to

getting signatures for the receipt and issue of goods

CCTV system to cover entrances and exits

High security risk businesses

If your business handles a lot of cash or expensive goods, it makes sense to use a properly fitted protective screen to protect staff (eg at a cash register), closed-circuit television (CCTV), and secure storage such as a safe. See business security: cash.

If your business is at risk or is in a high-risk area, it might also be appropriate and cost-effective to employ security guards.

You could also join local community initiatives or Neighbourhood Watch initiatives. Contact the PSNI for details of initiatives in your area.

Customers and business security

All customers should be asked to remove motorcycle helmets and scarves that cover a face before they enter your business premises. A height mark at the door can be used by staff to accurately gauge the height of a criminal if a report of crime needs to be made to the police. If the height mark is highly visible this can also act as a deterrent for potential criminals that target your shop.

Employees who work alone

If you employ staff who work alone, you can help to reduce risks to them by using:

personal alarms

radio link scheme

controlled access or CCTV with audio

automatic warning devices

lone-worker monitoring devices

regular police or security checks

You could also ask staff to vary their routes and times for added security. Ensure lone workers' safety.

When a violent incident happens

Violent incidents can involve theft, angry customers, or customers under the influence of alcohol or drugs. You can offer staff training in conflict management to deal with aggressive customers. Advise staff not to put themselves at risk, and to move away from aggressive customers but avoid becoming isolated.

When necessary they should dial 999 or get help quickly by using an alarm. They should try to write down information about what happened and secure CCTV footage and the scene until the police arrive.

All such incidents should be reported to the police. This can be done by dialling 999 in an emergency, or 101 for non-emergency situations.

Victim 91�㽶��ɫ��Ƶ

If a member of staff is a victim of violence, they may need medical attention, which may be available in-house or may be required from the ambulance service. However, they will need your 91�㽶��ɫ��Ƶ. This might include:

a debriefing - talking about what happened

giving time off to recover

suggesting specialist counselling

Other staff who witnessed the incident may also be affected. They can get help and 91�㽶��ɫ��Ƶ from Victim Support NI.

Download violence at work guide (PDF, 105K).

Bomb threats and suspect packages

You should ensure staff know what to do in the unlikely event of a bomb threat or a suspect package is found on your business premises. Download the PSNI's business guidance on dealing with bomb threat telephone calls and suspect packages (PDF, 212K).

Tiger kidnap

Tiger kidnap involves the short-term hostage-taking of family members of an employee who has immediate access to cash or valuables. The captives are frequently held overnight and the aim of the criminals is to frighten their victims to such a degree that they will not contact the police, even when they have an opportunity to do so.
Help

Crimestoppers

Victim Support NI

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Employers' health and safety responsibilities

Ensure lone workers' safety

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-security-protecting-staff

Links
Secure your business assets

How to identify and protect your assets, including your vehicles and transported goods.
There are a few simple procedures to follow that will help to protect your assets on and off-site. Assets or property could include:

computer equipment, laptops, or tablets

mobile phones

information stored on computers, organisers, or on paper

business vehicles

specialist equipment and tools

plant and machinery

Marking business assets

You should permanently mark each piece of equipment and make a note of the:

make

model

serial number

You should also maintain a record of all business assets, where they are located, and who is responsible for them. Asset checks, as well as stock checks, should be carried out by a dedicated member of staff.

Secure essential and high-value equipment in a separate secure room.

Computer equipment and mobile phones

If a computer, laptop, or tablet is lost or stolen, often the loss of information and data can be more of a serious issue than the cost of a replacement. This will particularly be the case if personal information is held on the computer. It could damage your reputation, affect your business's ability to operate, put individuals at risk, and result in a substantial fine. Read PSNI guidance on what you can do to protect computers in your business.

A way to address this issue would be to use cloud computing. This lets you store business information and use hardware and software remotely and securely over the internet.

Protecting business data

You should carry out an assessment of the risks and take measures to keep your physical and information assets safe. Common threats include:

cyber crime - malicious people might gain access to your systems and alter, steal or delete data - cyber security risk management

viruses - programs that are created to cause a nuisance or damage computer systems - detect spam, malware, and virus attacks

fraud - theft of sensitive data such as employee records or valuable intellectual property by hackers or even your own employees - business data breach and theft

data loss - caused by any of the above or by loss of hardware - eg by a flood at your premises

Small steps can help increase data security. For example, all computers should be password protected and have an internet firewall and anti-virus software. Employees who use computer equipment on a regular basis should change their passwords and back up their files regularly. Any information kept on electronic equipment should be copied and kept securely off-site and in a fire-proof safe. Protect your business online.

Every individual mobile phone can be identified by a unique International Mobile Equipment Number (IMEI). The IMEI can be found by typing *#06# into the handset and should be written down and stored securely.

Protecting business vehicles and transported goods

Any vehicles you own should be treated in the same manner as the shell of your business. You should always secure the doors and windows and have a lockable box in the cargo area. You can also add extra security, such as:

an alarm

a vehicle tracking system

an immobiliser

a steering lock

For high-value vehicles and machinery, such as tractors or plant machinery, you could consider marking property or fitting a tracking device. Read PSNI guidance to help prevent plant machinery thefts.

