01616090630

it seems there is a lot of negative press surrounding the industry...I think what these firms need to do is contact their existing clients and have them post some testimonials on this website about their experiences.

If that is what you have discovered I don't think you have been doing your homework.business rates scamming by a number of firms from manchester and one from Essex has got totally out of hand.if you haven't discovered this yet it makes me totally suspicious.

Perhaps he doesn't read the newspapers.  Earlier this week there was a large item in our local paper warning people not to be taken in by this con. Perhaps the comment that these companies should get "satisfied customers" to make positive posts on here is to prepare us for a deluge of them??

it's not something I've devoted a lot of time to. Suspicious? That I haven't yet scratched the surface? Lol, I can only conclude that you're ridiculously paranoid in that case

You are a prize idiot!

And why is that exactly?

I refer to your post of the 1st may.you stated that you were researching how a number of these firms operated.why would you be doing this .were you just curious?thats what makes me suspicious

It's quite amusing really.  The poster says there is a "lot of negative press about the industry", yet doesn't see fit to question why that might be.  He ignores the number of high profile court cases related to the rates reduction cons and even the number of different companies on this website alone, all with pages of negative comments.

Mine were genuine but the people on here only want comments that fit in with their agenda. CVS are a member of RICS, its on their website and invoices.

Basically its a bad industry yet all major commecial property surveyors do it. So are companies like Knight Frank, LSH, Deloitte, JSL, DTZ etc who do it and charge similar in the same boat. The argument that you can do it yourself can be said against every profession I could build a house, I could install electrics, I could mend a computer, I could do our own accountants. But I don't want to as I don't know enough about it and use people that are.

Just because a customer says actually they did me a decent job, which I would do for any of my contractors especially when they are coming in for such abuse you determine me to be a fake. Despite the fact I included my email address for you to contact me on and despite the fact the company is well known and turns over 150 million.

The past is fair enough but what CVS are doing is legitimate plus they don't charge up front fees like the majority of their RICS registered competitors.

I have always stated on this message board that cvs do not charge up front.however you are wrong to state that other firms that you have mentioned charge in the same way.no reputable firm takes fifty percent of each years savings.the amount of appeals that they submit are ridiculous.they do this purely on the percentage game.as I have mentioned from first hand experience if they get it wrong as has happened and you get another firm in who are successful,they then have the nerve to ask for a fee.that is downright immoral and unscrupulous.finally just getting back to the strattons connection how come Jason Clarke who was jailed then became the major shareholder in cvs.were the victims of his crimes compensated.mark rugby chief executive of cvs and formerly chief executive of lambert smith was surely aware of this.this certainly leaves a question mark over his integrity.

cvs is a horrible company any info on getting out of a contract with them would be appreciated

I am afraid to say, I am yet another victim of signing a CVS contract, how could so many of us be so stupid!  Perhaps the fact that there appears to be so many of us, must tell us something, there must be something in common, none of us noticed the danger in the small print! That's just it, it's all in the small print! FIVE YEARS WORTH OF PAYING, AND PAYING for not fully understanding the implications in the small print, and now because the rating period has been extended two more years, it's party time at CVS.

TWO MORE YEARS IN CVS's DISGUSTING, GROTESQUE  WEB!

I pride myself in being pretty sharp in the business field I trade in, but always fair, CVS would definitely not know the meaning of fair, I wrongly believed I was dealing with a professional, credible, honest organisation, how wrong I was! The saying, "a wolf in sheep's clothing" fits perfectly.

Hindsight is wonderful, I only wish I had felt suspicious and found this site four years ago!  No way would I have signed a contract with CVS, but I didn't see any warning, and I signed.

Can anyone help us out of this mess?

Sorry to hear your problem but I have been warning people for a long time re their small print.however the only small consolation is although the next valuation has been deferred two years you are only contracted to 2015.if you want any reassurances let me know

Thanks for that, interesting, in April 2013 I requested by telephone that CVS confirm their last invoice would be 1st April 2014, and that would end the contract.  However, the reply received by email in April 2013 did not confirm this, and left things very much as if they would carry on pursuing fees after that date.

CVS wrote in their email reply, "I can confirm that the 2010 Rating List at this moment in time is from the 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2015 and as such the last invoice you will receive from ourselves will be 1st April 2014, unless the government extends the 2010 Rating List."

Your assistance in this matter is very much appreciated.

I have read many of their contracts.it is simply for a five year period.was the contract signed prior to the govt deferring the next list.if so you must not pay.just imagine if the current list was deferred indefinitely would you carry on paying them forever? of course not.when you signed the contract there would have been an understanding that this was for a five year period.i presume you are paying them the outrageous figure of 50 percent of each years savings.

Extract from CVS Rating Agreement follows;

"Proposal to alter the Rating List
CVS will charge a fee for their service, the fee being NIL, for the survey and valuation and a commission of 50% of any savings in rates payable however achieved up to and including the year of settlement, and thereafter for each succeeding year until the end of the Rating Period.
The fee structure applies to all rating instructions given for 2005 and 2010 proposals.  
CVS will raise an invoice following settlement of the proposal/appeal, and in each April thereafter within the Rating Period."

Agreement signed July 2009, and as you will see, yes, the outrageous sum of 50% of each years saving.

Does this clarify?  Thank you for your assistance.

Thank god you had not signed up for the 2015 list as this would have created difficulties for you.i do not want to say anything more as obviously this message board is read by cvs.would you be prepared to let me know the post code of your premises.then I will be able to discuss this matter in confidence and tell you how to respond.

Good to hear there is hope out of this mess!  Let me know how to forward details, assuming I should not divulge postcode, etc here.

Do you have a third party I could contact.perhaps a firm of solicitors or I could give you a name of a firm of solicitors.which part of the country are you based.

I've been thinking.if you divulge your postcode what detriment would there be to you.just a thought.