I have been told that I don’t need to pay business rates and I would like to find out whether it is in fact the case. I have a shop with empty living accommodation above. I have to pay 150% council tax for the domestic part as no-one lives in it along with standard business rates. The rateable value is approx. £3000. Someone else with a similar property he said that he had been advised that refunds don't apply to semi-commercial properties. Does anyone have any firm knowledge of this and can advise on what would be involved in obtaining any refund? I'd like to be armed with some facts when I approach the local council about it.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/markets/british-man-held-over-%C2%A3500bn-wall-street-flash-crash/ar-AAbtv4n?ocid=mailsignoutmd With the way technology has changed the markets, it does not take much to trigger a major finance market crash. Better security is needed as this could be exploited by foreign states, terrorist groups and hackers, who might wish to cause harm to western economies.

Not my words - but the words of the Court of Appeal. Dishonest without intending to be, apparently. Sent "semi-literate" letters No intention to bring legal proceedings at all!!!!! See the judgment attached for the whole grisly story. Of course this Court of Appeal judgment is about Parking Eye but you may find similarities in the way of doing business used by other private parking companies. Apart from anything else this is more evidence of the slack attitude of the British Parking Association to the behaviour of their own members. The BPA must be aware of this. What action have they taken against Parking Eye for their breach of the Code of Practice?? If anyone knows, then please let us know. The BPA is the outfit which pretends to want to set an Independent Appeals Service. Has Parking Eye's access to the DVLA database been suspended? I don't think so. If you have paid money to Parking Eye then you have a basis for claiming it back. certainly, if you have paid the so-called "full rate" then you have clearly paid an unenforceable penalty and you should go and get you money back Please note that the trial judge held that the initial sum was an enforceable charge. The Court of Appeal referred to it but did not consider it and made no finding which approved it . In other words, don't let Parking Eye or any other parking company tell you that there is binding authority for saying that the initial charge is valid. That would be a porky. Thanks to user:Tomtubby for discovering this judgment. Important rider - the Court of Appeal decision was based upon the Parking Eye arrangement as agreed with Somerfields in 2005. If their agreements are different elsewhere then that could affect the situation. Now original High Court judgment also available below. Thanks to Tomtubby again.