Understanding my business rates bill

Pay any outstanding balance from 2025/26 by 31st March 2026 unless you have an approved payment arrangement in place. 

Please check the last bill on your MHA to view when your instalments are due, as there may be a final payment due on a date in March 2026.

If your balance has been referred to Enforcement Agents, contact them to make payment.

Balances subject to court proceedings will be marked on your Annual Bill.

Please download the Refund Request Form at and then complete and upload it using the Evidence upload form.

Requesting a refund will increase your 2026/2027 monthly payments, and a new bill will be sent after 1st April 2026.

You can view payment methods on the back of your bill, or see Pay my Business Rates.

You can set up a Direct Debit Payment.

Existing Direct Debits which have not been cancelled will continue automatically.

You have two options to pay over 12 months:

• Set up a Direct Debit
• submit a request using the Business Rates Enquiry Form

Pay the 1st April instalment before requesting a change to ensure 12 monthly instalments.

If you recently applied for a Business Rates reduction, it might still be awaiting processing. Continue to pay as instructed until you receive a revised bill.

If awarded a full exemption and your account is in credit, you can request a refund.

Check if the exemption/relief has been applied on your MHA account.

For more details on reliefs or exemptions, visit Business rate reliefs and exemptions. You can upload your application using the Business Rates Evidence form

Please tell us about this change using the Evidence upload form. 

A revised or new bill will be sent once processed, which you can check via your MHA account. You can check this on your MyHarrow Account.

If your business premises have a rateable value of over £92,000, you must pay a supplement to cover the costs of Crossrail.

For more information, visit www.crossrail.co.uk

The rateable value threshold increased from £75,000 to £92,000 as a result of Business Rate revaluation effective from 1st April 2026.

The business rates appeal process in England is called Check and Challenge.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) handles checks and challenges, and an independent Valuation Tribunal handles appeals.

For more information see How to check your rateable value is correct.

Yes, you must pay your current Business Rates bill until your appeal is determined.

From 1st April 2026, the present two multipliers set each year by the Government, (i.e. small 49.9p and standard 55.5p business multipliers) will be expanded and there will instead, be five multipliers as follows: 

• A small business multiplier of 43.2p for properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000.
• A standard multiplier of 48.0p for properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or more.
• A small business, retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) multiplier of 38.2p for retail hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000.
• A standard retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) multiplier of 43.0p for retail hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or more.
• A high value multiplier of 50.8p for businesses with a rateable value of £500,000 or more. 

For more information, see Business Rates Changes for 2026

If you reported a change after 3rd March 2026, an amended bill will be sent after 1st April 2026.

If your rateable value (RV) is under £12,000 and you only have one property you are entitled to 100% relief.

A taper applies to RVs between £12,001 and £15,000.

For more information see Business Rates reliefs and exemptions.

All commercial properties in England were revalued from 1st April 2026.

If your Business Rates liability on 1st April 2026 exceeded that on 31st March 2026 by more than a government specified amount, transitional relief would have been awarded.  Any entitlement given, is revised each year in accordance with prescribed statutory provisions and subsists for up to three years.

This relief is automatically calculated and shown on your bill.
 

For more information see Transitional Relief.

No. Retail Rate Relief no longer applies from 1st April 2026

Supporting Small Business (SSB) Relief provides support to businesses losing some or all of their entitlement to either small business rate relief because of the revaluation, or losing retail, hospitality and leisure relief, which ceases on 31st March 2026.

The amount is capped at the higher of £800 or the relevant transitional relief caps from 1st April 2026.

Businesses will not need to apply for SSB as it will be applied to bills automatically.

The scheme will operate for three years with the current SSB 2023 scheme applicable until 31st March 2026, being extended for a further one-year term.  However, entitlement may end earlier if the eligibility criteria are no longer met.

Only occupied premises will be in scope for the scheme with charities and community amateur sports clubs not being eligible.

You can find information on our Business Rate Webpages

Submit enquiries using the Business Rates Enquiry Form

Upload supporting documents using the Business Rates Evidence Form

Contact details are also on your bill.

Contact the Council at the earliest opportunity using the Business Rates Evidence form or visit the Resident Contact Centre.
It may be possible to arrange a short-term payment plan and check whether you may be entitled to a reduction.

Staff at the Resident Contact Centre can assist with online services.

Address: 6 Gayton Road
Harrow
HA1 2FB

Service available Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm.

Submit enquiries, inform us of any changes, make cashless payments, and submit requested documents (which will be scanned for electronic access) at the library.

The Harrow Register Office, for the registration of births, deaths and marriages is also situated at Greenhill Library and is located in ‘The Pavilion’ next door to the main Library service.

99% of our customer interactions are now online or over the telephone. If you have an enquiry relating to Business Rates, you may wish to first visit our Business Rates webpages