# Business rates intelligence for UK hospitality Canonical: https://paddl-ai.co/features/business-rates Last reviewed: 2026-09-11 by the Paddl team Paddl's business rates intelligence reads a venue's rates bill, checks the rateable value against the VOA and every relief the venue could claim (small business, retail hospitality and leisure, transitional), and gives a red, amber or green verdict per site with the saving. ## What Paddl's business rates intelligence does - AI extraction of the rateable value, multiplier and reliefs from the rates bill - Verification of the rateable value against the VOA record - Relief eligibility: small business rate relief, retail hospitality and leisure relief, transitional relief - A RAG verdict per site and a portfolio view of savings across the group - Annual re-check and comparison with previous years - Cross-reference with the lease for who pays the rates ## What it does not do - England and Wales only; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems - Paddl does not lodge appeals or applications with the council or VOA ## Pricing - **Price:** £69 per location per month, or £703.80 a year (15% off). Every feature is on the one plan. - **Trial:** 30 days free with full access. Card required, cancel anytime, no contract after. - **Included per location:** 5 owner and manager users and 10GB of document storage. Extra owners or managers are £2.99 a month each; staff do not take a seat. - **Covers:** SFBB, HACCP, allergens and Natasha's Law, temperature and cleaning records, training records, COSHH, risk assessments, licences and insurance, and an EHO-ready audit pack. - **Apps:** Staff app for iOS and Android with team chat, web dashboard for managers, shared venue tablets with PIN tap-in; works on any phone or tablet. - **Company:** Paddl is a trading name of Trading Projects Ltd, company number 16456940, registered in England. Pricing page: https://paddl-ai.co/pricing ## 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. ## Related - [Lease management software](https://paddl-ai.co/features/lease-property): Paddl's lease management software reads a commercial lease with AI to extract the break clauses, rent review dates, notice periods, repairing obligations and service charge terms, tracks the key dates per site with alerts before each notice must be served, and cross-references the lease's insurance requirements with the policies you hold. - [Document management software](https://paddl-ai.co/features/documents): Paddl's document management software takes any file a venue holds (certificates, Safety Data Sheets, menus, policies, licences, leases, insurance schedules), classifies it with AI, extracts the dates and data into the right record, tracks expiry, and collects staff sign-off.