Southport Business Watch

15/07/2025

SCAM....House lettings.
Property in Southport is being advertised as available through TripAdvisor.

These scammers do NOT own the properties or have any involvement with them.

They send a link to a convincing TripAdvisor website for you to make payment.

All the scams seem to revolve around this mobile number.

01/07/2025

Business Rates! We have been getting a flurry of questions about business rates, properly known as Non Domestic Rates..

1) Rates are calculated by the Council using their multipliers from a property value created by The Valuation Office. Who work off a list created by the Council !
2) Business rates, unlike Council Tax, can be paid in monthly instalments. This is enshrined in law, FACT. The standard is 10 monthly payments, and in 2023 the law was amended you can pay over 12 months. FACT.
3) When in the month you pay is 'by agreement with the 'payee'. The Council. The Council can not force you to pay on a set date nor can they revoke instalments if you have paid each month.
( Council tax is different, you have no legal right to pay in instalments).
4) You should engage a firm of 'no win- no fee' surveyors to ensure you are on the correct rating, correct multiplier is used, you have the correct % of relief applied to your bill. You could be due a refund if any error is found. It's free so use it !!!
5) You can apply to the Valuation office for re assessment if you have made alterations to the premises, this may be splitting the building into 2 separate units that would then become eligible for 100% rate relief. Example....you have portioned off part of your 'space' and this then shortens your available sq mtrs.
6) We advise you to pay 2 months rates instalment as soon as you can when you receive the demand. This creates a credit balance on your account and then you can pay in smaller amounts throughout the year if your cashflow becomes tight. The Council are powerless to invoke any sanction as the account is still in credit.
7) There is ABSOLUTELY NO LEGAL REASON for you to pay by direct debit if you don't want to. If you can create a credit balance you could pay daily into the relevant bank details.
8) Remember.... Council officials (officers) are entirely responsible for their own actions, they can no longer hide behind the corporate shield. If you are being 'harassed' you are perfectly within your right to instigate Court proceeding against the official at their home address rather than the Council as a whole.
9) There is no legal obligation to use the Councils 'complaint procedure'. FACT. You can start legal proceedings however you see fit.
10) If you require details of surveyors or barristers to handle any aspect of Business Rates matters, get in touch.

15/06/2023

Another result ! £ 5 MILLION FINE ...Good Good!

Remember back in Dec 2020 we started asking you for issues with Eon Energy.
After collating a lot of complaints, chiefly around service provision, billing and their attitude, we submitted them to the regulator.
The regulator acted during Oct 22 and Dec 22 as a result of many other complaints as well.
Eon have now been fined £5million and ordered to pay compo to every customer. Make sure you get it, no matter how small!

Cough up Eon... e.on E.ON Next. Another smug utility supplier thinking they can mug customers off.

04/08/2022

Warning for MOTOR TRADE businesses.

There is a contingent of persons passing through the area and calling at garages and workshops asking for work to be carried out.

They either DO NOT pay or they do pay then claim the business has damaged the vehicle. Which is always false.
They then DEMAND WITH MENANCES compensation and their money back.

Several local businesses have already been hit. And many more out of this area.

They are currently using a vehicle similar to this one bearing southern Irish plates. The men are large (overweight) build with ginger hair, shaved at the sides longer on the top. Wearing tracksuits usually with flip flops.

We advise you not to carry out any work.

05/12/2021

Are these your little 'Cherubs'...have a word!

Ask them what they were doing this afternoon, Sunday 05 December 2021. 🤔

19/09/2021

Antiques. Caution advised.

We are being made aware of several different post card size adverts arriving in letter boxes around Southport, particularly the Birkdale, area. They display only a mobile number, no addresses or other traceable details.

NEVER invite anyone into your property to value items unless you have verified their details.

1) Use known antique dealers.
2) Ask for identification, a driving licence.
3) Take a photograph of the person(s) or vehicle.
4) Ask a friend of relative to be present.

27/05/2021

This safety app is available from the App store on your phone. Well worth looking at if you have children or vulnerable people in your family.

05/05/2021

It's election day tomorrow....Choose wisely! We would never direct anyone to vote a particular way but don't forget this incident;

Since then, the main perpetrator is no longer a Councillor and another councillor is now an independent after being KICKED OUT of the Lib Dems for very similar antics.

Don't waste your vote on time wasters. Think carefully-Vote wisely.

Good luck and remember you the residents hold the power.
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/review-mandatory-training-recommended-bullying-complaints-southport-councillors/?fbclid=IwAR2olvefrRsRodUyfeOe8hinug59FJAU0m4c8_SH1XziACszYKL_rgKUaLg

Compulsory conduct training is to be recommended for all Sefton Councillors after complaints were lodged about the behaviour of several of them at a meeting

14/02/2021

See news item received and distribute accordingly. Contact Police on 101 for clarity if approached.

19/11/2020

Do you or have you taken energy supplies from Eon? Business or domestic.
We are currently compiling a dossier into unfair and illegal practices by EON towards local businesses and residents and would like to hear from you.

EON along with others are banned from reverse billing for more than 12 months under an Ofgem order but are continually flouting this as well as refusing to recalculate estimated billing which is always in their favour.

If you think you have been affected -contact us.

06/08/2020

NB Renewables (NW) Ltd. Cavity Wall Installers.

We have been tasked with looking into the conduct of this short lived Southport based company. They were operating out of Slaidburn Ind Estate. If you have had cavity wall insulation installed by them please contact us.