BUSINESSES have been invited to a free talk to help them navigate the perils of the new rates system.

All business property in the country will be subject to this change, which comes into effect on April 1.

The presentation, organised by the Swindon Chamber of Trade, will be held at at Swindon Town FC on Thursday at 6.30pm.

There will be presentations by Andy Stevens, the revenue team manager at Swindon Council and chartered surveyor Andrew Kilpatrick, a partner of Thompsons in Commercial Road, Swindon.

Mr Kilpatrick said: "The presentation is going to cover what it means to a typical business and take people through how it's going to affect businesses.

"There will also be a particular emphasis on keeping people away from the unscrupulous revaluers, who promise a great deal but will charge a lot of money."

The rates for Swindon have been announced as 42.2p in the pound for large businesses and 41.5p in the pound for small businesses those with rateable values under £15,000.

Since the rating values were announced for the country, cowboy revaluers have been reportedly cold-calling firms and offering to conduct appeals on their behalf.

However, anyone worried about the rates values has been urged to go through a property consultant recommended by RICS.

The new rating system has not found favour with many experts, including Mr Kilpatrick.

He said: "It is fraught with difficulty. For example, the new small business rate actually applies to small properties, not small businesses, and you don't get it unless you apply.

"The rules have just come out, with about 40 pages of regulations, and it's extremely complicated.

"Most of the people who should apply will not have access to consultants' time because they are small businesses.

"And when you look at the details, you need to apply for it every year and you can only apply if you've got one property."

Another problem is that the appeal regulations are supposed to be ready for April 1 the day the new rates kick in but the Government has only just issued a 69-page guide to appealing, leaving little more than a month to prepare for an appeal.

Mr Kilpatrick said: "One of the proposals is to make people only have one right to appeal in the five years that the rates will apply for it's all about the Government trying to reduce the number of appeals. It's not meant to be easy, and a lot of people will see the forms and assume they are right."

To book a place at the talk contact Steph Trinci on 01793 649573

l The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors rates helpline is on 020 72227000.