Case Studies

Here is a very small sample of reasons behind recoveries made for clients. Audits for our clients have resulted not only in several million pounds of cash savings, but also helped clients put in place procedures to avoid overspending in the future.

Business Rates:

  • Several years ago, a client had sold premises and paid business rates for a period beyond the date of disposal. No refund was received from the Billing Authority and the amount had been sat as a credit on the Billing Authorities Account unclaimed.
  • A client had no checks in place to make sure refunds were issued following reductions in Rateable Value. As a result several Billing Authorities still owed refunds dating back several years.

Service Charges:

  • A client was the tenant under two leases which made up one property. A Deed of Variation was subsequently entered into resulting in each lease having a different service charge provision. The client was however receiving just one service charge account based on the more onerous of the two service charge liabilities and a refund for overpayment was agreed for several prior years.
  • A client’s Landlord had been relying on a general “catch all” service charge clause to charge our client for costs not specifically mentioned within the lease such as security, agents fees, signage renewal and some repairs. A refund of these costs paid over the last 6 years was obtained.

Insurance:

  • Premises held on a lease by the client had been sublet and the client had failed to recharge their under tenant for a share of the buildings insurance and annual service charge costs.

Rents:

 

  • A client had entered rents for payment onto their system gross of VAT and then paid VAT on top which for several years resulted in them overpaying the rent by the amount of VAT.
  • Payment of rent had been entered onto a clients system from the lease commencement and yet the lease provided for an initial rent free period.

Utility payments:

  • Two payments of a substantial bill had been made and this had gone undetected by internal checks as the payments were charged to different nominal codes