Business Rates

Information on business rates, how and when to pay business rates, moving business or change in liability and business rates relief.

Commercial lease tenants - key information on Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT)

Leases that come under LBTT also come with additional ongoing responsibilities for the tenant.

You must submit an LBTT return within 30 days of the lease’s effective date (i.e. usually the date of entry/when the lease starts). Your agent or solicitor can submit this for you.

If submitting it yourself, contact Revenue Scotland to request a paper form.

Lease reviews - tenant ongoing responsibilities

As long as you are the tenant, it is your responsibility to submit a Lease Review Return to Revenue Scotland within 30 days of the following:

  • every three years – even if nothing has changed or no tax is due, you must submit a return every third anniversary (i.e. year 3, year 6, year 9 etc.) of the lease’s effective date (i.e. usually the date of entry/when the lease starts)
  • the date you assign (transfer) the lease to someone else – once this is submitted, the new tenant will take over future returns
  •  The date you terminate (end) the lease – a final return must be submitted when the lease is terminated.

Failure to comply with this responsibility will result in a penalty.

You, as the tenant, can submit a Lease Review Return online via the Revenue Scotland portal

For full details about ongoing lease responsibilities, visit Revenue Scotland’s website