Reflective film on the windows will help to hide the interior. You should always make sure that anything left inside is hidden from view and use signs to let people know that nothing of value is left inside. If your business receives a lot of cash over the counter, it should be removed frequently to a secure location.

Secure lorry parks should be used for overnight stops.

For goods delivered by post, it might be appropriate to use a more secure service such as recorded or special delivery.

Building site security

Building sites are often the target of crime with a lot of high-value plant, machinery, and tools on site along with large quantities of materials such as cement, bricks, concrete blocks, steel, and timber. See the National Business Crime Centre's guidance on construction site security.
Help

Crimestoppers

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Insurance: business property and assets

Business assets

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/secure-your-business-assets

Links
Business security: cash

How to handle cash, cheques, and debit and credit card payments securely.
If you or your employees handle cash, try to avoid getting into a routine when depositing it to a bank or building society. It is also wise to reduce the amount of cash held on your business premises where possible. This can be done by:

making a regular, secure payment into the bank

transferring excess cash into a locked tamper-proof unit

removing cash overnight - eg emptying tills

encouraging the use of electronic payments, credit/debit cards or cheques

paying wages straight into staff bank accounts

Keeping cash on site

If cash has to be kept on-site, you should make sure it is held in a secure manner - eg a safe that is fitted to the building. Where possible the minimum amount of cash should be held in public areas and tills should be cleared regularly. Drop-safes, with time-locking mechanisms, should be used to ensure that cash is held securely.

Staff should not handle cash alone and anyone who deals with financial records should not handle cash.

Moving cash around

When you or an employee makes a secure payment to the bank, it should not be made alone. It is also advisable to vary the times and the route used. Restrict information about cash movement to those directly involved and consider using a professional cash-in-transit business.

Stained and counterfeit cash

Encourage your staff to be aware of the risk of accepting stained notes as these could have been stolen. Notes become stained when a cash degradation system has been set off during a robbery. These systems are used in tills (by banks, post offices, building societies, and retail outlets), cash points, and cash boxes used by cash-in-transit companies that deliver and collect cash.

If you are offered a stained note by a member of the public, treat it as you would a mutilated or damaged note and do not accept it. Advise the customer to take the note to a Post Office or bank and obtain a Bank of England Mutilated Note (BMN) claim form for the repayment of damaged notes see further information on damaged and contaminated banknotes. By filling in this form and going through the proper channels, providing the note is genuine, they will be reimbursed for the note they have handed in.

There are a number of ways to tell if a note is counterfeit or genuine. It is illegal to keep or pass on fake notes. Stopping criminals from spending stained or counterfeit notes helps to remove the incentive for crime.

Cheques

The number of cheques being used has declined in preference to the use of online banking and electronic payment systems. These systems have the benefit of additional security and anti-fraud measures. In spite of this cheque, fraud has become more organised and sophisticated with advances in computer and printing technology.

Writing cheques

When writing cheques:

always fill out cheques with the full details of the payee

avoid any blank spaces and rule out any unused space

when sending by post, it is best to send securely and not use a windowed envelope

store cheques securely and use them in serial number order

be sure to compare cheques written with the correct paperwork

destroy spoiled cheques by shredding if possible

Accepting cheques as payment

When accepting cheques:

ensure they are written, signed, and torn out in front of you

check that date and amount are correct

don't release goods before bank drafts are cleared

if you receive a cheque for far too much and are asked to send the balance back to the drawer by electronic funds transfer, this is probably a scam where the cheque will bounce but your account is still debited

Debit or credit cards

You must have procedures in place for handling credit and debit cards. The secure chip and pin system should be used where possible. If you are unable to use chip and pin, you should check the cards for:

start and expiry dates

signs of tampering

matching number on the card and till printout

matching signature

If in doubt, you can always phone the card issuer for authorisation.

Contactless payment has become a more popular method of paying through cards as well as wearable and mobile devices.
Help

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Actions

Banknote guidance for businesses from the Bank of England

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Retail payment options

Business continuity and crisis management

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-security-cash

Links
Business security: stock and theft prevention

Keep track of stock, maintain security, and avoid staff theft by restricting access to stock and using CCTV.
Keeping stock secure depends on knowing what you have and where it is located, so you should keep records of when stock is sold, used, replaced, or thrown away. In order to keep stock secure, you should:

keep records of stock with regular stock checks - including deliveries

stock control system - ensure a system of reporting stock variations is in place and amendments to the records only take place after authorisation, see stock control systems - keeping track using computer software

keep stock away from doors and in a place where it takes an obvious action to reach

use secure lockable, fireproof cabinets or rooms for high-value stock

use mirrors or closed-circuit television (CCTV) to keep stock and equipment monitored

try to limit the number of people who have access to valuable stock

Thieves and shoplifters

Staff should always be vigilant for any suspicious behaviour and should take appropriate action, such as reporting an incident. Suspicious behaviour could include:

choosing purchases quickly

trying to rush the transaction

working in groups to distract your staff

splitting purchases between different debit or credit cards

To find out what else you can do to deter this type of crime, see top tips to reduce shoplifting.

