Appeal your business rates valuation in Scotland
How to challenge your rateable value with Scottish Assessors and the Valuation Appeal Committee, including deadlines and evidence requirements.
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Premises & Operations
Business premises, locations, and operational setup
Business Premises
Business rates in Wales: relief schemes and how to claim
How business rates work in Wales, including the single multiplier, Small Business Rates Relief, Retail Leisure and Hospitality relief, and the unique Improvement Relief scheme. Covers how to claim each relief and key differences from England.
Read guideClaim Improvement Relief for business premises in Wales
How to claim Improvement Relief in Wales, which delays any business rates increase resulting from property improvements for 12 months. This relief is unique to Wales and removes a key barrier to investing in business premises.
Read guideClaim Small Business Bonus Scheme relief
How to apply for Scotland's Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS), which provides up to 100% rates relief for eligible small businesses with properties valued up to £35,000.
Read guideClaim Small Business Rate Relief in Northern Ireland
How to check eligibility and claim Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) in Northern Ireland. Covers the NAV thresholds, relief rates, the automatic application process through Land and Property Services, and what to do if relief has not been applied.
Read guideLeave your business premises
How to end a commercial lease, including break clauses, dilapidations, and ongoing rates liability.
Read guideListed building consent and conservation compliance
How to comply with heritage protection laws when your business occupies or alters a listed building or operates in a conservation area. Covers consent requirements, application process, criminal penalties for non-compliance, and differences across UK nations.
Read guideMaintain your business premises
Essential maintenance requirements including fire safety, gas and electrical safety, and legionella risk management.
Read guideRent your first business premises
How to find, evaluate, and secure your first commercial property as a pre-trading or early-stage business.
Read guideSecure your business premises
Security requirements for business premises including CCTV compliance, SIA licensing, and physical security measures.
Read guideSelling property listed as community value
What happens when you want to sell a property that has been listed as an Asset of Community Value. Covers the moratorium process, your rights as owner, exemptions, and how to claim compensation for losses.
Read guideUnderstanding business rates in Northern Ireland
How the Northern Ireland business rates system works, including the dual regional and district rate structure, Land and Property Services valuations, industrial derating for manufacturing, and the full range of relief schemes available to NI businesses.
Read guideUnderstanding business rates in Scotland
How the Scottish three-tier business rates system works, including multipliers, reliefs, and revaluation cycles.
Read guideUnderstanding commercial lease obligations
Key obligations and protections in commercial leases. Covers lease types (FRI, IRI, EFRI), Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 security of tenure, rent reviews, break clauses, alienation provisions, service charges, dilapidations, and Land Registry registration.
Read guideWhere to run your business
Home-based vs commercial premises - a decision framework for choosing where to operate.
Read guideUtilities & Services
Dispose of hazardous waste
How to classify, store, and dispose of hazardous waste from your business premises in compliance with the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005. Covers consignment notes, using authorised facilities, and the stricter record-keeping requirements that apply to hazardous waste.
Read guideMeet your business waste duty of care
Understand your legal responsibilities when producing, storing, or disposing of business waste. Covers using registered waste carriers, completing waste transfer notes, and the stricter rules for hazardous waste.
Read guidePrepare for Digital Waste Tracking
The UK government is introducing mandatory Digital Waste Tracking to replace paper waste transfer notes and consignment notes. Receiving sites must use the system from October 2026, with expansion to carriers, brokers, and producers from October 2027. This guide explains the phased rollout, who is affected, and how to prepare.
Read guideRegister a waste exemption
How to register a waste exemption with the Environment Agency instead of applying for a full environmental permit. Covers when exemptions apply, the four categories of exemption (T, U, D, S), registration charges from July 2025, and the 3-year renewal cycle.
Read guideSimpler Recycling - what your business must do
New Simpler Recycling rules require businesses in England to separate recyclable waste into distinct streams. Larger businesses (10+ employees) had to comply by 31 March 2025. Micro-firms have until 31 March 2027. This guide explains what you must separate, how to arrange collections, and what happens if you do not comply.
Read guidePremises Compliance
Air conditioning and F-gas compliance
How to comply with air conditioning inspection requirements and F-gas regulations for your business premises. Covers mandatory AC inspections for systems over 12kW, F-gas leak checking intervals, the 2025 phase-down of high-GWP refrigerants, and record keeping obligations.
Read guideBuilding compliance checklist for business premises
A checklist for business owners and building managers to verify that their premises meet key building services and building envelope compliance requirements. Covers electrical safety, gas safety, air conditioning, water systems, energy performance, lifts, and building envelope obligations.
Read guideBuilding envelope compliance: what you need to know
Strategic overview of building envelope compliance obligations for property owners and developers in England. Covers the key regulations affecting walls, roofs, floors, windows, insulation, and moisture resistance, when building work triggers compliance duties, and what the Future Homes and Buildings Standards will change.
Read guideBuilding services compliance: what you need to know
A strategic overview of building services compliance obligations for UK business premises. Explains what building services are, which regulations apply to each system, who enforces them, and where to find detailed guidance for each area.
Read guideChimney and flue compliance for business premises
How to comply with Part J of the Building Regulations for chimneys and flues in business premises. Covers safe discharge heights and separation distances, carbon monoxide alarm requirements, building control notification, competent person schemes, and assessment of defective chimneys.
Read guideElectrical installations and Part P compliance
Understanding Part P of the Building Regulations, BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations), notifiable versus non-notifiable electrical work, competent person schemes, and how Part P relates to the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 for commercial premises.
