Business rates

Sometimes the Council will use an automated phone and text service to contact business rates customers about their accounts. Find out how the Council is using this technology to improve communication with our customers.

Business Rates contact received by voice message or text

We want to do everything we can to prevent our business rate payers getting into arrears on their business rates and to provide help while we collect what is due.

To improve our communication with business rate payers, the Council is running a telephone call and text campaign to contact those that have fallen behind on their business rate payments.

We may therefore send you a voice message or text to remind you about payments that are due or before we take further recovery action on arrears.

This is a free outbound telephone service which will provide you with the opportunity to request links to our website's payment page or a payment arrangement form.    

Some of the calls we make will give you the option to speak directly to a member of our Business Rates Team so that you can discuss your account with them. The team member will not be able to take payment from you.  

Whilst this service is offered to help prevent business rates payers from falling further into arrears, it should not be relied upon and may not always be available. It remains the responsibility of our business rates payers to make sure that their business rates are paid on time.

Voice Messages

Our business rates outbound calls will come from the following numbers:

• 01493 236114
• 01493 236128
• 01493 236006
• 01493 236151

Text Messages

The text messages are sent by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and will show as GYBC. Some of the texts we send will have links to payment or information pages on our website at www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk.

Protecting your data

We will only contact you on a number that we have on file for you and will not ask you to share any personal data when responding to the automated messages.  Any website links we supply by text will be to the website pages of Great Yarmouth Borough Council only.  

If you select an option to speak to a member of the Business Rates Team then this will be answered by one of the Council's own staff who will ask you questions to confirm that you are the account holder.

If you are concerned that contact you have received about your business rates account is not genuine then always make payment by visiting our online payment page or calling our automated payment line on 01493 846117.

Online account access

Manage your Business Rates account online and view your bills, payments made and make payment arrangements by visiting our OPENPortal service.