Adam Barnfield
Partner and Head of Business Rates
Business RatesBirmingham
––Adam is a Partner and Head of Business Rates at Vail Williams.
He joined Vail Williams in 2017, when the firm acquired business rates experts, Ruddle Merz.
Adam specialises in business rates advice, supporting clients to reduce their business rates liability. As part of this, he explores potential reliefs that may be available, including full or partial empty space relief, as well as exploring savings through Material Change of Circumstance.
Based in Birmingham, Adam works with a variety of clients spanning a host of sectors, from shops to sawmills and warehouses, to football stadiums across the UK.
He began his career with the Valuation Office Agency and is able to bring his experience of operating on the other side of the business rates fence to bear for his occupier clients, having built up in-depth knowledge of the rating system.
As part of his role, Adam conducts surveys of properties in the first instance, undertaking a detailed analysis of his findings before advising clients on ways to mitigate their business rates which he does by business rates appeal.
He negotiates with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to achieve savings on his clients’ behalf through the Check, Challenge, Appeal system. And if resolution with the VOA cannot be achieved, he represents clients at Valuation Tribunal.
In his spare time Adam is a keen cyclist and coaches his son’s football team, whilst being chauffeur for his daughter.
Key Skills
- Business rates advice
- Business rates mitigation
- Check, Challenge, Appeal
- Business rates appeal
- Duty to Notify
- Revaluation