Prevent theft by staff

There are a number of measures you can take to combat theft by staff, for example:

create an honest work culture - educate your staff about the potential costs of theft and have a clear, communicated policy on this issue

restrict access to warehouses, stockrooms, and stationery cupboards

install CCTV in staff car parks

regularly change staff who control stock to avoid collusion or bad practice

Staff credentials

Before you employ a new staff member, you should check the identity of the staff member and their references thoroughly.

You are also required to check that potential employees have the right to work in the UK. See pre-employment checks.
Help

Crimestoppers

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Insurance: business property and assets

Stock control and inventory

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-security-stock-and-theft-prevention

Links
Reporting a crime against your business

How to report a crime against your business to the PSNI or Crimestoppers.

If you need to report a crime against your business in an emergency dial 999.

Non-emergencies

For non-emergency incidents and general enquiries, dial 101 - the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) non-emergency number. A trained member of staff will take your call. Contact the PSNI.

When you ring the police to report a crime, the police will give you a Crime Index number. Keep this number for future reference, as you might need it when discussing the incident or accessing police records.

Anonymously report a crime

You can also report crime anonymously by calling Crimestoppers, an independent charity helping law enforcement locate criminals and help solve crimes. You can call Crimestoppers on Tel 0800 555 111.

Help

Crimestoppers

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/reporting-crime-against-your-business

Links
Preventing identity theft, scams and fraud

How to protect your business from the risk of identity theft.
Identity theft and fraud can be a threat to your business, particularly if you carry out any part of your business online.

The target of fraud may be an individual within the business or the business itself. Criminals use a wide range of methods and approaches to commit their crimes. The aim is usually to steal sufficient information to assume the identity of the person or business with the aim of obtaining goods, services, or credit fraudulently.

One of the most common methods of stealing your corporate identity is through your IT system. Fraudsters may use 'malware' to access usernames, passwords, or bank details - detect spam, malware, and virus attacks.

Another method is the use of phishing websites which use keystroke logging software to record your keyboard strokes as a way of stealing financial details. Protect your business against phishing.

Protect your business from scams

There are many forms of scams designed specifically to target businesses. You should familiarise yourself and your staff with key signs of a scam. See PSNI guidance to protect yourself from scams and fraud.

You can protect your business from scams in several ways. For example, you should:

Limit the number of employees authorised to approve purchases of goods and services, and ensure that all other employees know they cannot discuss ordering or payments.

Never agree to anything in a rush. Remember, it is possible to make a legally binding contract over the phone, and the main problem with oral contracts is proving exactly what was said and agreed. Generally, it is one person's word against another's.

Do some research on the goods or service being offered.

Read the small print thoroughly before signing any paperwork, so that you know what you are committing to and how much it might cost.

Keep copies of all paperwork, proof of postage and all other correspondence.

Don't be pressured into paying for services you have not agreed to, that don't match what you ordered, or that were promised and haven't been provided. You should take advice on your legal rights if you are unsure.

If you are threatened with debt collectors or a credit 'black listing', remember that only a court can decide whether you are liable to pay, and disputes with another business will not necessarily affect your credit rating.

See the Little Book of Big Scams for further guidance on how to protect your business from scams.

Telephone preference service

If you are a sole trader or a partnership you can register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) by calling the TPS Registration Helpline on Tel 0345 070 0707.

The TPS is a central opt-out register, whereby individuals can register their wish not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls. It is a legal requirement that businesses do not make such calls to numbers registered on the TPS.

Minimise the risk of identity theft and fraud

To prevent IT fraud your business should implement anti-virus software and firewalls. You should also introduce internet and email policies to reduce the risk of employees inadvertently disclosing sensitive information. See how to protect your business online.

Another scam involves fraudsters stealing your entire corporate identity. Fraudsters attempt to do this by changing the information your business has registered with Companies House. Find out how you can protect your company from corporate identity theft.

You can help prevent identity fraud through the secure destruction of sensitive business information. When you need to destroy information in paper or electronic formats, make sure that you use reputable suppliers that comply with European standards, particularly EN 15713.
Actions

Get Safe Online - business guidance

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

Avoiding crime and fraud in international trade

Protect your business online

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/preventing-identity-theft-scams-and-fraud

Links
Business security plans and procedures

Plans and procedures to physically secure your business property and assets.
Your business should have adequate security and safety procedures and staff should be made aware of them. This could be anything from a simple procedure like locking a delivery door immediately after deliveries, or a more complex procedure like using security staff or an alarm system.

Locking up after close of business

You should also have a set procedure for securing your business premises. This should involve checking that all doors and windows are locked, lights and computers are switched off and the alarm and any other security measures are switched on. Pay special attention to areas where you store combustible materials or rubbish. Regularly test fire and smoke detectors to make sure they work.

You should consider a security plan to protect both equipment and information, such as:

removing equipment from a vehicle overnight

storing equipment securely

locking the equipment room

encouraging staff to be vigilant

Using signs as a security measure

A well-placed sign can help put off a criminal. For example, you could use signs stating:

all properties are marked and easy to identify

no cash is held on the premises

staff have no access to the safe

all tools removed from this vehicle

closed-circuit television (CCTV) in operation

no stock left overnight

All employees should be aware of their security duties and you should check that your security measures are followed.

When necessary, employees should dial 999 or get help quickly by using an alarm. They should also try to write down information about the incident and secure CCTV footage and the scene until the police arrive.

