Statutory Restitution Guarantee & Refund Policy
We stand unconditionally behind the forensic precision of our rating calculations. Because Small Business Rate Relief is primary UK legislation, qualifying commercial occupiers cannot be lawfully denied.
RatesReclaim Irrevocable Assurance Covenant
RatesReclaim (Commercial Division of Verified Entitlements; ICO Registration: ZC136598) solemnly covenants that all statutory restitution evaluations are formulated strictly in adherence to Section 43(4B) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, Statutory Instrument 2012/148, and binding House of Lords common law precedent. If a local billing authority lawfully denies our determination, your capital is protected by our unconditional money-back warranty.
The Four Pillars of the RatesReclaim Guarantee
Every audit, self-filing dossier, and contingency instruction operates under strict statutory safeguards.
1. 100% Money-Back Guarantee (Turnkey Kit)
When you purchase our bespoke 4-page Turnkey Council Claim Kit (£195), you are protected by our statutory guarantee:
Your refund is remitted directly back to your original payment card via Stripe with zero deduction and zero administrative fees.
2. Binding "No Win, No Fee" Contingency
For ratepayers instructing our Full-Service Restitution Claim, upfront financial risk is strictly £0.00. We formulate, lodge, and manage the statutory dossier through to resolution. Our 30% success fee is triggered solely when cleared BACS cash arrives in your business bank account. If the council does not disburse, you owe £0.00. Crucially, you retain 100% of all future ongoing savings (+£3,285–£4,500+/yr) forever with £0 ongoing agency fees.
3. Non-Discretionary Statutory Immunity
Small Business Rate Relief is not discretionary charity; it is an unalienable statutory right under Section 43(4B) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Local billing authorities possess zero legal power to refuse qualifying sole commercial occupiers, nor can they retaliate by increasing other commercial rates or conducting intrusive building inspections.
4. Absolute Landlord Insulation
Non-domestic rates are an occupier taxation duty governed by English primary law. The billing relationship exists exclusively between your trading enterprise and the local council. Your commercial landlord possesses zero legal interest, zero claim, and zero visibility over your BACS refund cheque, nor can they claw back statutory rebates.
How to Submit a Guarantee Claim
In the rare event that a council revenues officer issues a written refusal, our transparent 3-step resolution process ensures you are fully protected.
Forward Written Notice
Email the council's written decision letter to audit@ratesreclaim.co.uk within 30 days of receipt, citing your claim reference number.
Senior Assessor Audit & Rebuttal
Our Senior Rating Assessors review the citation to verify whether the clerk erroneously misapplied the Limitation Act 1980. If in clerk error, we provide an immediate formal statutory rebuttal free of charge.
Instant 48-Hour Stripe Refund
If lawful ineligibility is upheld under primary statute, our finance division executes a 100% refund of your £195 fee via Stripe within 48 business hours directly back to your payment card.
Why SBRR Cannot Lawfully Be Denied
Unlike discretionary grants or local municipal subsidies, Small Business Rate Relief is mandatory primary UK legislation. Every local council in England is legally bound under:
- Section 43(4B) Local Government Finance Act 1988: Mandates that single commercial hereditaments with Rateable Values ≤ £12,000 shall have their rates calculated with an E factor yielding an annual liability of strictly £0.00.
- SI 2012/148 Order: Directs billing authorities that relief applies across the compiled rating list upon receipt of a valid ratepayer declaration.
- Kleinwort Benson v Lincoln City Council [1999] 2 AC 349: The binding House of Lords ruling establishing that public rates paid under an administrative mistake of law are recoverable in full via common law restitution.
- Section 32(1)(c) Limitation Act 1980: Provides that in actions for relief from the consequences of a mistake, the 6-year limitation period does not begin to run until the ratepayer discovers the mistake.
- Regulation 4 SI 1989/1058: Expressly mandates that local billing authorities must remit dead credit balances directly via electronic BACS transfer rather than holding unapplied credits indefinitely.
Guarantee & Assurance Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my council takes longer than 25 working days to respond?
If an authority exceeds their published Service Level Agreement (SLA), our assessor team initiates a formal statutory escalation to the council's Section 151 Chief Financial Officer under the Local Government Act 1972, compelling immediate non-discretionary adjustment.
What if a council officer claims they cannot backdate prior to 1st April of the current year?
This is internal council policy, not primary legislation. The current-year cutoff applies only to discretionary local discounts. Mandatory SBRR under Section 43(4B) LGFA 1988 is governed by the 6-year rolling discovery window of Section 32(1)(c) Limitation Act 1980. Our dossiers include the formal statutory rebuttal that overturns this administrative brush-off.
Does your 30% success fee apply to my ongoing future annual savings?
Strictly no. Our contingency success fee applies solely to the retrospective BACS cash refund remitted into your business bank account. You retain 100% of all ongoing annual savings (+£3,285 to £4,500+/year) forever. There are zero trailing fees, recurring charges, or ongoing agency commissions.
Check Your Commercial Hereditament Entitlement
Under Section 43(4B) LGFA 1988, single commercial properties with RV under £12,000 have £0.00 liability. Calculate your backdated cash refund in 60 seconds with zero upfront financial risk.