HOW WE WORK
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ASTOP’s unique approach to empty space business rate relief sets us apart. We support communities by partnering with good causes and commercial and industrial landlords. Our work across the property sector ensures both can benefit from the relief of business rates available for empty properties. Our initiatives significantly reduce landlord costs and provide non-profit organisations and charities with rent-free temporary office and retail spaces across the UK.
When temporarily filled through our work, unoccupied industrial, retail, and office spaces are better maintained, more secure, and are more likely to be relet than empty spaces. They can also, importantly, contribute to community-focused projects. These initiatives offer excellent opportunities to contribute to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Sustainability Responsibility (CSR) programs, providing a platform to do good while saving money.
We have presented calculations that prove that the rate relief for empty properties we can arrange significantly outperforms other forms of mitigation, including so-called ‘box-shifting’, artificial insolvency, guardian programs and reclassification. To learn more, watch our videos, read our blogs, or contact us.
Ethical Saving On Empty Spaces For Landlords
Recent changes to Business Rates legislation have significantly reduced the options for landlords looking to mitigate the cost of business rates on unoccupied properties. In 2024, England joined Scotland and Wales in closing a box-shifting loophole long considered unethical by local government, impacting the strategies available to landlords. In comparison, local authorities generally welcome ASTOP’s community-led mitigation solutions.
The benefits of temporary occupation by charities and good causes, as facilitated by ASTOP, flow through the community. Working with us is proven to reduce instances of antisocial behaviour and prevent urban dereliction. It also maintains footfall in high street areas by creating service hotspots for local populations, including vulnerable members of society who are typically underserved in today’s retail spaces.
We ensure that lease arrangements are fair and transparent. They are typically short-term and support immediate vacation should an unoccupied property gain new tenants. Our terms are made explicit in our arrangements with charities and good causes. Arrangements have to be on a genuine win-win basis to succeed.
Ethical Savings On Commercial Spaces For Charities & Good Causes
ASTOP acts as a matchmaker, linking charities and not-for-profit organisations with space needs with landlords with unoccupied premises to fill. It is a genuine win-win scenario. The partnerships we forge allow landlords and charities to achieve legitimate savings on their business rates. We can help a good cause, charity or non-profit organisation with temporary space. Our landlords gain empty property business rates relief on donated office, retail, industrial and commercial premises.
Typically, we help by offering charities and good causes short, flexible leases with landlords who wish to avoid the penalties associated with an empty property. This is an ideal solution for creating coworking spaces, meeting rooms, storage spaces, or client-facing premises for charities. Our success stories include property initiatives for Mind, Age UK, Rotary International, Lions International, and Freecycle.
ASTOP property partnerships are a legal, ethical way to manage local tax liabilities and save both landlords and community groups considerable sums. If you are one of the many UK charities looking for space, our experienced team can provide guidance and support before introducing you to potential landlords. Our service is a low-risk, legal and proven way to combine the needs of charities, non-profit organisations and commercial landlords.
Ethical Business Rate Savings & Local Authorities
Building social cohesion and strengthening local communities is an ongoing challenge for UK Local Authorities. ASTOP’s work is often applauded in this context for building networks in areas where, otherwise, there would be empty properties and opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour. Rather than be left to deteriorate unchecked, High Streets and Shopping Centres often find a new lease of life through community-centred activity of the kind we support.
Landlords legitimately reducing their business rates on empty and unused assets needn’t conflict with councils. They can work in partnership to mitigate revenue loss from rates by maintaining high footfall in the face of retail and office closures. Former retail spaces can become community hubs for council residents, including vulnerable, under-represented or socio-economically disadvantaged groups.
Of all the business rate mitigation methods available to landlords, ASTOP schemes are the only ones generally supported by councils and local governments. At the time of writing, we are proud to say that we have been welcomed by over 100 local authorities and commended by councillors and MPs from across the political spectrum. Today, the charity-landlord partnerships we create in communities throughout the UK are widely accepted as ethical, desirable and highly effective.
We always aim for positive relationships with stakeholders, streamlined decision-making processes, honest and open communication, and mutual understanding. Success comes easily if everyone has a shared vision of the future.
Contact the ASTOP team to learn more about how we work with councils, good causes and commercial landlords to promote sustainable community development through collaboration. We can talk you through case studies where mitigating against business rates has provided a catalyst for local improvement initiatives.