For more information, see business continuity and crisis management.
Actions

Security planning

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

First aid, accidents and illness in the workplace

Business continuity and crisis management

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/business-security-plans-and-procedures

Links
CCTV surveillance

Choose an appropriate closed-circuit television system to deter intruders and potentially lower insurance premiums.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) uses cameras to monitor the inside and/or outside of your premises. Some CCTV systems require manual operation, either by a private monitoring company or an appropriate member of staff.

Benefits of CCTV

CCTV can help by:

deterring thieves

watching remote areas or more than one area at once

enabling premises to be watched in safety

helping police to identify and prosecute intruders

Choosing a CCTV system

Your choice of CCTV system will depend on the value of your stock, machinery, or office equipment and the type and location of your premises.

Ask your insurance company or crime prevention officer for advice. You can find an approved security supplier.

Placing the cameras

Position cameras in areas:

particularly vulnerable to intruders

where staff could be alone or at risk, such as car parks

hidden from view or which are particularly quiet

You should put up a notice stating that you have a CCTV system. Cameras need to be easy to spot to have a deterrent effect. You can use dummy cameras as a cheap deterrent, either on their own or to make a real CCTV system look bigger. However, relying heavily on these is risky because potential thieves might realise they are fake. Try to:

protect cameras from attack

avoid blocking camera views with high-sided vans, trees, etc

adopt a tape archive system that can be used as evidence if necessary

Make sure that the system is correctly set up and that tapes are capable of recording images clearly. If the system is not recording images sufficiently it may be difficult to identify the perpetrators.

Insurance requirements

Your insurers may specify the kind of system they want you to install. They may also want your system and installer to be inspected by the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) or SSAIB.

CCTV and data protection

If your business uses closed-circuit television (CCTV), you have a legal duty under the Data Protection Act to make sure that individuals' rights are protected. You usually have to register with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if your business operates CCTV. Failure to do may be a criminal offence and you could face a fine. See if you need to register with the ICO.

CCTV operators must follow the correct procedures when they gather, store, and handle images:

You must tell people that they may be recorded by CCTV, eg by displaying signs. These must be clearly visible and readable. See the ICO's guidance on the right to be informed.

Individuals have the right to request images that you have recorded of them. You must provide these within one calendar month. See the ICO's guidance on the right of access to personal data.

Release of CCTV images must be controlled and in line with the system's intended purpose. For example, if the system is intended to help prevent and detect crime, you can disclose images to law enforcement agencies.

You should only keep recorded images for as long as needed. See the ICO's guidance on data storage limitation.

See the ICO's CCTV checklist. Read further guidance on the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
Help

ICO Northern Ireland

PSNI non-emergency helpline

Also on this site

Business Crime Partnership

Protect your retail business from crime

UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)

Insurance: business property and assets

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/cctv-surveillance

Links

Pay business rates by Bacs or CHAPs

bgraham — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 13:13:44 +0000

Pay business rates by Bacs or CHAPs bgraham Thu, 16/04/2015 - 14:13

Paying business rates

In this guide:

Pay business rates by Direct Debit

How to set up a Direct Debit to pay Land & Property Services your business rates bill.
Direct Debit is easy to set up and helps spread the cost of your business rates bill. There are three Direct Debit collection dates each month. Choose from the 7th, 15th, or 28th of each month as your preferred collection date and funds will be collected on or around your chosen date.
You can also set up your Direct Debit for a single payment and your payment will be taken automatically every year.
Once a Direct Debit has been set up for a rate account, it will continue each year, without further action from you. If you make monthly Direct Debit payments and miss two consecutive months, the facility may be withdrawn and you will have to make alternative payment arrangements.
How to set up a Direct Debit
You can set up a Direct Debit online to pay your rates.
Alternatively, you can call Land & Property Services (LPS) with your bank or building society details and they will set the Direct Debit up for you. Contact LPS using the following methods:
Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate) and ask to set up a Direct Debit payment
Tel +44 28 9067 5501 if calling from outside the UK
Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

Set up a Direct Debit online

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-direct-debit

Links
Pay business rates online

How to set up online payment for your business rates bill through Billpay.
You can pay your business rates online through the Land & Property Services (LPS) rate payment online site. This service allows you to pay your rate bill by debit card.
When making a rates payment, you will need your LPS Account ID and Ratepayer ID - this is found at the top of your rate bill. You will also need to know the amount you need to pay.
While LPS and their payment provider do not impose a payment limit on the online payment site, some card providers do impose a single transaction limit (commonly around £2,000). If you experience a problem trying to process a large transaction this may be the cause. To avoid this you could try to process the payment in two smaller transactions.
Debit cards accepted for rates payment
The following debit cards are accepted when paying business rates online:
Switch
Visa Electron
Solo
Maestro
Please note that LPS is currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

Pay your rates online

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-online

Links
Pay business rates by telephone

Pay your business rates bill over the telephone using the Land & Property Services automated payment service.
You can pay your business rate bill over the telephone using the Land & Property Services (LPS) automated payment service. This is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. You can make a payment using a debit card. There is no charge for paying by debit card.
Making a rates payment by telephone
To make a business rates payment by telephone you will need the following information which you can find on your rate bill:
Account ID
Ratepayer ID
Amount Due
The number to call is 0300 200 7801. Once connected you select the 'payment' option and follow the instructions to make a payment.
While LPS and their payment provider do not impose a payment limit, some card providers do impose a single transaction limit, commonly around £2,000. If you experience a problem trying to process a large transaction this may be the cause. To avoid this you could try to process the payment in two smaller transactions. This will not affect your entitlement to an early payment discount.
Debit cards accepted for rates payment
The following debit cards are accepted:
Switch
Visa
Visa Electron
Solo
Maestro
Please note that LPS is currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Business rates: the basics

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-telephone

Links
Pay business rates by internet or telephone banking

How you can pay your business rates bill using internet banking or telephone banking.

