Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

ACT definition

What does ACT mean? In corporate and banking practice, ACT usually refers to the Association of Corporate Treasurers, the UK-based professional body for corporate treasury professionals, rather than a statutory “Act”. It is not defined in legislation or case law; the acronym is market terminology used in transaction documents and governance materials. The Association of Corporate Treasurers promotes professional standards in liquidity management, funding, cash and risk management, foreign exchange and derivatives. It publishes guidance and a code of ethics and awards recognised qualifications (including AMCT and FCT). In legal contexts, references to “ACT-qualified” personnel or to ACT good practice may appear in treasury policies,...

Business rates on empty and partly occupied property: liability, exemptions, occupation tests, short lets, insolvency and anti-avoidance

Published by a LexisNexis Local Government expert

Practice notes

Business rates are typically payable by the relevant ‘owner’ where non-domestic premises are unoccupied, though specified exemptions apply. This Practice Note explains liability for empty property business rates, highlighting common exemptions (often referred to as ‘empty rates relief’) with a focus on England. Occupation and possession are decisive-whether actual or attributed through ownership.

Empty properties: rates

A ratepayer is chargeable for the full non-domestic rate whether a property is wholly in use or only partly occupied. Where premises are partly occupied for a short period, the local authority may, in certain situations, use its discretion to grant relief for the unoccupied portion.

For rating purposes, the ‘owner’ of a hereditament or land-and therefore the person liable-is the party entitled to possession. See section 45 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (LGFA 1988). See Practice Note: Liability for business rates-Owners. Under LGFA 1988, s 65(1), the owner is defined as the person with the right to possess the hereditament or land...

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Web page updated on 28/05/2026

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