Business rates relief / Empty Property Relief
Empty property business rates relief
Empty property relief gives 100% relief for the first three months a non-domestic property is unoccupied, extended to six months for warehouses and factories, and indefinitely for some property types.
You usually pay no business rates for the first three months a property is empty (six months for industrial premises). After that full rates normally apply, but several property types stay exempt for longer.
Check if you're missing this on your billWho qualifies
- Your property is genuinely unoccupied.
- Standard premises: 3 months free; industrial (warehouses/factories): 6 months free.
- Listed buildings, properties under £2,900 rateable value, and those of insolvent companies can be exempt for longer.
How to claim
- Tell your council the date the property became empty.
- Confirm the property type so the correct exemption length is applied.
- Check whether a longer exemption (listed, low-value, insolvency) applies to you.
Questions
How long is business rates free on an empty property?
Three months for most properties, six months for industrial premises, then full rates unless a longer exemption applies.
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