If your bank or building society offers telephone and/or internet banking, you can pay your business rate bill using either of these payment methods.
You must quote the full 16-digit reference number which is made up of your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example, 0123456789105568.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-internet-or-telephone-banking

Links
Pay business rates by Bacs or CHAPs

Bank account details if you want to pay your business rates bill through Bacs or CHAPs payment.
BACs payments for rates
To make a Bacs payment ratepayers must provide their Rate Reference number (Account ID or Occupancy ID, followed by Ratepayer ID).
To enable the correct allocation of payment(s), any remittance or Bacs query has to be sent to: commercial.lps@finance-ni.gov.uk.
Bank details
The bank details are:
Danske Bank
Donegall Square West
BELFAST
BT1 6JS
bank account name: LPS Commercial Rates
account number: 01063197
sort code: 95-01-21
If payment is coming from abroad, the LPS IBAN number for non-domestic rate accounts is as follows:
IBAN Number: GB22DABA95012101063197
BIC Address: DABAGB2B
CHAPs payments for rates
CHAPs payments can also be used when a payment needs to be made quickly. There is a charge for making payments this way but it usually depends on the bank and the amount of money being transferred. It can be around £25 or more.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-bacs-or-chaps

Links
Pay business rates by standing order

How to set up a standing order to pay Land & Property Services your business rates bill.
You can get your bank or building society to set up a standing order from your account to pay your business rates. The payment should be made to Land & Property Services (LPS) as follows:
bank account name: LPS Commercial Rates
bank account number: 01063197
sort code: 95-01-21
You must quote the full 16-digit reference number which is made up of your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your business rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example, 0123456789105568.
You should be aware that a standing order must be renewed each year, unlike a Direct Debit which runs continuously until cancelled.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-standing-order

Links
Pay business rates at a Post Office or PayPoint outlet

How to pay your business rate bill at a Post Office or PayPoint outlet.

You may find it more convenient to pay your business rate bill in a local Post Office or shop that offers the PayPoint service.
Find a Post Office or PayPoint outlet
As well as the network of Post Offices, there are over 450 PayPoint outlets in Northern Ireland, including garages, newsagents, and convenience stores where you can pay your rate bill.
You can choose to pay by cheque, cash, or debit card. However, you should be aware that some PayPoint outlets may not accept payment by cheque. You can pay in full, in one single payment or you can pay in instalments. You must allow five working days for any payment to reach Land & Property Services (LPS).
You will need the barcode on your rate bill to make payment. You should bring your rate bill with you so you will know how much you need to pay. Remember to retain your receipt.
Transaction limits
Please be aware that PayPoint imposes a transaction limit of £300 per transaction and the Post Office imposes a transaction limit of £4,000 (for fraud purposes). If you wish to make a larger payment than the transaction limit, it can be processed in two payments. Alternatively, if you are paying a large amount, you may wish to consider an alternative payment method such as direct debit, standing order, internet banking, or payment online.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-post-office-or-paypoint-outlet

Links
Pay business rates by cheque

How to pay your business rates bill by cheque.

If paying your business rates bill by cheque, you should make your cheque payable to 'Land & Property Services', cross it 'Rate Account', and send it to the address below only:
Land & Property Services
Lanyon Plaza
7 Lanyon Place
Town Parks
Belfast
BT1 3LP
You should clearly print the address of the property for which the business rates are due and your Account ID and Ratepayer ID number on the back of the cheque.
A receipt will not be issued for postal payments.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

LPS rating regional offices contact information

Contact Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-cheque

Links
What happens if I can't pay my rate bill?

What you should do if you can't pay your business rates bill.
Payment of rates is a legal obligation. If you cannot pay your rates bill you must contact Land & Property Services (LPS) immediately.
If you owe rates and do not have a payment arrangement in place, contact LPS to discuss the options available that will help legal recovery action. The easiest way to get in touch with LPS is to complete LPS's online contact form.
Alternatively, you can contact LPS using the following methods:
Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate)
Tel 0044 28 9067 5501 if calling from outside the UK
Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801
Help with your rates
There are a variety of reliefs available to 91�㽶��ɫ��Ƶ business ratepayers. You can find out more about these at help available for business rates.
To understand the consequences if you don't pay your business rates see what happens if I don't pay my rate bill?
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Help available for business rates

Estimate your rate bill

Managing financial difficulty

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/what-happens-if-i-cant-pay-my-rate-bill

Links
What happens if I don't pay my rate bill?

