Stop overpaying on business rates
Upload your rates bill and instantly check if you are claiming every relief available. AI-powered analysis for UK hospitality businesses.
Business rates are costing you more than they should
Most hospitality operators are overpaying and don't know it
Most hospitality businesses overpay
Over 60% of UK businesses are on the wrong rates multiplier or missing eligible reliefs. Without a business rates checker, most operators don't know they're overpaying.
The 2026 revaluation changed everything
New rateable values came into effect on 1 April 2026. If your bill hasn't been checked against the new rules, you could be paying hundreds or thousands more than you need to.
Relief rules are confusing
Small business rate relief, pubs discount, transitional relief - there are 6+ types with different thresholds, eligibility criteria, and application processes. Most operators don't know what they qualify for without a rates relief checker.
Multi-site operators lose track
Each location has its own bill, multiplier, and relief profile. Tracking them all manually across multiple councils is time-consuming and error-prone.
Your council won't tell you
Local authorities calculate your bill but won't proactively tell you about reliefs you're missing. It's your responsibility to check and apply.
Business rates analysis in under two minutes
Upload your rates bill and Paddl extracts the key figures, checks your eligibility for every available relief, verifies your rateable value against the VOA, and tells you exactly how much you could save.
AI Bill Extraction
Upload your rates bill as a PDF or photo. Our business rates calculator extracts the rateable value, multiplier, reliefs applied, and net payable in seconds.
Relief Eligibility Engine
Automatically checks 6 relief types: RHL multiplier, Small Business Rate Relief, pubs and live music discount, Supporting Small Business, Transitional Relief, and valuation accuracy.
VOA Verification
Performs a rateable value check by cross-referencing your bill against the official VOA rating list of 2 million+ UK properties to verify your rateable value is correct. Flags discrepancies that could form the basis of a business rates appeal.
RAG Verdict
Get a clear Green, Amber, or Red traffic light verdict showing whether your bill is correct, needs review, or has definite overpayment.
Portfolio Savings
See total potential savings aggregated across all your locations in one view. Identify which sites are costing you the most.
Annual Re-check
Automatic reminder every April when the new rates year starts, prompting you to upload your latest bill and re-run the analysis.
Historical Comparison
Track how your rateable value, reliefs, and total bill change year over year. Spot trends and catch unexpected increases.
Lease Cross-Reference
Flags if your lease service charge already includes business rates, helping you avoid paying twice.
What our customers achieve
Real savings from hospitality businesses using Paddl for business rates analysis
Real savings from real businesses
Wrong multiplier after revaluation
A restaurant with a rateable value of 28,000 was still on the standard multiplier (48p) instead of the RHL multiplier (38.2p). Paddl flagged the error, saving them 2,744 per year.
Missing pubs discount
A pub chain discovered 3 of their 8 locations weren't claiming the 15% pubs and live music venues relief. Total annual saving: 4,200.
Double-paying through service charge
A hotel operator's lease included rates in the service charge, but they were also paying the council directly. Paddl's lease cross-reference caught the overlap.
Unclaimed Small Business Rate Relief
A cafe with a rateable value of 10,500 wasn't claiming 100% Small Business Rate Relief. The owner didn't know it existed. Annual saving: 4,536.
Portfolio-wide savings
A multi-site operator with 12 locations ran the analysis across all sites. Three had incorrect multipliers and two were missing transitional relief. Combined saving: 8,900 per year.
Rateable Value Check
A restaurant owner uploaded their rates bill and Paddl cross-referenced the rateable value against the VOA database. The bill showed a rateable value of 35,000 but the VOA record listed 31,500. The council had applied the wrong figure after the 2026 revaluation, resulting in 1,680 per year in overpayment.
Small Business Rate Relief Eligibility
A single-site cafe with a rateable value of 12,000 was paying full rates. The owner did not know that properties under 15,000 qualify for Small Business Rate Relief, which provides 100% relief for properties under 12,000 and tapered relief up to 15,000. Paddl identified the eligibility and provided the application steps, saving the business over 4,000 per year.
