Wales has introduced a mandatory 60‑day reporting duty for business rates. From 1 April 2026, ratepayers must tell their local billing authority when the ratepayer changes or when a property moves between occupied and empty; failure can attract a £500 civil penalty. Ministers present the change as a targeted response to rates avoidance and a way to improve billing accuracy. (businesswales.gov.wales)

Who is in scope and what triggers a notice. The duty applies to anyone who is the ratepayer for a property (hereditament) on the Welsh local list-typically the occupier, or the owner while a unit is empty. You must report: a change in who the ratepayer is; taking occupation of a previously empty property; or a property becoming empty immediately after someone leaves. The clock starts on the day the change occurs and runs for 60 days. (businesswales.gov.wales)

Complying is straightforward: a brief email to the council with the property address, the ratepayer’s name, your account reference or UPRN if known, the event, and the effective date will do. Build this into move‑in and move‑out workflows and keep evidence-licences, completion statements, keys returned-so you can substantiate dates if asked. Contact details are on Business Wales if you need them. (businesswales.gov.wales)

Penalties and your rights. Councils can issue a £500 penalty for late or missing notifications, and they may impose it on a previous ratepayer if liability has already switched. You’ll have at least 21 days to pay. If you disagree, write to the council within 30 days to request a review; the council then has 30 days to confirm, reduce or cancel the penalty. If it is reduced or cancelled, a revised notice must be issued and any overpayment refunded within 21 days. (businesswales.gov.wales)

Appeals come next. If the council confirms or reduces the penalty after review-or if it misses the deadline and the notice is treated as confirmed-you have 30 days to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for Wales, with a further 28‑day route to the Upper Tribunal on points of law. No civil recovery action can start until the review/appeal process is finished. (businesswales.gov.wales)

There is a separate offence for knowingly or recklessly giving false information, attracting a fine up to level 3 on the standard scale (£1,000) on summary conviction. Treat notifications like statutory returns: date them, keep a record and have a second pair of eyes check key details. (businesswales.gov.wales)

Why now. The duty lands alongside the 1 April 2026 revaluation and new differential multipliers: a standard 0.502 rate, a 0.350 retail multiplier for eligible shops and 0.515 for the highest‑value properties. Wales is also phasing in increases above £300 over two years (33% then 66%). Accurate occupancy data will help ensure bills reflect these settings and any reliefs due. (gov.wales)

What this looks like in practice. If you take on a previously empty unit, email the council on day one with the start date. If you vacate and the unit becomes empty, the owner (ratepayer during vacancy) should email to confirm the date it became empty. If one occupier replaces another without a gap, that still counts as a change in the identity of the ratepayer and needs reporting within 60 days. (businesswales.gov.wales)

For multi‑site operators and managing agents, map a single inbox for notifications, reconcile it monthly with your rent‑roll, and add ratepayer messages to new‑lease and surrender checklists. A quick calendar reminder will cost less than a £500 penalty and avoids back‑and‑forth with councils later.

The short version for finance teams: the duty applies from 1 April 2026; tell the council within 60 days of any ratepayer or occupancy change; if you receive a penalty you have 21 days to pay, 30 days to request a review, 30 days to appeal to the VTW, and 28 days for an Upper Tribunal challenge. Set the dates now and avoid avoidable costs. (businesswales.gov.wales)