Action that may be taken by Land & Property Services if you fail to pay your business rates.
Land & Property Services (LPS) is responsible for collecting rates in Northern Ireland that are due for payment. Payment of rates is a legal obligation. There are a number of measures available to LPS to recover rates that are unpaid.
If you do not pay your rates or contact LPS to make an arrangement to clear your account, you will be taken to court. This will mean:
additional costs
your credit rating could be affected, and as a result, you may not be able to apply for credit or a loan
you could be made bankrupt
your home could be repossessed
If you are having problems paying your rate bill, you should contact LPS immediately. See what happens if I can't pay my rate bill?
What happens if I miss an instalment?
If you pay by monthly instalments and miss a payment, LPS will issue a reminder for the amount due. If you pay this within seven days, the instalment payment option remains in place. If you can't pay the arrears within seven days, you should contact LPS rating, as it may be possible to make different payment arrangements.
If you are not set up for instalments, you will receive a final notice 40 days after the original rate bill was issued.
What happens when I receive a final notice?
When you receive a final notice for payment of your business rate bill, you lose the automatic right to pay by instalments, and you have ten days to pay the full amount outstanding. You can, however, still contact LPS, who may be able to agree to a suitable payment plan.
If you do not pay the whole amount due or do not make a payment agreement with LPS, they will take you to court by issuing a Process in Debt Proceedings and charge you extra costs without issuing any further reminders.
Court proceedings for unpaid rates
If you receive a process to attend court and pay the full amount and any extra costs before the court date, LPS will not take any further action. If you don't pay the full amount and additional costs, the case will go to the Magistrate's Court on the day stated.
Once proceedings have been issued, LPS cannot make an agreement with you. However, if possible, you should continue to make payments to reduce the debt.
Court hearing
You do not have to attend the court hearing unless you wish to dispute the amount or you have a legal matter to bring to the attention of the Magistrate. The court will usually award a decree if you do not attend, and you will receive notification of this after the hearing. To avoid further legal recovery action, after you receive this notification, you should contact LPS to make arrangements to pay the outstanding amount.
Enforcement of Judgements
If you are a sole trader and if you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this, LPS will issue a Notice of Intention to lodge the debt with the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO). If you do not pay the outstanding balance with additional costs within ten days, LPS will lodge the debt for enforcement with the EJO.
Lodgement of the debt with the Enforcement of Judgements Office could result in the following:
your name appearing in Stubb's Gazette, which will affect your credit rating
additional costs of £150 to £250 depending on the amount outstanding
Attachment of Earning Order - where regular payments will be deducted from your salary/wages
Order Charging Land - the debt will be recovered if your property is sold
Garnishee Order - which can be served on a bank or building society to make it pay out money from your account to clear the debt
Seizure Order - which enables the EJO to seize personal property and/or valuables to cover all or part of the debt
Insolvency proceedings
If you are a limited company with debt over £750 or an individual with debt over £5,000 and you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this, LPS can issue a Statutory Demand. If you do not comply with this, LPS will initiate bankruptcy/liquidation proceedings. See managing financial difficulty.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Help available for business rates

Estimate your rate bill

Managing financial difficulty

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/what-happens-if-i-dont-pay-my-rate-bill

Links

Pay business rates by telephone

bgraham — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 10:26:28 +0000

Pay business rates by telephone bgraham Mon, 23/03/2015 - 10:26

Paying business rates

In this guide:

Pay business rates by Direct Debit

How to set up a Direct Debit to pay Land & Property Services your business rates bill.
Direct Debit is easy to set up and helps spread the cost of your business rates bill. There are three Direct Debit collection dates each month. Choose from the 7th, 15th, or 28th of each month as your preferred collection date and funds will be collected on or around your chosen date.
You can also set up your Direct Debit for a single payment and your payment will be taken automatically every year.
Once a Direct Debit has been set up for a rate account, it will continue each year, without further action from you. If you make monthly Direct Debit payments and miss two consecutive months, the facility may be withdrawn and you will have to make alternative payment arrangements.
How to set up a Direct Debit
You can set up a Direct Debit online to pay your rates.
Alternatively, you can call Land & Property Services (LPS) with your bank or building society details and they will set the Direct Debit up for you. Contact LPS using the following methods:
Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate) and ask to set up a Direct Debit payment
Tel +44 28 9067 5501 if calling from outside the UK
Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

Set up a Direct Debit online

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-direct-debit

Links
Pay business rates online

How to set up online payment for your business rates bill through Billpay.
You can pay your business rates online through the Land & Property Services (LPS) rate payment online site. This service allows you to pay your rate bill by debit card.
When making a rates payment, you will need your LPS Account ID and Ratepayer ID - this is found at the top of your rate bill. You will also need to know the amount you need to pay.
While LPS and their payment provider do not impose a payment limit on the online payment site, some card providers do impose a single transaction limit (commonly around £2,000). If you experience a problem trying to process a large transaction this may be the cause. To avoid this you could try to process the payment in two smaller transactions.
Debit cards accepted for rates payment
The following debit cards are accepted when paying business rates online:
Switch
Visa Electron
Solo
Maestro
Please note that LPS is currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

