Pictured above: Nick Wright 

As businesses across the Country receive their increased business rates bills for 2011, companies can for the first time obtain a free online report telling them if they maybe at risk of overpaying rates or due a rates refund on their property.

The free report was launched today by RatesRecovery, a leading firm of Chartered Surveyors specialising in securing business rates savings for ratepayers.

The amount companies are required to pay in business rates is determined by the level of Rateable Value of the property they occupy. All companies have a right to appeal this value and if reduced it can produce a substantial refund and savings over the next 5 years.

RatesRecovery's Director Nick Wright MRICS commented, "It is essential that businesses take a considered and expert look at their business rates to determine whether an appeal is warranted. The launch of the free RatesRecovery report is the first step in enabling companies to consider a possible appeal. In the past our research indicates that almost 1 in 10 companies instructed unregulated agents to challenge their rates. By using unregulated agents, businesses have exposed themselves to unnecessary upfront fees, bad advice and in some case their appeal being withdrawn when they should have been due a rates refund. I hope our free report will allow businesses to help avoid these pitfalls in future."

RatesRecovery's free business rates report can be obtained from www.ratesrecovery.com. The 3 page report details areas where companies may be at risk of overpaying business rates and provides an easy to understand guide as to the potential level of risk.