Helping you make a Check for offices
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-31)

The VOA wants to help customers provide the right information when making a Check, and the following focuses on how to do this for offices.

When making a Check, you will need to confirm if the details the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) holds about your property are correct. These details should reflect the property as it is when you submit your Check.

You will also need to tell us about any missing or incorrect information which might affect your property’s rateable value.

When proposing any changes to the information we hold you will need to tell us the date of the change and provide supporting evidence – this can include plans, photos and any other relevant documents with your submission.

When making multiple changes as part of your Check, you can upload supporting information in a single document.

We might contact you to discuss information you’ve provided or changes you’ve proposed – for example if we need additional evidence.

If you provide false information in relation to a Challenge, which can include information you provided in the associated Check, you may be charged a penalty. This applies whether you are the owner, occupier or ratepayer.

If you need advice about what information to provide, you can contact us at xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Further information on Check and Challenge penalties (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-and-challenge-penalties) is available.

Help with completing your Check

The following is intended to support you in making an accurate Check and provide the right information.

Offices are usually measured to Net Internal Area (NIA). You can check which measurement method we have used for your property by looking at your summary valuation. Further information on how we measure properties for business rates (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-non-domestic-property-including-plant-and-machinery-is-valued#measuring-the-property) is available.

Floor Levels

When confirming floor levels, please treat the floor at street-level as the ground floor.

Measurements

When measuring your property, you will need to ignore any non-structural partition walls.

Raised floors

Raised floors are generally floors which have been raised to allow computer and other cabling to be laid more easily.

If your property has raised flooring, you will need to tell us these areas in your supporting information.

Air conditioning and comfort cooling

If your property has air conditioning, you will need to tell us if this covers the whole or only part of the property. If only part of the property has air-conditioning, you will need to tell us which areas are covered in your supporting information.

If your property only has comfort cooling, you will still need to state you have air conditioning as part of your Check submission. You should upload the full specification of your system and the areas it covers in your supporting information.

Generally, air conditioning systems cool, heat, ventilate, and control humidity whilst comfort cooling focuses solely on temperature reduction.

Heating

If your property has heating, you will need to tell us whether the property is fully or partially heated.

If your property is partially heated you will need to upload supporting information that explains which areas are heated. For example, your office may benefit from electric storage heaters or fixed radiators filled with water or oil, but other areas, such as a kitchen, may not be heated.

You don’t need to tell us about free-standing plug-in appliances.

Lifts

You will need to tell us if your property can be accessed using a passenger lift, even if it’s by a communal lobby and shared with other occupiers of the building. You will need to confirm which of the floors you occupy are served by the lift. You must include this information in your supporting documentation.

Changing the use of accommodation

Changing the way you use an area does not automatically mean the way we value it would change. For example, if you start using an office area for storage, we would still describe and value it as an office unless you have made physical alterations – for example to the quality of the finish.

If you are proposing changes to the description of any parts of your property you need to provide supporting information showing the change. This must include photos of the areas you’re proposing a change for.

Buildings in multiple occupation

If the areas you occupy are adjoining - either side by side or on the floor above or below - they will typically be assessed as a single property.

If the areas you occupy are separated by an area occupied by a third party, they will usually be assessed separately, for example, if you occupy offices on the first and third floor but not the second floor.

Similarly, if the areas you occupy are on the same floor but separated by communal areas such lifts, stairwells or hallways, they will be assessed separately.

Parking

You will need to confirm any information we hold about car parking is accurate or provide details of any parking which isn’t currently included in your valuation.

If your office is on the first floor or above and has the use of car parking spaces, these will normally be assessed separately from your office. If your car parking spaces are not assessed separately, you can tell us about changes in your supporting information.

You will need to submit a separate Check to tell us about changes to your separately assessed parking spaces.

If you are removing car parking or land from your property, you will need to tell us what has happened to that area, for example, you’ve removed car parking spaces or built on the land. You will need to upload supporting information which may include plans, photos or both. If your property is rented, and you do not know how the areas are now being used, please provide your landlord’s details so that we can check with them.

If you have increased the number of car parking spaces, you will need to tell us where they are and the date the change occurred. You will need to upload supporting documentation with your submission, for example a plan or the relevant extract of your lease.

Fire Protection Systems

If your property has sprinklers, you will need to tell us if they cover the whole or only part of the property. If only part of the property is covered, you will need to tell us these areas in your supporting information.

You do not need to tell us if you have stand-alone fire extinguishers.

CCTV

If your property has a CCTV security system, you will need to tell us the number of cameras. You will also need to tell us whether they are black and white or colour and the date of installation. You should upload this in your supporting information.