BID frequently asked questions

Billing, collection and enforcement frequently asked questions

• Who is entitled to vote whether to accept/reject the BID proposals for the levy?
• How will the voting work?
• When is it expected that the ballot paper will be issued?
• When is the ballot date?
• Who is liable to pay a BID levy?
• Are there properties excluded from the BID levy?
• How is the BID levy calculated?
• Which rateable value will you be using to calculate my BID levy?
• My rateable value has gone down on appeal to the Valuation Office Agency , how will this affect my BID levy?
• My property has been removed from the non-domestic rating list, do I have to pay a BID levy?
• How and when is the BID levy payable?
• The property occupied is occupied by a charity or non profit making organisation - will we have to pay the full BID levy?
• What happens if I don’t pay the BID levy?
• What if I can’t pay the amount shown on the summons?
• I have changed address. What do I do?
• What happens if my property description changes?
• What happens if my property is partly or wholly empty?

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Who is entitled to vote whether to accept/reject the BID proposals for the levy?

The person(s), registered company or organisation who is the ratepayer for non-domestic rates of a rating hereditament within the Business Improvement Area as at 11 January 2005.

If the business is in joint names, a registered Company or a charity/non profit making organisation, the person nominated will be the only person entitled to vote.

There will only be one vote per rating hereditament (rating assessment).

If you have not received a rate account for non-domestic rates in your name, you will not be entitled to vote. You must contact the non-domestic rates department of the City Council as soon as possible by telephoning: 01752 304966.

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How will the voting work?

The ballot has to meet two tests. Firstly, there must be a simple majority (above 50%) of those eligible to vote. Secondly, those voting in favour must represent a majority of the aggregate rateable value of the hereditaments voting.

The full ballot procedure and ballot papers will be forwarded to those ratepayers who are eligible to vote.

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When is it expected that the ballot paper will be issued?

The ballot papers will be issued on 1 February 2005, and your company should receive this by 3 February at the latest.

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When is the ballot date?

The ballot is between 1 February and 1 March 2005. All ballot papers must be returned before 1 March 2005 by 5pm (called the Ballot date), or the vote will not be counted.

If the ballot meets the two tests and there is a YES vote of those ratepayers eligible to vote, the Council can issue BID levy accounts and Plymouth City Centre Company can proceed to implement the BID proposals in the Business Plan.

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Who is liable to pay a BID levy?

Any person, registered company or charity/non profit making organisation who is the occupier/leaseholder or where the property is empty and a lease does not exist, the owner, of the non-domestic rated property within the BID Area is liable for the BID Levy.

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Are there properties excluded from the BID levy?

Yes, there are a few types of properties that are excluded from the BID levy such as:

• offices (but not offices used for employment, recruitment, and training agencies/businesses or where the offices form part of a bank/building society or other financial institution)
• commercial car parking spaces where rated separately
• concessions, including on street traders, fairs, craft markets, fairground rides, kiosks and outdoor commercial/charitable promotions and events
• telephone masts
• advertising drums
• companies that are in liquidation or those sole/joint ratepayers who are bankrupt will also be exempt up to the date bankruptcy

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How is the BID levy calculated?

It will be 1% of your hereditament’s rateable value (except in respect of covered shopping centres where occupiers already pay a service charge eg Armada Centre, where any relevent hereditment will be charged at 0.5% of the rateable value). So if your rateable value is £10,000.00 you will have to pay £100. It is calculated on a daily rate liability, so if you vacate the premises during the life of the BID term you will only have to pay for the period you occupied the premises.

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Which rateable value will you be using to calculate my BID levy?

It’s the rateable that is shown in the Non Domestic Rate List as at 1 December 2004. If the property you occupy is brought in to the Non Domestic Rate List between 2 December 2004 and 31 March 2005, we will use that rateable value to calculate your BID levy. If the property was brought in to the rating list on or after 1 April 2005, then your BID levy will be calculated on the rateable value in the 2005 rating list.

The above applies to new rating assessments and those that have now been merged and split. My rateable value has gone down on appeal to the Valuation Office Agency , how will this affect my BID levy? Your BID levy will not be affected..

The rateable value used to calculate your BID levy has been fixed as at 1 December 2004 with the exception of new properties, splits and mergers where it is fixed at the date it was brought in to the non-domestic rating list. In short, no reduction or increase in rateable value will affect the BID levy.

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My rateable value has gone down on appeal to the Valuation Office Agency , how will this affect my BID levy?

Your BID levy will not be affected.

The rateable value used to calculate your BID levy has been fixed as at 1 December 2004 with the exception of new properties, splits and mergers where it is fixed at the date it was brought in to the non-domestic rating list.

In short, no reduction or increase in rateable value will affect the BID levy.

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My property has been removed from the non-domestic rating list, do I have to pay a BID levy?

If the property is removed from the rating list up to and including 1 April 2005, you will not have to pay a BID levy. If the property is removed from the rating list after 1 April 2005, you will have to pay for the BID levy calculated on a daily rate liability up to the date it was removed provided the property was occupied.

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The property has had a change of description, will this affect the BID levy?

Yes, it could do.

If it changes to an office and it’s one of the exempt classes as described earlier, you will no longer have to pay the BID levy from the date it changed. Similarly, if it had been exempted and now falls within the terms of the BID levy, an account will be issued by the City Council.

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How and when is the BID levy payable?

Plymouth City Council will send you a BID levy account for you to pay on behalf of the BID company. The BID levy is paid direct to Plymouth City Council on 1 April or for new ratepayers within 14 days of the account being sent to you.

There is no instalment facility but if you are experiencing difficulty in paying the account, you can telephone the Council on 01752 304966 to discuss payment.

Plymouth City Council is the collecting agent.

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The property occupied is occupied by a Charity or non profit making organisation - will we have to pay the full BID levy?

Yes, there will be no reductions or reliefs.

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The Government is introducing a small business rate relief scheme from April next year, will this affect the BID levy?

No, you will have to pay the full BID levy. The small business rate relief scheme will only affect your main non-domestic rate bill providing you meet the criteria.

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What happens if I don’t pay the BID levy?

The City Council will send you a reminder. You will have 14 days from the date shown on the notice to pay the reminder. If the BID levy remains outstanding after 14 days, a summons will be issued

for your appearance at the Plymouth Magistrates Court where an application for a liability order and costs of £50.00 will be made.

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What if I can’t pay the amount shown on the summons?

Telephone the City Council on 01752 304966 to discuss payment.

Any arrangement will include the court costs.

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I have changed address. What do I do?

You have to telephone the Non Domestic Rates Section on 01752 304966. A member of staff will take details of your vacation and arrange for a final account to be sent to you together with any refund if you have paid your BID levy to the end of the financial year.

Please quote your non domestic rate account payment reference number and also your BID levy payment reference number.

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What happens if my property description changes?

Sometimes the description of a property changes so it could go from say a shop to an office so in effect it could suddenly be exempted (office).

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What happens if my property is partly or wholly empty?

The BID levy is payable on the whole rating assessment irrespective if part or all of it is empty.

In the case of empty properties, any person, registered company or charity/non profit making organisation who is the leaseholder will be liable to pay 100% of the BID levy. If no lease exists, the owner will be liable for 100% of the BID levy.

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