Rate Appeal Preparation
A hotel operator believed their rateable value was too high compared to similar properties nearby. Paddl flagged the discrepancy against VOA records and provided a summary of the analysis as a PDF that the operator shared with their surveyor. The surveyor used it as a starting point for a formal Check, Challenge, Appeal submission to the VOA.
Multi-Site Rates Overview
A pub group with 6 locations across different councils uploaded all their rates bills. Paddl showed a consolidated view of total rates liability, identified which sites were on the wrong multiplier, and calculated the aggregate potential saving. The finance team used the overview to prioritise which councils to contact first.
Frequently asked questions
What reliefs does Paddl check for?
Paddl checks for six relief types: (1) RHL multiplier eligibility for hospitality businesses with a rateable value under 51,000, (2) Small Business Rate Relief for properties with a rateable value under 15,000, (3) Pubs and live music venues discount of 15%, (4) Supporting Small Business transitional cap, (5) Transitional Relief to limit year-on-year increases after revaluation, and (6) rateable value accuracy by cross-referencing the VOA rating list.
How does the VOA verification work?
Paddl cross-references the rateable value on your bill against the official Valuation Office Agency (VOA) rating list, which contains over 2 million UK properties. If there is a mismatch between your bill and the VOA record, Paddl flags it immediately so you can query it with your council.
What is the RHL multiplier?
The RHL (Retail, Hospitality and Leisure) multiplier is a lower business rates multiplier available to qualifying hospitality, retail, and leisure properties with a rateable value below 51,000. For 2026/27, the RHL multiplier is 38.2p compared to the standard multiplier of 48p. That difference can save thousands per year, but your council may not automatically apply it.
Do I need to upload my actual rates bill?
Yes. The AI reads the specific numbers from your bill, including your rateable value, the multiplier applied, any reliefs already listed, and the net amount payable. This allows Paddl to give you an accurate, personalised analysis rather than a generic estimate.
How often should I check my rates?
At minimum, you should check your rates bill every April when the new rates year starts. You should also re-check whenever your circumstances change, for example if you take on a new property, change your trading activities, or a revaluation takes effect. Paddl sends automatic reminders each April.
What happens if Paddl finds I'm overpaying?
Paddl provides a clear summary of which reliefs you are missing and the estimated annual saving. It includes step-by-step recommendations for applying to your local council or challenging your rateable value with the VOA. You can also export the analysis as a PDF to share with your accountant or solicitor.
Does this work for businesses outside England and Wales?
No. The VOA rating list covers England and Wales only. Scotland uses the Scottish Assessors Association and Northern Ireland uses Land and Property Services, which operate under different rules and thresholds. Paddl currently supports England and Wales only for business rates analysis.
What changed with the 2026 revaluation?
The 2026 revaluation introduced new rateable values for all non-domestic properties in England and Wales, effective from 1 April 2026. Key changes include updated rateable values based on 2024 rental evidence, a new RHL multiplier set at 38.2p, revised Small Business Rate Relief thresholds, and a new pubs and live music venues relief at 15%. If your bill still reflects pre-2026 figures, you may be overpaying.
Am I eligible for small business rate relief?
You may be eligible if your property has a rateable value below 15,000 and it is your only business property. Properties with a rateable value of 12,000 or below get 100% relief, meaning you pay no business rates at all. Properties between 12,001 and 15,000 get tapered relief on a sliding scale. If you occupy multiple properties, you lose eligibility once your combined rateable value exceeds 20,000. Upload your rates bill to Paddl and the eligibility check is done automatically.
How do I appeal my business rates?
Business rates appeals in England go through the Check, Challenge, Appeal process via the VOA. First, you Check your property details on the VOA website and correct any errors. If your rateable value is still wrong, you Challenge it with evidence of comparable rents. If the VOA rejects your challenge, you can Appeal to the Valuation Tribunal. The process can take months, so it is worth starting early. Paddl identifies potential grounds for appeal by cross-referencing your bill against the VOA database and highlighting discrepancies.
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