ALMOST 70,000 appeals have been lodged against this year’s business rates revaluation, involving properties valued at more than £5bn, according to official data.
The Scottish Government said 67,519 appellants had disputed their bills before the September 30 deadline, compared to 61,936 after the last revaluation.
The rateable value of the properties involved was £5,007m, compared to £4,699m after in 2010.
However the proportion of properties appealed was the same in both years, at 29 per cent.
The proportion of the rateable value appealed was 71 per cent in 2010 but 68 per cent this year.
After the 2010 appeals, the rateable value of properties was reduced by £255m, meaning a £119m cut to bills.
However 325 appeals are still outstanding, involving £124m of rateable values.
So far this year just 150 appeals have been resolved, decreasing rateable values by £14m.
Rate bills are calculated by multiplying the rateable value of a property - roughly its rental value - by the poundage, which this year is 46.6p, and then applying any reliefs due.
Business rates generate around £2.8bn a year for council services, with around £1bn coming from public sector buildings, such as schools and hospitals.
This year’s changes provoked a furious backlash, particularly in the hospitality sector and the north east, with hikes of to 400 per cent pushing some firms to the brink of collapse.
SNP finance secretary Derek mackay was forced to introduce £45m of emergency reliefs to calm the situation, and has since promised to adopt most of the reforms recommended by the recent Barclay Review into Scotland’s flawed non-domestic rates system.
Tory finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: “The fact £5bn worth of appeals have gone in really exposes the severity of this situation.
“These are companies who could very well go to the wall unless this is sorted out quickly.
“So far Derek Mackay has come up with a series of temporary fixes for the business rates issue.
“While the Barclay Review did come up with some sensible suggestions to reform the system it was hamstrung from the start by being told its recommendations had to be revenue neutral.
“It is clear that we need longer-term solutions to ensure that Scottish businesses are not put at a competitive disadvantage within the UK.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Valuations for business properties are set independently by Scottish Assessors and appealing those valuations is the correct course of action for any ratepayer who disagrees with the Assessors independent valuation of their property.
“Those appeals will now be heard through independent legal processes and any ratepayer has the opportunity to request an expedited hearing.”
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