Read guideElectrical safety in your business premises
How to manage electrical safety in your business premises. Covers your duties under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, fixed installation testing, portable appliance management, competent person requirements, and record keeping.
Read guideEnergy Performance Certificates for business premises
When you need an Energy Performance Certificate for commercial property, the minimum E rating requirement for lettings under MEES, penalties for non-compliance, Display Energy Certificates for public buildings, available exemptions, and how to improve your EPC rating.
Read guideGas safety compliance for commercial premises
How to meet your gas safety obligations in commercial premises. Covers annual gas safety checks, Gas Safe Register requirements, carbon monoxide alarm duties, emergency procedures, and record keeping for landlords and occupiers.
Read guideGetting building control approval
How to get building control approval for building work in England. Covers the two approval routes (Local Authority Building Control and Registered Building Control Approvers), application types, competent person scheme self-certification, regularisation of unauthorised work, and the restriction on higher-risk buildings.
Read guideHeating system compliance for business premises
How to comply with heating system regulations when replacing boilers or installing heat pumps in your business premises. Covers boiler efficiency requirements under Part L, heat pump permitted development rights, Part J combustion appliance safety, building control notification, and the Future Homes and Buildings Standard.
Read guideInsulation requirements for commercial and residential buildings
Quick-reference guide to insulation U-value requirements by building element, building type, and work type under Part L of the Building Regulations 2010. Covers wall, roof, and floor insulation options, fire safety considerations for external insulation, and PAS 2030/2035 retrofit standards.
Read guideLighting requirements for business premises
Key lighting requirements for business premises, covering workplace lighting standards under the Workplace Regulations 1992, emergency lighting duties, and Part L energy efficiency standards for non-domestic buildings.
Read guideMeet building envelope thermal performance requirements
How to comply with Part L thermal performance requirements for walls, roofs, floors, and windows. Covers U-value targets for domestic and non-domestic buildings, when renovation triggers insulation upgrade under Regulation 23, thermal bridging, air tightness testing, and the Future Homes and Buildings Standards.
Read guidePassenger lift compliance for building owners
How to comply with lift safety requirements if you own or manage a building with passenger lifts. Covers LOLER thorough examinations, Lifts Regulations 2016 for new installations, Part M accessibility standards, firefighting lift duties, and record keeping.
Read guideReplacing windows: building regulations compliance
How to comply with building regulations when replacing windows. Covers the two compliance routes (FENSA or CERTASS self-certification versus building control application), Part L thermal requirements, Part K safety glazing in critical locations, listed building and conservation area considerations, and retrospective regularisation.
Read guideVentilation and indoor air quality requirements
How to meet ventilation and indoor air quality requirements in your business premises. Covers Part F of the Building Regulations, Workplace Regulations 1992 fresh air standards, workplace temperature requirements, and when ventilation modifications trigger building regulations compliance.
Read guideWater systems and legionella compliance
How to manage legionella risk in your business premises water systems. Covers risk assessment, temperature management, flushing regimes, water fittings compliance, and record keeping under ACOP L8.
Read guidePlanning & Development
Apply for planning permission in Northern Ireland
How to apply for planning permission through Northern Ireland's devolved planning system. Covers the 11 council application process, the Department for Infrastructure's role in regionally significant applications, fees, and what to expect after submission.
Read guideApply for planning permission in Scotland
Planning application process in Scotland under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, including NPF4, application types, and fees.
Read guideDevelopments of National Significance (DNS) in Wales
How the DNS regime works in Wales, including what qualifies, how to apply to Welsh Ministers, and the process and timelines for determination.
Read guideGet pre-application advice
How to use pre-application advice from your local planning authority to improve your chances of getting planning permission. Covers what to submit, typical fees, and making the most of officer feedback.
Read guidePermitted development rights in Northern Ireland
What you can build, extend, or change without planning permission in Northern Ireland. Covers the NI GPDO classes relevant to business premises, key differences from England's permitted development regime, and when permitted development rights do not apply.
Read guidePermitted development rights in Scotland
What you can build or change without planning permission in Scotland under the GPDO (Scotland).
Read guidePlanning permission in Wales: how it differs from England
Key differences in the Welsh planning system, including PPW, TANs, LDPs, permitted development rights, fees, and application types under the Planning (Wales) Act 2015.
Read guidePlanning permission: when your business needs it
Understand when your business needs planning permission, what permitted development rights allow without an application, and how to use a Certificate of Lawful Use. Covers Use Classes, change of use rules, and the application process for England and Wales.
Read guideUnderstanding permitted development rights
When you can change your business premises or convert buildings without applying for full planning permission. Covers Class E flexibility, prior approval, and common permitted development opportunities.
Read guideUnderstanding planning conditions
What planning conditions are, why they are attached to permissions, the different types, and your rights if you consider a condition unreasonable. Essential reading before starting development.
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Business insurance types quick reference
Quick-lookup reference of common business insurance types, showing which are legally required, recommended, or optional. Use this to identify gaps in your cover.
Read guideMaking a business insurance claim
Step-by-step guide to making a business insurance claim, from immediate actions in the first 24 hours through to working with loss adjusters, understanding your rights under the Insurance Act 2015, and what to do if your claim is rejected.
Read guideProfessional indemnity insurance for businesses
Professional indemnity (PI) insurance protects your business against claims of negligent advice, errors, or omissions that cause a client financial loss. Some professions must carry PI insurance by law, but any business providing advice or professional services should consider it.
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