It’s a ‘legitimate business model’

I put the complaints to RVA Surveyors, which responded through law firm Gately plc in a letter marked “Not for publication”.

They said it would be inappropriate to comment because the clients are the subject of “ongoing legal proceedings” – they included Jhona Pajatin’s concluded county court case in that.

The letter said that the complaints were from “a small number” of the 30,000 businesses that had signed up to RVA.

It added that small business rates relief was not automatically granted and said: “Our client operates a wholly legitimate business model” and the service was explained “in very clear terms”.

Staff are given “extensive training” and “before they are allowed to operate on a solo basis, they are monitored by team leaders”.