Pay your rates online

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-online

Links
Pay business rates by telephone

Pay your business rates bill over the telephone using the Land & Property Services automated payment service.
You can pay your business rate bill over the telephone using the Land & Property Services (LPS) automated payment service. This is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. You can make a payment using a debit card. There is no charge for paying by debit card.
Making a rates payment by telephone
To make a business rates payment by telephone you will need the following information which you can find on your rate bill:
Account ID
Ratepayer ID
Amount Due
The number to call is 0300 200 7801. Once connected you select the 'payment' option and follow the instructions to make a payment.
While LPS and their payment provider do not impose a payment limit, some card providers do impose a single transaction limit, commonly around £2,000. If you experience a problem trying to process a large transaction this may be the cause. To avoid this you could try to process the payment in two smaller transactions. This will not affect your entitlement to an early payment discount.
Debit cards accepted for rates payment
The following debit cards are accepted:
Switch
Visa
Visa Electron
Solo
Maestro
Please note that LPS is currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Estimate your rate bill

Business rates: the basics

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-telephone

Links
Pay business rates by internet or telephone banking

How you can pay your business rates bill using internet banking or telephone banking.

If your bank or building society offers telephone and/or internet banking, you can pay your business rate bill using either of these payment methods.
You must quote the full 16-digit reference number which is made up of your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example, 0123456789105568.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-internet-or-telephone-banking

Links
Pay business rates by Bacs or CHAPs

Bank account details if you want to pay your business rates bill through Bacs or CHAPs payment.
BACs payments for rates
To make a Bacs payment ratepayers must provide their Rate Reference number (Account ID or Occupancy ID, followed by Ratepayer ID).
To enable the correct allocation of payment(s), any remittance or Bacs query has to be sent to: commercial.lps@finance-ni.gov.uk.
Bank details
The bank details are:
Danske Bank
Donegall Square West
BELFAST
BT1 6JS
bank account name: LPS Commercial Rates
account number: 01063197
sort code: 95-01-21
If payment is coming from abroad, the LPS IBAN number for non-domestic rate accounts is as follows:
IBAN Number: GB22DABA95012101063197
BIC Address: DABAGB2B
CHAPs payments for rates
CHAPs payments can also be used when a payment needs to be made quickly. There is a charge for making payments this way but it usually depends on the bank and the amount of money being transferred. It can be around £25 or more.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-bacs-or-chaps

Links
Pay business rates by standing order

How to set up a standing order to pay Land & Property Services your business rates bill.
You can get your bank or building society to set up a standing order from your account to pay your business rates. The payment should be made to Land & Property Services (LPS) as follows:
bank account name: LPS Commercial Rates
bank account number: 01063197
sort code: 95-01-21
You must quote the full 16-digit reference number which is made up of your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your business rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example, 0123456789105568.
You should be aware that a standing order must be renewed each year, unlike a Direct Debit which runs continuously until cancelled.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-standing-order

Links
Pay business rates at a Post Office or PayPoint outlet

How to pay your business rate bill at a Post Office or PayPoint outlet.

You may find it more convenient to pay your business rate bill in a local Post Office or shop that offers the PayPoint service.
Find a Post Office or PayPoint outlet
As well as the network of Post Offices, there are over 450 PayPoint outlets in Northern Ireland, including garages, newsagents, and convenience stores where you can pay your rate bill.
You can choose to pay by cheque, cash, or debit card. However, you should be aware that some PayPoint outlets may not accept payment by cheque. You can pay in full, in one single payment or you can pay in instalments. You must allow five working days for any payment to reach Land & Property Services (LPS).
You will need the barcode on your rate bill to make payment. You should bring your rate bill with you so you will know how much you need to pay. Remember to retain your receipt.
Transaction limits
Please be aware that PayPoint imposes a transaction limit of £300 per transaction and the Post Office imposes a transaction limit of £4,000 (for fraud purposes). If you wish to make a larger payment than the transaction limit, it can be processed in two payments. Alternatively, if you are paying a large amount, you may wish to consider an alternative payment method such as direct debit, standing order, internet banking, or payment online.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-post-office-or-paypoint-outlet

Links
Pay business rates by cheque

How to pay your business rates bill by cheque.

If paying your business rates bill by cheque, you should make your cheque payable to 'Land & Property Services', cross it 'Rate Account', and send it to the address below only:
Land & Property Services
Lanyon Plaza
7 Lanyon Place
Town Parks
Belfast
BT1 3LP
You should clearly print the address of the property for which the business rates are due and your Account ID and Ratepayer ID number on the back of the cheque.
A receipt will not be issued for postal payments.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact Land & Property Services.

Developed with

Land & Property Services

Actions

LPS rating regional offices contact information

Contact Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Business rates: the basics

Estimate your rate bill

Help available for business rates

Content category

Business premises and rates

Source URL
/content/pay-business-rates-cheque

Links
What happens if I can't pay my rate bill?

What you should do if you can't pay your business rates bill.
Payment of rates is a legal obligation. If you cannot pay your rates bill you must contact Land & Property Services (LPS) immediately.
If you owe rates and do not have a payment arrangement in place, contact LPS to discuss the options available that will help legal recovery action. The easiest way to get in touch with LPS is to complete LPS's online contact form.
Alternatively, you can contact LPS using the following methods:
Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate)
Tel 0044 28 9067 5501 if calling from outside the UK
Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801
Help with your rates
There are a variety of reliefs available to 91�㽶��ɫ��Ƶ business ratepayers. You can find out more about these at help available for business rates.
To understand the consequences if you don't pay your business rates see what happens if I don't pay my rate bill?
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Help available for business rates

Estimate your rate bill

Managing financial difficulty

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/what-happens-if-i-cant-pay-my-rate-bill

Links
What happens if I don't pay my rate bill?

