The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing unprecedented disruption to public services, businesses and individuals across the country.
The majority of our employees are equipped to work from home and are doing so to avoid unnecessary travel and social contact. We are operating as close to normal as possible and are prioritising work related to coronavirus.
We are working hard to manage queries online and via email, but it is taking longer than usual to respond to customers. We would like to apologise to anyone who might be affected by changes to our services.
Support for ratepayers
The Government has published guidance for employees, employers and businesses, including a 12-month business rates holiday for certain sectors of businesses in England and a package of funding and loans. Further support has also been announced for certain small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funds scheme.
Any enquiries on eligibility for, or provision of the reliefs should be directed to your local council. The Welsh Government has also published guidance for businesses in Wales.
Please note we are currently unable to offer telephone support or accept hardcopy post. If you need to contact us please use the Contact Form, which also contains links to useful self-help guidance. It is taking us longer than usual to respond to customers but please be assured that we will get back to you as soon as we can.
We provide a range of reasonable adjustments to customers where they are required. Customers can let us know through the Contact Form or ask a friend or family member to complete on their behalf.
Face-to-face appointments
Property inspections are being put on pause and we are focusing on gathering the information we need remotely, where it does not add an additional burden on our customers.
We are unable to accommodate requests to view hard copy rental information we hold, such as Rent and Lease Details, Forms of Return and proposal forms.
Penalties
We are cancelling outstanding penalties in regards to non-compliance with requests for rent, lease or ownership details. For hardship cases, we are being as flexible as we can with customers when we require information.
Keeping you updated
We continue to monitor this situation as it develops and will publish any new or updated guidance.
Follow this news feed: HM Government