If you run a business or manage commercial property in the UK, waiting for a decision on a business rates appeal probably feels like your paperwork has fallen into a black hole.
Well, you aren't imagining things.
Startling new data has revealed that nearly half of all business rates appeals are now taking over a year to resolve. To put that into perspective, at this time last year, only 18% of cases dragged on for 12 months. Today, that figure has rocketed to 45%.
The numbers, dragged into the light via a Freedom of Information request by law firm BCLP, paint a picture of a Valuation Office Agency (VOA) completely bogged down by a massive surge in disputes.
A System Under Serious Pressure
In the final quarter of 2025 alone, the VOA cleared 2,135 cases that had been sitting in the queue for over a year. Compare that to just 545 cases during the same period the year before, and it’s easy to see why the system is creaking.
Elizabeth Bradley, a partner at BCLP, put it bluntly: "It is becoming the norm for business rates appeals to take more than a year to resolve."
But this isn't just about frustrating admin delays. This waiting game is having a very real impact on the high street and corporate sectors. When businesses have absolutely no clarity on their tax liabilities for over 12 months, investment decisions freeze. You simply can't plan your company's future when you don't know what you'll owe the government.
The April 1st 'Cliff Edge'
If you think the backlog is bad now, April is likely to bring a perfect storm.
April 1st isn't just the deadline for appeals under the 2023 list. It’s also the exact date when the new rateable values (RVs) officially kick in. And the changes are massive. The draft figures released after the November Budget show the total rateable value across 2.13 million properties is set to jump by a painful 19.2%—hitting £84.4 billion.
Naturally, this hike is going to trigger a fresh tidal wave of appeals from businesses desperate to lower their bills.
The British Property Federation (BPF) has voiced deep concerns. Rachel Kelly from the BPF warned that the new tax rates hitting different asset classes in April will create dangerous "cliff edge" points, where even a tiny shift in a property's valuation could mean a massively different tax bill.
What is the VOA Saying?
For their part, the VOA insists they are doing what they can. A spokesperson recently stated that they are meeting all statutory deadlines and actively prioritising business owners who are facing immediate financial hardship.
They also rightly pointed out that these challenges are complex, often requiring a long back-and-forth exchange of evidence.
But with the VOA still clearing old appeals from the 2017 list, tackling the massive 2023 backlog, and bracing for the inevitable 2026 surge, the reality is stark. The system is currently trying to juggle two generations of unresolved disputes at the exact same time.
For now, if you are planning to challenge your new rateable value this April, the best advice is to get your evidence watertight and prepare for a very long wait.
