DCMS
CLIENT BRIEF The Department for Culture, Media & Sport DCMS is here to help make Britain the world’s most creative and exciting place to live, visit and do business. DCMS…
CLIENT BRIEF
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is here to help make Britain the world’s most creative and exciting place to live, visit and do business. DCMS engaged our services to advise on the best way to mitigate the rate liability for its head office in Cockspur Street, just off Trafalgar Square. The property comprises of approx 107,000 sq ft of office accommodation arranged over eight floors. For the 2000 Rating Revaluation, the DCMS occupation was covered by three rating assessments with a total rateable value amounting to £2,314,500. Prior to ask-re being involved, another surveying firm had lodged appeals against these assessments but achieved only very limited success in reducing the rateable values.
OUR PROFESSIONAL APPROACH
At ask-re we can offer clients advice and assistance in connection with a range of service areas designed specifically for occupiers. Representation at Valuation and Lands Tribunals and Magistrates Court hearings. Advising on rate bill calculations and liability reduction. Advice on reliefs and exemptions. Guidance on transitional relief. Annual rates costs advice and budgeting. Full rates Audit for retrospective savings.
THE SUCCESS STORY
Within a year of being instructed, we successfully challenged the Valuation Office assessments and agreed a substantial reduction in rates liability. ask-re reduced & merged the 2000 List rateable value from £2,314,500 to £2,090,000. ask-re reduced & merged the historic base value from £1,333,700 to £1,190,000. ask-re reduced & merged the 2005 List rateable value from £2,395,500 to £2,230,000. The overall result for DCMS was a rate liability saving amounting to approximately £1,000,000, with additional and consequent savings in the 2010 list.