Has anyone had any dealings with the VOA and Business Rates, or can anyone point me in the right direction into getting some help as the VOA won't help.

We moved into a premises in 2001, and converted what used to be a Dance School into a Martial Arts gym. The VOA was contacted (by phone) about a change in use however we was told that usage was valued the year before and will still stand as it is a similar business. Never thought anything of this (apart from the high business rates we was paying for the description of OFFICES AND PREMISES). Now as a Dance School and a Martial Arts gym there was never the amount of offices it stated.
In 2005 the rateable value went up again but was informed about the small business rates relif, however we didn't get the 50% relief because of the high rateable value. We started a appeal to get the description changed in May 2005. In Jan 2006 we sold the business and the new occupied got the description changed no problem (dating back to April 2005).
We telephoned the VOA to inform them that we were no longer the present occupiers and the appeal to be droped (as the descritpion and rateable had been changed).
Last week we recieved a letter from the VOA stating that the appeal has been lost due to not turning upto the hearing - but it got changed last year???

Anyway I submitted another appeal to get the 2000 listings changed, but recieved an email the following day saying basically "sorry but you're too late, you should have asked for the listing to be changed before March 2005". But we asked this when we moved into the property...

If we had been paying the rates at the current rateable value it would mean that we have overpaidicon £12500 in 4 years. When you're running a small business £12500 is alot of money..

Does anyone know any laws or can give advice of what to do now. I have 4 weeks to appeal the VOA decision before I can go to appeal.

Thanks in advance

Danler

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