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Edition 1 · April 2026 Welcome to our first newsletter! | ||
A quick reminder about who we are and what we doAt Survo Chartered Surveyors, we provide trusted, expert property advice across the UK. From detailed building surveys and accurate valuations to proactive property management and strategic lease consultancy, our RICS-accredited team delivers clear, actionable insight you can rely on. Whether you're a landlord, tenant, investor or homeowner, we help you make confident, informed decisions at every stage of the property lifecycle. Discover the difference a truly professional surveyor can make. | ||
 The 60-Day Countdown: Meeting the New VOA Duty to InformAs of 1 April 2026, the new Rating List has officially come into effect, marking the transition to a permanent three-year revaluation cycle. All non-domestic properties in England and Wales have been reassessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) based on market rental values from April 2024. This faster cycle is intended to ensure that business rates more closely mirror current economic conditions, but it also means that the window for identifying and correcting valuation inaccuracies is now significantly shorter than in previous years. A major structural shift effective this month is the move from a two-tier system to a five-tier multiplier. The previous temporary reliefs for the retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) sectors have ended and been replaced by permanently lower multipliers. For 2026/27, these are set at 38.2p for small RHL properties (43.2p for other properties) and 43.0p for standard RHL properties (48.0p for other properties). Conversely, a new "High-Value" multiplier of 50.8p has been introduced for any property with a Rateable Value of £500,000 or above, representing the first time the standard rate has exceeded the 50p threshold for large-scale assets. This month also sees the Phase 1 rollout of the "Duty to Notify," a new legal requirement for all ratepayers. Under these rules, businesses and landlords are now expected to notify the VOA within 60 days of any changes to their property, such as structural alterations, changes in occupation, or new lease agreements. This move toward a self-assessment model is accompanied by a mandatory annual confirmation of property details. While the rollout is being phased, failing to report changes within the 60-day window can now lead to civil penalties and backdated interest on any adjusted liabilities. For landlords managing vacancies, the start of the 2026 list brings heightened administrative and financial pressure. Beyond the new reporting duties for when a tenant vacates, the cost of holding empty space has shifted due to the updated 2024 valuations and the higher multipliers for prime assets. While the 12-month Improvement Relief holiday remains available to shield landlords from immediate rate hikes following property upgrades, the overall complexity of managing a void has increased, making timely data submission to the VOA a critical operational task for property owners this year. | ||
 Dilapidations strategy - timing is critical!An interim schedule of dilapidations - prepared in accordance with lease covenants and supported by robust photographic and descriptive evidence - can materially strengthen a landlord’s position. Key benefits include:
Importantly, interim action mitigates the need to condense remedial works into the post-expiry period, where programme constraints, cost escalation and evidential challenges are typically most acute. From a building surveying perspective, interim inspections enable a more granular and real-time assessment of disrepair and liability progression throughout the lease term. Rather than relying solely on a terminal schedule, surveyors are able to:
This approach establishes a robust evidential audit trail, which is particularly valuable in the context of dispute resolution and in support of any subsequent Section 18(1) valuation. Case Study We recently served an Interim Schedule of Dilapidations on a tenant who subsequently agreed to undertake remedial and redecoration works as per the schedule, acknowledging existing breaches of covenant. By addressing these items proactively, the tenant was able to mitigate potential dilapidations liability at lease expiry. While alignment between landlord and tenant is not always straightforward, a proactive and transparent approach to interim dilapidations typically results in more efficient outcomes and reduced contention. | ||
 Maximising Your AssetThe Value of Proactive Property Management While consistent rental income is a great baseline, successful property investment goes beyond simply collecting the rent. At Survo, we believe in an approach that actively enhances the value and security of your portfolio, giving you complete peace of mind. When we review properties, we look for opportunities to elevate them from performing adequately to performing exceptionally. This proactive strategy focuses on two key areas:
The difference between a standard managing agent and an excellent one lies in this shift from reactive management to active asset enhancement. If you would like to explore how we can help optimise your portfolio, please contact Jacob at jacob@survo.co.uk. | ||
 Survo are Growing!Do you know someone who may suit these roles? Please forward this on! | ||
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