Action that may be taken by Land & Property Services if you fail to pay your business rates.
Land & Property Services (LPS) is responsible for collecting rates in Northern Ireland that are due for payment. Payment of rates is a legal obligation. There are a number of measures available to LPS to recover rates that are unpaid.
If you do not pay your rates or contact LPS to make an arrangement to clear your account, you will be taken to court. This will mean:
additional costs
your credit rating could be affected, and as a result, you may not be able to apply for credit or a loan
you could be made bankrupt
your home could be repossessed
If you are having problems paying your rate bill, you should contact LPS immediately. See what happens if I can't pay my rate bill?
What happens if I miss an instalment?
If you pay by monthly instalments and miss a payment, LPS will issue a reminder for the amount due. If you pay this within seven days, the instalment payment option remains in place. If you can't pay the arrears within seven days, you should contact LPS rating, as it may be possible to make different payment arrangements.
If you are not set up for instalments, you will receive a final notice 40 days after the original rate bill was issued.
What happens when I receive a final notice?
When you receive a final notice for payment of your business rate bill, you lose the automatic right to pay by instalments, and you have ten days to pay the full amount outstanding. You can, however, still contact LPS, who may be able to agree to a suitable payment plan.
If you do not pay the whole amount due or do not make a payment agreement with LPS, they will take you to court by issuing a Process in Debt Proceedings and charge you extra costs without issuing any further reminders.
Court proceedings for unpaid rates
If you receive a process to attend court and pay the full amount and any extra costs before the court date, LPS will not take any further action. If you don't pay the full amount and additional costs, the case will go to the Magistrate's Court on the day stated.
Once proceedings have been issued, LPS cannot make an agreement with you. However, if possible, you should continue to make payments to reduce the debt.
Court hearing
You do not have to attend the court hearing unless you wish to dispute the amount or you have a legal matter to bring to the attention of the Magistrate. The court will usually award a decree if you do not attend, and you will receive notification of this after the hearing. To avoid further legal recovery action, after you receive this notification, you should contact LPS to make arrangements to pay the outstanding amount.
Enforcement of Judgements
If you are a sole trader and if you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this, LPS will issue a Notice of Intention to lodge the debt with the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO). If you do not pay the outstanding balance with additional costs within ten days, LPS will lodge the debt for enforcement with the EJO.
Lodgement of the debt with the Enforcement of Judgements Office could result in the following:
your name appearing in Stubb's Gazette, which will affect your credit rating
additional costs of £150 to £250 depending on the amount outstanding
Attachment of Earning Order - where regular payments will be deducted from your salary/wages
Order Charging Land - the debt will be recovered if your property is sold
Garnishee Order - which can be served on a bank or building society to make it pay out money from your account to clear the debt
Seizure Order - which enables the EJO to seize personal property and/or valuables to cover all or part of the debt
Insolvency proceedings
If you are a limited company with debt over £750 or an individual with debt over £5,000 and you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this, LPS can issue a Statutory Demand. If you do not comply with this, LPS will initiate bankruptcy/liquidation proceedings. See managing financial difficulty.
Further information
If you have a query regarding your business rates, contact LPS.
Developed with

Land & Property Services

Also on this site

Help available for business rates

Estimate your rate bill

Managing financial difficulty

Content category

Business premises and rates
Source URL
/content/what-happens-if-i-dont-pay-my-rate-bill

Links

Business premises and rates

Home working

Introduction

Use your home as a workplace

Employees working from home

Rates for licensed premises

Business rates: the basics

Business rates and types of premises

Properties excluded from the valuation list for business rates

Properties exempt or partially exempt from business rates

Mixed-use properties and business rates

Rental properties and business rates

Working from home and business rates

Further information

Source URL

Links

How business rates are calculated

Regional and district rates

Net Annual Value

View your estimated rate bill

Further information

NI Reval2026

Source URL

Links

Rates for retail units

Further information

NI Reval2026

Source URL

Links

Rates for licensed premises

Further information

NI Reval2026

Source URL

Links

Business rates: Occupying, leaving or vacating a property

Moving into a new business property

Moving into a newly built business property

Leaving your old business property

Further information

Source URL

Links

How Land & Property Services uses your information

Reasons why LPS collates and holds customer information

LPS and the National Fraud Initiative

Source URL

Links

Rates for retail units

Business rates: the basics

Business rates and types of premises

Properties excluded from the valuation list for business rates

Properties exempt or partially exempt from business rates

Mixed-use properties and business rates

Rental properties and business rates

Working from home and business rates

Further information

Source URL

Links

How business rates are calculated

Regional and district rates

Net Annual Value

View your estimated rate bill

Further information

NI Reval2026

Source URL

Links

Rates for retail units

Further information

NI Reval2026

Source URL

Links

Rates for licensed premises

Further information

NI Reval2026

Source URL

Links

Business rates: Occupying, leaving or vacating a property

Moving into a new business property

Moving into a newly built business property

Leaving your old business property

Further information