Scots' government seeks views on regime change in rateable value basis for charges

The Scottish government has invited businesses and other stakeholders to air their views on when and how its should make its planned shift in the way water charges for unmetered, non-household customers will be calculated according to their properties' rateable values.

The Scottish government has said it is seeking to arrive at a timing and transition period that suits those business whose charges will rise as a result of the change to charges based on current rateable values as well as those whose charges will decrease. The government is now seeking views on whether the new regime should be introduced from April 2020 and on whether there should be a transitional arrangement.

Hollyrood passed legislation in October 2014 stating that all business surface water drainage charges and unmetered business' water and wastewater charges should no longer be based on historic rateable values but on the most recently assigned values.

In the consultation document Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham (pictured) said: "Currently, the historic Rateable Values

used to calculate charges for the majority of businesses are generally not the same

as the rateable values in the current valuation roll used for business rates purposes.

As a consequence there are significant differences between the amounts charged for

similar premises."